Participatory Political Institutions Index in Zambia
Zambia: Participatory Political Institutions Index was 0.646 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
0.646
Change on year
up 0.2%
World rank
18th
of 176 countries
All-time high
0.647
in 2022
All-time low
0.137
in 1911
Years of data
115
1911–2025
Participatory Political Institutions Index in Zambia, 1911–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Zambia recorded 0.646 for participatory political institutions index in 2025.
The figure is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 12.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, participatory political institutions index in Zambia peaked at 0.647 in 2022 and was at its lowest, 0.137, in 1911.
Zambia ranks 18th of 176 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Participatory Political Institutions Index in Zambia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1911 | 0.137 | — |
| 1912 | 0.137 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 0.137 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 0.137 | +0.0% |
| 1915 | 0.137 | +0.0% |
| 1916 | 0.137 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 0.137 | +0.0% |
| 1918 | 0.137 | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 0.137 | +0.0% |
| 1920 | 0.137 | +0.0% |
| 1921 | 0.137 | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 0.137 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 0.137 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 0.155 | +13.1% |
| 1925 | 0.155 | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 0.155 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 0.155 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 0.155 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 0.155 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 0.155 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 0.155 | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 0.155 | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 0.155 | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 0.155 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 0.16 | +3.2% |
| 1936 | 0.16 | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 0.16 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 0.16 | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 0.16 | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 0.163 | +1.9% |
| 1941 | 0.163 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 0.163 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 0.163 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 0.163 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 0.163 | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 0.163 | +0.0% |
| 1947 | 0.17 | +4.3% |
| 1948 | 0.172 | +1.2% |
| 1949 | 0.172 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 0.172 | +0.0% |
| 1951 | 0.172 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 0.172 | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 0.204 | +18.6% |
| 1954 | 0.249 | +22.1% |
| 1955 | 0.249 | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 0.249 | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 0.249 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 0.249 | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 0.249 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 0.249 | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 0.249 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 0.249 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 0.31 | +24.5% |
| 1964 | 0.409 | +31.9% |
| 1965 | 0.431 | +5.4% |
| 1966 | 0.431 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 0.431 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 0.431 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 0.438 | +1.6% |
| 1970 | 0.449 | +2.5% |
| 1971 | 0.449 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 0.438 | -2.4% |
| 1973 | 0.423 | -3.4% |
| 1974 | 0.42 | -0.7% |
| 1975 | 0.42 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 0.42 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 0.42 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 0.42 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 0.42 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 0.449 | +6.9% |
| 1981 | 0.453 | +0.9% |
| 1982 | 0.453 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 0.453 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 0.453 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 0.446 | -1.5% |
| 1986 | 0.455 | +2.0% |
| 1987 | 0.445 | -2.2% |
| 1988 | 0.462 | +3.8% |
| 1989 | 0.462 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 0.49 | +6.1% |
| 1991 | 0.541 | +10.4% |
| 1992 | 0.569 | +5.2% |
| 1993 | 0.576 | +1.2% |
| 1994 | 0.577 | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 0.577 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.583 | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 0.583 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.583 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 0.583 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.583 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 0.583 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 0.58 | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 0.58 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 0.58 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 0.572 | -1.4% |
| 2006 | 0.575 | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 0.575 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 0.569 | -1.0% |
| 2009 | 0.569 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 0.566 | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 0.567 | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 0.567 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 0.566 | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 0.566 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 0.575 | +1.6% |
| 2016 | 0.561 | -2.4% |
| 2017 | 0.519 | -7.5% |
| 2018 | 0.595 | +14.6% |
| 2019 | 0.595 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 0.548 | -7.9% |
| 2021 | 0.61 | +11.3% |
| 2022 | 0.647 | +6.1% |
| 2023 | 0.646 | -0.2% |
| 2024 | 0.645 | -0.2% |
| 2025 | 0.646 | +0.2% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 0.646 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.48, 1.3× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 0.646 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.4895, 1.3× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 0.137 | 0.137 | 0.137 | 9 |
| 1920s | 0.1478 | 0.137 | 0.155 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.1575 | 0.155 | 0.16 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.1655 | 0.163 | 0.172 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.2214 | 0.172 | 0.249 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.3628 | 0.249 | 0.438 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.4279 | 0.42 | 0.449 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.4531 | 0.445 | 0.462 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.5662 | 0.49 | 0.583 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.5766 | 0.569 | 0.583 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.5677 | 0.519 | 0.595 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.6237 | 0.548 | 0.647 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More reference data data for Zambia
- Exchange rate, new LCU per USD extended backward, period average 18.94 (2026)
- Exchange rate, old LCU per USD extended forward, period average 18.94 (2026)
- Official exchange rate, LCU per USD, period average 18.94 (2026)
- Political opposition, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament and government, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Global number of reported disasters by size, gaps filled 0 events (2025)
- Annual precipitation, annual growth rate 40.84 % change on previous year (2025)
- Free country, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, gaps filled 4 (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is participatory political institutions index in Zambia?
- Participatory political institutions index in Zambia was 0.646 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest participatory political institutions index recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 0.647 in 2022.
- What is the lowest participatory political institutions index recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.137 in 1911.
- How does Zambia rank for participatory political institutions index?
- Zambia ranks 18th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is participatory political institutions index rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Participatory Political Institutions Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 115 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Central estimate of the extent to which citizens can engage in regional and local government, civil society organizations, and direct democracy.