Democracy in Turkey
Turkey: Democracy was 1 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
1
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
90th
of 175 countries
All-time high
5
in 1966
All-time low
0
in 1954
Years of data
126
1900–2025
Democracy in Turkey, 1900–2025
Source: Episodes of Regime Transformation (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for democracy in Turkey is 1, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is unchanged over five years.
Over the whole period, democracy in Turkey peaked at 5 in 1966 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1954.
That places Turkey 90th out of 175 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Democracy in Turkey, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 1 | — |
| 1901 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1902 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1903 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1907 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1908 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1909 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 1 | -50.0% |
| 1911 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1912 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1915 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1916 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1918 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1920 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1921 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1941 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1947 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1948 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1951 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 1 | -50.0% |
| 1953 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 0 | -100.0% |
| 1955 | 0 | — |
| 1956 | 0 | — |
| 1957 | 0 | — |
| 1958 | 0 | — |
| 1959 | 0 | — |
| 1960 | 0 | — |
| 1961 | 0 | — |
| 1962 | 2 | — |
| 1963 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 5 | +150.0% |
| 1967 | 5 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 4 | -20.0% |
| 1969 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 0 | -100.0% |
| 1981 | 0 | — |
| 1982 | 1 | — |
| 1983 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1984 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 5 | +150.0% |
| 1991 | 5 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 5 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 4 | -20.0% |
| 1994 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 5 | +25.0% |
| 2000 | 5 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 5 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 5 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 5 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 4 | -20.0% |
| 2005 | 3 | -25.0% |
| 2006 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 0 | -100.0% |
| 2014 | 0 | — |
| 2015 | 0 | — |
| 2016 | 0 | — |
| 2017 | 0 | — |
| 2018 | 1 | — |
| 2019 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 1 | +0.0% |
Turkey compared with similar countries
- Turkey's 1 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.5, 67% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
- Turkey's 1 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 4, 25% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 1.2 | 1 | 2 | 10 |
| 1910s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 1920s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 1930s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 1940s | 1.4 | 1 | 2 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.6 | 0 | 2 | 10 |
| 1960s | 2.6 | 0 | 5 | 10 |
| 1970s | 4 | 4 | 4 | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.5 | 0 | 2 | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.4 | 4 | 5 | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.9 | 3 | 5 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.1 | 0 | 3 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Turkey
- 90 Albania 1 compare
- 90 Algeria 1 compare
- 90 Angola 1 compare
- 90 Azerbaijan 1 compare
- 90 Bahrain 1 compare
- 90 Bangladesh 1 compare
- 90 Burundi 1 compare
- 90 Cameroon 1 compare
- 90 Chad 1 compare
- 90 China 1 compare
- 90 Comoros 1 compare
- 90 Congo 1 compare
- 90 Cuba 1 compare
- 90 Democratic Republic of Congo 1 compare
- 90 Djibouti 1 compare
- 90 Egypt 1 compare
- 90 Equatorial Guinea 1 compare
- 90 Eritrea 1 compare
- 90 Eswatini 1 compare
- 90 Ethiopia 1 compare
- 90 Gabon 1 compare
- 90 Iran 1 compare
- 90 Iraq 1 compare
- 90 Jordan 1 compare
- 90 Kazakhstan 1 compare
- 90 Laos 1 compare
- 90 Lebanon 1 compare
- 90 Malaysia 1 compare
- 90 Mongolia 1 compare
- 90 Morocco 1 compare
- 90 Nigeria 1 compare
- 90 North Korea 1 compare
- 90 Oman 1 compare
- 90 Palestine 1 compare
- 90 Papua New Guinea 1 compare
- 90 Qatar 1 compare
- 90 Russia 1 compare
- 90 Rwanda 1 compare
- 90 Saudi Arabia 1 compare
- 90 Sierra Leone 1 compare
- 90 Singapore 1 compare
- 90 Somalia 1 compare
- 90 South Sudan 1 compare
- 90 Sudan 1 compare
- 90 Syria 1 compare
- 90 Tajikistan 1 compare
- 90 Tanzania 1 compare
- 90 Turkmenistan 1 compare
- 90 Uganda 1 compare
- 90 United Arab Emirates 1 compare
- 90 Uzbekistan 1 compare
- 90 Venezuela 1 compare
- 90 Vietnam 1 compare
- 90 Yemen 1 compare
- 90 Zimbabwe 1 compare
More reference data data for Turkey
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.815 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 10.96 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 22.31 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.72 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 22.31 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 2.73 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.1 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 53.65 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 103 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 9.35 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is democracy in Turkey?
- Democracy in Turkey was 1 in 2025, according to Episodes of Regime Transformation (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest democracy recorded in Turkey?
- The highest recorded value was 5 in 1966.
- What is the lowest democracy recorded in Turkey?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1954.
- How does Turkey rank for democracy?
- Turkey ranks 90th out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
- Where does this Turkey data come from?
- The figures come from Episodes of Regime Transformation (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Democracy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 126 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Political regime of a country using the classification by the Episodes of Regime Transformation-project. It distinguishes between hardening autocracies (score 0), stable autocracies (score 1), liberalizing autocracies (score 2), eroding democracies (score 3), stable democracies (score 4), and deepening democracies (score 5).