Democracy (Lexical Index) in Syria
Syria: Democracy (Lexical Index) was 1 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Democracy in Syria, 1918–2025
Source: Lexical Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for democracy in Syria is 1, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, democracy in Syria peaked at 3 in 1944 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1918.
That places Syria 160th out of 198 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Democracy (Lexical Index) in Syria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1918 | 0 | — |
| 1919 | 2 | — |
| 1920 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1921 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1941 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 3 | +50.0% |
| 1945 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1947 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1948 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 0 | -100.0% |
| 1950 | 0 | — |
| 1951 | 0 | — |
| 1952 | 0 | — |
| 1953 | 1 | — |
| 1954 | 3 | +200.0% |
| 1955 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 1 | -66.7% |
| 1959 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 3 | +200.0% |
| 1962 | 0 | -100.0% |
| 1963 | 0 | — |
| 1964 | 0 | — |
| 1965 | 0 | — |
| 1966 | 0 | — |
| 1967 | 0 | — |
| 1968 | 0 | — |
| 1969 | 0 | — |
| 1970 | 0 | — |
| 1971 | 1 | — |
| 1972 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 0 | -100.0% |
| 2025 | 1 | — |
Syria compared with similar countries
- Syria's 1 is above the median for low income countries, which is 1, 1.0× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Syria's 1 is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 2, 50% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 1920s | 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 |
| 1930s | 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 |
| 1940s | 2.3 | 0 | 3 | 10 |
| 1950s | 1.5 | 0 | 3 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.4 | 0 | 3 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.9 | 0 | 1 | 10 |
| 1980s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 1990s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 2000s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.8333 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Syria
- 160 Belarus 1 compare
- 160 Cambodia 1 compare
- 160 Cuba 1 compare
- 160 Eswatini 1 compare
- 160 Guinea 1 compare
- 160 Laos 1 compare
- 160 Nicaragua 1 compare
- 160 North Korea 1 compare
- 160 Oman 1 compare
- 160 Russia 1 compare
- 160 Tunisia 1 compare
- 160 Turkmenistan 1 compare
- 160 Venezuela 1 compare
- 160 Vietnam 1 compare
- 160 Western Sahara 1 compare
More reference data data for Syria
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.1191 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 4.23 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 7.23 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.5377 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 7.23 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.3995 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.1542 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 16.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 29.26 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.93 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is democracy in Syria?
- Democracy in Syria was 1 in 2025, according to Lexical Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest democracy recorded in Syria?
- The highest recorded value was 3 in 1944.
- What is the lowest democracy recorded in Syria?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1918.
- How does Syria rank for democracy?
- Syria ranks 160th out of 198 countries with data for 2025.
- Is democracy rising or falling in Syria?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Syria data come from?
- The figures come from Lexical Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Democracy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Identifies the political regime of a country. It distinguishes between non-electoral autocracies (score 0), one-party autocracies (score 1), multi-party autocracies without elected executive (score 2), multi-party autocracies (score 3), exclusive democracies (score 4), male democracies (score 5), electoral democracies (score 6), and full democracies (score 7).