Democracy in Ghana
Ghana: Democracy was 2 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Democracy in Ghana, 1902–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Ghana recorded 2 for democracy in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, democracy in Ghana peaked at 3 in 2003 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1902.
That places Ghana 32nd out of 176 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Democracy in Ghana, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1902 | 0 | — |
| 1903 | 0 | — |
| 1904 | 0 | — |
| 1905 | 0 | — |
| 1906 | 0 | — |
| 1907 | 0 | — |
| 1908 | 0 | — |
| 1909 | 0 | — |
| 1910 | 0 | — |
| 1911 | 0 | — |
| 1912 | 0 | — |
| 1913 | 0 | — |
| 1914 | 0 | — |
| 1915 | 0 | — |
| 1916 | 0 | — |
| 1917 | 0 | — |
| 1918 | 0 | — |
| 1919 | 0 | — |
| 1920 | 0 | — |
| 1921 | 0 | — |
| 1922 | 0 | — |
| 1923 | 0 | — |
| 1924 | 0 | — |
| 1925 | 0 | — |
| 1926 | 0 | — |
| 1927 | 0 | — |
| 1928 | 0 | — |
| 1929 | 0 | — |
| 1930 | 0 | — |
| 1931 | 0 | — |
| 1932 | 0 | — |
| 1933 | 0 | — |
| 1934 | 0 | — |
| 1935 | 0 | — |
| 1936 | 0 | — |
| 1937 | 0 | — |
| 1938 | 0 | — |
| 1939 | 0 | — |
| 1940 | 0 | — |
| 1941 | 0 | — |
| 1942 | 0 | — |
| 1943 | 0 | — |
| 1944 | 0 | — |
| 1945 | 0 | — |
| 1946 | 0 | — |
| 1947 | 0 | — |
| 1948 | 0 | — |
| 1949 | 0 | — |
| 1950 | 0 | — |
| 1951 | 0 | — |
| 1952 | 0 | — |
| 1953 | 0 | — |
| 1954 | 0 | — |
| 1955 | 0 | — |
| 1956 | 0 | — |
| 1957 | 1 | — |
| 1958 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 0 | -100.0% |
| 1967 | 0 | — |
| 1968 | 0 | — |
| 1969 | 1 | — |
| 1970 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 0 | -100.0% |
| 1973 | 0 | — |
| 1974 | 0 | — |
| 1975 | 0 | — |
| 1976 | 0 | — |
| 1977 | 0 | — |
| 1978 | 0 | — |
| 1979 | 1 | — |
| 1980 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1981 | 0 | -100.0% |
| 1982 | 0 | — |
| 1983 | 0 | — |
| 1984 | 0 | — |
| 1985 | 0 | — |
| 1986 | 0 | — |
| 1987 | 0 | — |
| 1988 | 0 | — |
| 1989 | 0 | — |
| 1990 | 0 | — |
| 1991 | 0 | — |
| 1992 | 0 | — |
| 1993 | 1 | — |
| 1994 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1997 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 3 | +50.0% |
| 2004 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 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 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 2 | -33.3% |
| 2016 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 2 | +0.0% |
Ghana compared with similar countries
- Ghana's 2 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1, 2.0× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Ghana's 2 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1, 2.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| 1910s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.3 | 0 | 1 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.7 | 0 | 1 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.3 | 0 | 1 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.2 | 0 | 2 | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.1 | 0 | 2 | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.7 | 2 | 3 | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.5 | 2 | 3 | 10 |
| 2020s | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
- 32 Argentina 2 compare
- 32 Armenia 2 compare
- 32 Bhutan 2 compare
- 32 Bolivia 2 compare
- 32 Botswana 2 compare
- 32 Brazil 2 compare
- 32 Bulgaria 2 compare
- 32 Canada 2 compare
- 32 Cape Verde 2 compare
- 32 Colombia 2 compare
- 32 Croatia 2 compare
- 32 Dominican Republic 2 compare
- 32 East Timor 2 compare
- 32 Ecuador 2 compare
- 32 Fiji 2 compare
- 32 Gambia 2 compare
- 32 Greece 2 compare
- 32 Guatemala 2 compare
- 32 Guyana 2 compare
- 32 Honduras 2 compare
- 32 Israel 2 compare
- 32 Jamaica 2 compare
- 32 Kenya 2 compare
- 32 Lesotho 2 compare
- 32 Liberia 2 compare
- 32 Malawi 2 compare
- 32 Malaysia 2 compare
- 32 Maldives 2 compare
- 32 Malta 2 compare
- 32 Mauritius 2 compare
- 32 Moldova 2 compare
- 32 Mongolia 2 compare
- 32 Montenegro 2 compare
- 32 Namibia 2 compare
- 32 Nepal 2 compare
- 32 Nigeria 2 compare
- 32 North Macedonia 2 compare
- 32 Panama 2 compare
- 32 Paraguay 2 compare
- 32 Peru 2 compare
- 32 Poland 2 compare
- 32 Portugal 2 compare
- 32 Romania 2 compare
- 32 Sao Tome and Principe 2 compare
- 32 Senegal 2 compare
- 32 Slovakia 2 compare
- 32 Slovenia 2 compare
- 32 Solomon Islands 2 compare
- 32 South Africa 2 compare
- 32 Sri Lanka 2 compare
- 32 Suriname 2 compare
- 32 United Kingdom 2 compare
- 32 United States 2 compare
- 32 Vanuatu 2 compare
More reference data data for Ghana
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.2805 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.89 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.69 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1989 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 2.69 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.9405 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.9478 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 8.22 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 12.64 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.08 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is democracy in Ghana?
- Democracy in Ghana was 2 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest democracy recorded in Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 3 in 2003.
- What is the lowest democracy recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1902.
- How does Ghana rank for democracy?
- Ghana ranks 32nd out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is democracy rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ghana data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Democracy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Identifies the political regime of a country by distinguishing between closed autocracies, electoral autocracies, electoral democracies, and liberal democracies.