Democracy in Uruguay
Uruguay: Democracy was 3 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Democracy in Uruguay, 1825–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for democracy in Uruguay is 3, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 201 years on record.
The figure is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, democracy in Uruguay peaked at 3 in 1985 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1825.
Uruguay ranks 1st 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.
Democracy in Uruguay, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1825 | 0 | — |
| 1826 | 0 | — |
| 1827 | 0 | — |
| 1828 | 0 | — |
| 1829 | 0 | — |
| 1830 | 0 | — |
| 1831 | 0 | — |
| 1832 | 0 | — |
| 1833 | 1 | — |
| 1834 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1835 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1836 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1837 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1838 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1839 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1840 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1841 | 0 | -100.0% |
| 1842 | 0 | — |
| 1843 | 0 | — |
| 1844 | 0 | — |
| 1845 | 0 | — |
| 1846 | 0 | — |
| 1847 | 0 | — |
| 1848 | 0 | — |
| 1849 | 0 | — |
| 1850 | 0 | — |
| 1851 | 1 | — |
| 1852 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1853 | 0 | -100.0% |
| 1854 | 1 | — |
| 1855 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1856 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1857 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1858 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1859 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1860 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1861 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1862 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1863 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1864 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1865 | 0 | -100.0% |
| 1866 | 0 | — |
| 1867 | 0 | — |
| 1868 | 1 | — |
| 1869 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1870 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1871 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1872 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1873 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1874 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1875 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1876 | 0 | -100.0% |
| 1877 | 0 | — |
| 1878 | 0 | — |
| 1879 | 0 | — |
| 1880 | 0 | — |
| 1881 | 1 | — |
| 1882 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1883 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1884 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1885 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1886 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1887 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1888 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1889 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1890 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1891 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1892 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1893 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1894 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1895 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1896 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1897 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1898 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1899 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1900 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 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 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1909 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 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 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 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 | 0 | -100.0% |
| 1934 | 1 | — |
| 1935 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1940 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1941 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1947 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1948 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1951 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 1 | -50.0% |
| 1973 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 0 | -100.0% |
| 1975 | 0 | — |
| 1976 | 0 | — |
| 1977 | 0 | — |
| 1978 | 0 | — |
| 1979 | 0 | — |
| 1980 | 0 | — |
| 1981 | 0 | — |
| 1982 | 0 | — |
| 1983 | 0 | — |
| 1984 | 0 | — |
| 1985 | 3 | — |
| 1986 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 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 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 3 | +0.0% |
Uruguay compared with similar countries
- Uruguay's 3 is above the median for high income countries, which is 3, 1.0× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Uruguay's 3 is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 2, 1.5× the median. (25 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1820s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 1830s | 0.7 | 0 | 1 | 10 |
| 1840s | 0.1 | 0 | 1 | 10 |
| 1850s | 0.8 | 0 | 1 | 10 |
| 1860s | 0.7 | 0 | 1 | 10 |
| 1870s | 0.6 | 0 | 1 | 10 |
| 1880s | 0.9 | 0 | 1 | 10 |
| 1890s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 1900s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 1910s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 1920s | 1.7 | 1 | 2 | 10 |
| 1930s | 1.3 | 0 | 2 | 10 |
| 1940s | 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 |
| 1950s | 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 |
| 1960s | 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.6 | 0 | 2 | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.5 | 0 | 3 | 10 |
| 1990s | 3 | 3 | 3 | 10 |
| 2000s | 3 | 3 | 3 | 10 |
| 2010s | 3 | 3 | 3 | 10 |
| 2020s | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Uruguay
- 1 Australia 3 compare
- 1 Austria 3 compare
- 1 Barbados 3 compare
- 1 Belgium 3 compare
- 1 Chile 3 compare
- 1 Costa Rica 3 compare
- 1 Cyprus 3 compare
- 1 Czechia 3 compare
- 1 Denmark 3 compare
- 1 Estonia 3 compare
- 1 Finland 3 compare
- 1 France 3 compare
- 1 Germany 3 compare
- 1 Iceland 3 compare
- 1 Ireland 3 compare
- 1 Italy 3 compare
- 1 Japan 3 compare
- 1 Latvia 3 compare
- 1 Lithuania 3 compare
- 1 Luxembourg 3 compare
- 1 Netherlands 3 compare
- 1 New Zealand 3 compare
- 1 Norway 3 compare
- 1 Seychelles 3 compare
- 1 South Korea 3 compare
- 1 Spain 3 compare
- 1 Sweden 3 compare
- 1 Switzerland 3 compare
- 1 Taiwan 3 compare
- 1 Trinidad and Tobago 3 compare
More reference data data for Uruguay
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.2999 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 4.87 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 6.98 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.3685 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 6.98 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.01 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.2195 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 24.48 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 33.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.01 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is democracy in Uruguay?
- Democracy in Uruguay was 3 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest democracy recorded in Uruguay?
- The highest recorded value was 3 in 1985.
- What is the lowest democracy recorded in Uruguay?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1825.
- How does Uruguay rank for democracy?
- Uruguay ranks 1st out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is democracy rising or falling in Uruguay?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Uruguay 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 201 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Identifies the political regime of a country by distinguishing between closed autocracies, electoral autocracies, electoral democracies, and liberal democracies.