Strong Elected Local Governments Index in Ghana
Ghana: Strong Elected Local Governments Index was 0.292 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
0.292
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
134th
of 175 countries
All-time high
0.36
in 1988
All-time low
0.086
in 1973
Years of data
124
1902–2025
Strong Elected Local Governments Index in Ghana, 1902–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, strong elected local governments index in Ghana stood at 0.292.
The figure is down 0.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, strong elected local governments index in Ghana peaked at 0.36 in 1988 and was at its lowest, 0.086, in 1973.
That places Ghana 134th out of 175 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 124 years of available data.
Strong Elected Local Governments Index in Ghana, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1902 | 0.121 | — |
| 1903 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1907 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1908 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1909 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1911 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1912 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1915 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1916 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1918 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1920 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1921 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1941 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1947 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1948 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 1951 | 0.237 | +95.9% |
| 1952 | 0.237 | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 0.237 | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 0.237 | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 0.237 | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 0.237 | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 0.237 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 0.237 | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 0.237 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 0.237 | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 0.237 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 0.237 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 0.237 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 0.237 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 0.237 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 0.121 | -48.9% |
| 1967 | 0.144 | +19.0% |
| 1968 | 0.144 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 0.144 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 0.144 | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 0.144 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 0.144 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 0.086 | -40.3% |
| 1974 | 0.086 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 0.086 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 0.086 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 0.086 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 0.169 | +96.5% |
| 1979 | 0.169 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 0.293 | +73.4% |
| 1981 | 0.293 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 0.089 | -69.6% |
| 1983 | 0.089 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 0.089 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 0.089 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 0.089 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 0.089 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 0.36 | +304.5% |
| 1989 | 0.305 | -15.3% |
| 1990 | 0.305 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 0.305 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 0.305 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 0.305 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 0.305 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 0.305 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.305 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 0.305 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.305 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 0.305 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.305 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 0.305 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 0.305 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 0.305 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 0.305 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 0.305 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 0.305 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 0.305 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 0.305 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 0.305 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 0.305 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 0.294 | -3.6% |
| 2012 | 0.294 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 0.294 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 0.294 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 0.294 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 0.294 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 0.294 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 0.294 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 0.294 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 0.294 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 0.292 | -0.7% |
| 2022 | 0.292 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 0.292 | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 0.292 | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 0.292 | +0.0% |
Ghana compared with similar countries
- Ghana's 0.292 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.732, 40% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Ghana's 0.292 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.7165, 41% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 0.121 | 0.121 | 0.121 | 8 |
| 1910s | 0.121 | 0.121 | 0.121 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.121 | 0.121 | 0.121 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.121 | 0.121 | 0.121 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.121 | 0.121 | 0.121 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.2254 | 0.121 | 0.237 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.1975 | 0.121 | 0.237 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.12 | 0.086 | 0.169 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.1785 | 0.089 | 0.36 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.305 | 0.305 | 0.305 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.305 | 0.305 | 0.305 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.2951 | 0.294 | 0.305 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.2923 | 0.292 | 0.294 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
- 131 Kyrgyzstan 0.405 compare
- 132 Burkina Faso 0.376 compare
- 133 Malaysia 0.293 compare
- 135 Mauritania 0.272 compare
- 136 Jordan 0.264 compare
- 137 Palestine 0.256 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 strong elected local governments index in Ghana?
- Strong elected local governments index in Ghana was 0.292 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest strong elected local governments index recorded in Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 0.36 in 1988.
- What is the lowest strong elected local governments index recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.086 in 1973.
- How does Ghana rank for strong elected local governments index?
- Ghana ranks 134th out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
- Is strong elected local governments index rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ghana data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Strong Elected Local Governments Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 124 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Central estimate of the extent to which elected local governments exist, and they operate without interference from local unelected bodies.