GSoD Indices
Measure Democracy, Track Progress
performance, gaining insights into the status and trajectory
of democracy at the country level.
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A global dataset
measuring democratic change across countries and time.
Covering countries with populations over 250,000.
Tracking democratic change since 1975.
29 democracy indices
Aggregated from more than 20 sources to provide consensus scores.
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Select aspect of democracy
Understanding the GSoD Indices
Data Set and Resources
Codebook
v9 (2025)Provides details for all of the variables included in the data set. This document is an essential guide for the use of the data.
Methodology
v9 (2025)Explains the concepts behind the indices and the measurement models that enable the translation of social science concepts into data.
Technical Procedures Guide
v9 (2025)Describes the steps followed to construct the GSoD Indices, including the data sources and aggregation methods.
Archive
Our sources
The GSoD Indices are built using four types of source data, ensuring depth, reliability and global comparability:
Expert surveys
Assessments by country experts on issues that are hard to measure directly.
Standards-based in-house coding
Evaluative assessments based on reports, academic publications and news sources.
Observational data
Quantifiable, directly observable facts such as election results or demographic ratios.
Composite measures
Aggregated indices combining multiple variables to offer nuanced insights.
Use the GSoD Indices in your work
We’re your ally in democracy research. Use the GSoD Indices to support your analysis and publications. Please cite them as follows:
International IDEA, The Global State of Democracy Indices, [YEAR–YEAR], Version [X], [YEAR]. Available at: https://www.idea.int/democracytracker/gsod-indices [Accessed: Date].
Still wondering?
Find quick answers to the most common queries Go to FAQs
The GSoD annual scores are complementary to, but not affected by, the Democracy Tracker, a monthly qualitative tool that highlights key changes and early warning signs. Explore the Democracy Tracker
