Ethiopia vs Iran
Ethiopia vs Iran: Electoral democracy
Electoral democracy in 2025: 0.26 of 1 in Ethiopia and 0.16 of 1 in Iran, by V-Dem estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Ethiopia, by 0.1 of 1, or 1.62 times that in Iran.
index, 0 to 1 · V-Dem
What the numbers say
- Ethiopia has been higher since 1991, when it overtook Iran.
- In 2025, Ethiopia ranked 128 and Iran ranked 153 of 175 countries, counting from the highest.
- The world as a whole: 0.48 of 1 in 2025.
Every year
index, 0 to 1 · V-Dem
| Year | Ethiopia | Iran | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0.26 | 0.16 | 0.48 |
| 2024 | 0.26 | 0.17 | 0.49 |
| 2023 | 0.28 | 0.15 | 0.49 |
| 2022 | 0.3 | 0.15 | 0.5 |
| 2021 | 0.29 | 0.16 | 0.5 |
| 2020 | 0.32 | 0.17 | 0.51 |
| 2019 | 0.33 | 0.18 | 0.52 |
| 2018 | 0.27 | 0.18 | 0.52 |
| 2017 | 0.23 | 0.19 | 0.52 |
| 2016 | 0.23 | 0.19 | 0.52 |
| 2015 | 0.23 | 0.19 | 0.52 |
| 2014 | 0.23 | 0.18 | 0.52 |
| 2013 | 0.22 | 0.17 | 0.52 |
| 2012 | 0.23 | 0.16 | 0.53 |
| 2011 | 0.22 | 0.15 | 0.53 |
| 2010 | 0.23 | 0.14 | 0.52 |
| 2009 | 0.24 | 0.16 | 0.52 |
| 2008 | 0.24 | 0.17 | 0.52 |
| 2007 | 0.24 | 0.17 | 0.52 |
| 2006 | 0.24 | 0.17 | 0.52 |
| 2005 | 0.26 | 0.18 | 0.52 |
| 2004 | 0.24 | 0.21 | 0.51 |
| 2003 | 0.24 | 0.23 | 0.51 |
| 2002 | 0.24 | 0.23 | 0.5 |
| 2001 | 0.24 | 0.23 | 0.49 |
| 2000 | 0.24 | 0.23 | 0.49 |
| 1999 | 0.25 | 0.23 | 0.49 |
| 1998 | 0.25 | 0.23 | 0.49 |
| 1997 | 0.25 | 0.22 | 0.49 |
| 1996 | 0.25 | 0.17 | 0.48 |
| 1995 | 0.22 | 0.17 | 0.47 |
| 1994 | 0.2 | 0.17 | 0.47 |
| 1993 | 0.23 | 0.16 | 0.46 |
| 1992 | 0.23 | 0.16 | 0.44 |
| 1991 | 0.2 | 0.16 | 0.42 |
| 1990 | 0.15 | 0.16 | 0.41 |
| 1989 | 0.15 | 0.17 | 0.36 |
| 1988 | 0.15 | 0.18 | 0.36 |
| 1987 | 0.1 | 0.17 | 0.35 |
| 1986 | 0.07 | 0.11 | 0.34 |
| 1985 | 0.07 | 0.11 | 0.34 |
| 1984 | 0.07 | 0.11 | 0.33 |
| 1983 | 0.07 | 0.1 | 0.32 |
| 1982 | 0.07 | 0.11 | 0.32 |
| 1981 | 0.07 | 0.12 | 0.32 |
| 1980 | 0.07 | 0.17 | 0.32 |
| 1979 | 0.07 | 0.16 | 0.31 |
| 1978 | 0.07 | 0.11 | 0.3 |
| 1977 | 0.07 | 0.11 | 0.3 |
| 1976 | 0.07 | 0.11 | 0.29 |
| 1975 | 0.08 | 0.11 | 0.29 |
| 1974 | 0.09 | 0.11 | 0.29 |
| 1973 | 0.1 | 0.11 | 0.29 |
| 1972 | 0.1 | 0.11 | 0.29 |
| 1971 | 0.09 | 0.11 | 0.29 |
| 1970 | 0.09 | 0.11 | 0.29 |
| 1969 | 0.09 | 0.11 | 0.29 |
| 1968 | 0.09 | 0.11 | 0.3 |
| 1967 | 0.09 | 0.11 | 0.29 |
| 1966 | 0.09 | 0.11 | 0.29 |
| 1965 | 0.09 | 0.11 | 0.3 |
| 1964 | 0.09 | 0.11 | 0.3 |
| 1963 | 0.09 | 0.06 | 0.3 |
| 1962 | 0.09 | 0.06 | 0.29 |
| 1961 | 0.09 | 0.06 | 0.29 |
| 1960 | 0.09 | 0.06 | 0.28 |
| 1959 | 0.09 | 0.06 | 0.27 |
| 1958 | 0.09 | 0.06 | 0.27 |
| 1957 | 0.09 | 0.06 | 0.27 |
| 1956 | 0.09 | 0.06 | 0.26 |
| 1955 | 0.03 | 0.1 | 0.25 |
| 1954 | 0.01 | 0.06 | 0.25 |
| 1953 | 0.01 | 0.12 | 0.24 |
| 1952 | 0.01 | 0.21 | 0.24 |
| 1951 | 0.01 | 0.19 | 0.24 |
| 1950 | 0.01 | 0.16 | 0.23 |
| 1949 | 0.01 | 0.16 | 0.22 |
| 1948 | 0.01 | 0.16 | 0.22 |
| 1947 | 0.01 | 0.16 | 0.21 |
| 1946 | 0.01 | 0.16 | 0.19 |
| 1945 | 0.01 | 0.16 | 0.16 |
| 1944 | 0.01 | 0.16 | 0.14 |
| 1943 | 0.01 | 0.13 | 0.14 |
| 1942 | 0.01 | 0.12 | 0.14 |
| 1941 | 0.01 | 0.1 | 0.15 |
| 1940 | 0.01 | 0.11 | 0.15 |
| 1939 | 0.01 | 0.11 | 0.17 |
| 1938 | 0.01 | 0.11 | 0.17 |
| 1937 | 0.01 | 0.11 | 0.17 |
| 1936 | 0.01 | 0.11 | 0.17 |
| 1935 | 0.01 | 0.11 | 0.17 |
| 1934 | 0.01 | 0.11 | 0.18 |
| 1933 | 0.01 | 0.11 | 0.18 |
| 1932 | 0.01 | 0.11 | 0.19 |
| 1931 | 0.01 | 0.12 | 0.18 |
| 1930 | 0.01 | 0.12 | 0.18 |
| 1929 | 0.01 | 0.12 | 0.19 |
| 1928 | 0.01 | 0.12 | 0.19 |
| 1927 | 0.01 | 0.12 | 0.19 |
| 1926 | 0.01 | 0.06 | 0.19 |
| 1925 | 0.01 | 0.08 | 0.19 |
| 1924 | 0.01 | 0.12 | 0.19 |
| 1923 | 0.01 | 0.11 | 0.19 |
| 1922 | 0.01 | 0.15 | 0.19 |
| 1921 | 0.01 | 0.09 | 0.19 |
| 1920 | 0.01 | 0.12 | 0.18 |
| 1919 | 0.01 | 0.12 | 0.16 |
| 1918 | 0.01 | 0.12 | 0.15 |
| 1917 | 0.01 | 0.12 | 0.15 |
| 1916 | 0.01 | 0.12 | 0.15 |
| 1915 | 0.01 | 0.12 | 0.15 |
| 1914 | 0.01 | 0.12 | 0.15 |
| 1913 | 0.01 | 0.12 | 0.15 |
| 1912 | 0.01 | 0.12 | 0.15 |
| 1911 | 0.01 | 0.14 | 0.15 |
| 1910 | 0.01 | 0.14 | 0.15 |
| 1909 | 0.01 | 0.11 | 0.15 |
| 1908 | 0.01 | 0.12 | 0.15 |
| 1907 | 0.01 | 0.12 | 0.15 |
| 1906 | 0.01 | 0.08 | 0.15 |
| 1905 | 0.01 | 0.03 | 0.15 |
| 1904 | 0.01 | 0.03 | 0.14 |
| 1903 | 0.01 | 0.03 | 0.14 |
| 1902 | 0.01 | 0.03 | 0.15 |
| 1901 | 0.01 | 0.03 | 0.14 |
| 1900 | 0.01 | 0.03 | 0.14 |
| 1899 | 0.01 | – | 0.22 |
| 1898 | 0.01 | – | 0.22 |
| 1897 | 0.01 | – | 0.22 |
| 1896 | 0.01 | – | 0.22 |
| 1895 | 0.01 | – | 0.22 |
| 1894 | 0.01 | – | 0.21 |
| 1893 | 0.01 | – | 0.21 |
| 1892 | 0.01 | – | 0.21 |
| 1891 | 0.01 | – | 0.2 |
| 1890 | 0.01 | – | 0.2 |
| 1889 | 0.01 | – | 0.2 |
| 1888 | 0.01 | – | 0.2 |
| 1887 | 0.01 | – | 0.2 |
| 1886 | 0.01 | – | 0.19 |
| 1885 | 0.01 | – | 0.19 |
| 1884 | 0.01 | – | 0.2 |
| 1883 | 0.01 | – | 0.19 |
| 1882 | 0.01 | – | 0.19 |
| 1881 | 0.01 | – | 0.19 |
| 1880 | 0.01 | – | 0.19 |
| 1879 | 0.01 | – | 0.19 |
| 1878 | 0.01 | – | 0.18 |
| 1877 | 0.01 | – | 0.18 |
| 1876 | 0.01 | – | 0.19 |
| 1875 | 0.01 | – | 0.18 |
| 1874 | 0.01 | – | 0.18 |
| 1873 | 0.01 | – | 0.18 |
| 1872 | 0.01 | – | 0.18 |
| 1871 | 0.01 | – | 0.18 |
| 1870 | 0.01 | – | 0.18 |
| 1869 | 0.01 | – | 0.17 |
| 1868 | 0.01 | – | 0.17 |
| 1867 | 0.01 | – | 0.17 |
| 1866 | 0.01 | – | 0.16 |
| 1865 | 0.01 | – | 0.16 |
| 1864 | 0.01 | – | 0.16 |
| 1863 | 0.01 | – | 0.16 |
| 1862 | 0.01 | – | 0.16 |
| 1861 | 0.01 | – | 0.15 |
| 1860 | 0.01 | – | 0.15 |
| 1859 | 0.01 | – | 0.14 |
| 1858 | 0.01 | – | 0.14 |
| 1857 | 0.01 | – | 0.14 |
| 1856 | 0.01 | – | 0.13 |
| 1855 | 0.01 | – | 0.13 |
| 1854 | 0.01 | – | 0.13 |
| 1853 | 0.01 | – | 0.13 |
| 1852 | 0.01 | – | 0.13 |
| 1851 | 0.01 | – | 0.13 |
| 1850 | 0.01 | – | 0.13 |
| 1849 | 0.01 | – | 0.15 |
| 1848 | 0.01 | – | 0.13 |
| 1847 | 0.01 | – | 0.11 |
| 1846 | 0.01 | – | 0.11 |
| 1845 | 0.01 | – | 0.11 |
| 1844 | 0.01 | – | 0.11 |
| 1843 | 0.01 | – | 0.1 |
| 1842 | 0.01 | – | 0.1 |
| 1841 | 0.01 | – | 0.1 |
| 1840 | 0.01 | – | 0.1 |
| 1839 | 0.01 | – | 0.1 |
| 1838 | 0.01 | – | 0.09 |
| 1837 | 0.01 | – | 0.09 |
| 1836 | 0.01 | – | 0.1 |
| 1835 | 0.01 | – | 0.09 |
| 1834 | 0.01 | – | 0.09 |
| 1833 | 0.01 | – | 0.09 |
| 1832 | 0.01 | – | 0.09 |
| 1831 | 0.01 | – | 0.09 |
| 1830 | 0.01 | – | 0.09 |
| 1829 | 0.01 | – | 0.08 |
| 1828 | 0.01 | – | 0.08 |
| 1827 | 0.01 | – | 0.09 |
| 1826 | 0.01 | – | 0.08 |
| 1825 | 0.01 | – | 0.08 |
| 1824 | 0.01 | – | 0.08 |
| 1823 | 0.01 | – | 0.08 |
| 1822 | 0.01 | – | 0.08 |
| 1821 | 0.01 | – | 0.07 |
| 1820 | 0.01 | – | 0.07 |
| 1819 | 0.01 | – | 0.06 |
| 1818 | 0.01 | – | 0.06 |
| 1817 | 0.01 | – | 0.06 |
| 1816 | 0.01 | – | 0.06 |
| 1815 | 0.01 | – | 0.06 |
| 1814 | 0.01 | – | 0.05 |
| 1813 | 0.01 | – | 0.05 |
| 1812 | 0.01 | – | 0.06 |
| 1811 | 0.01 | – | 0.06 |
| 1810 | 0.01 | – | 0.06 |
| 1809 | 0.01 | – | 0.05 |
| 1808 | 0.01 | – | 0.05 |
| 1807 | 0.01 | – | 0.05 |
| 1806 | 0.01 | – | 0.05 |
| 1805 | 0.01 | – | 0.05 |
| 1804 | 0.01 | – | 0.05 |
| 1803 | 0.01 | – | 0.05 |
| 1802 | 0.01 | – | 0.05 |
| 1801 | 0.01 | – | 0.05 |
| 1800 | 0.01 | – | 0.05 |
| 1799 | 0.01 | – | 0.05 |
| 1798 | 0.01 | – | 0.06 |
| 1797 | 0.01 | – | 0.05 |
| 1796 | 0.01 | – | 0.05 |
| 1795 | 0.01 | – | 0.05 |
| 1794 | 0.01 | – | 0.05 |
| 1793 | 0.01 | – | 0.05 |
| 1792 | 0.01 | – | 0.05 |
| 1791 | 0.01 | – | 0.05 |
| 1790 | 0.01 | – | 0.05 |
| 1789 | 0.01 | – | 0.05 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- V-Dem’s electoral democracy index: how far rulers answer to voters through free and fair elections, with free speech and association, from 0 to 1.
- Source: V-Dem (2026), via Our World in Data.
- Ranks count the 175 countries with a value in 2025, highest first.
- The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Ethiopia vs Iran
Health
- Life expectancyEthiopia: 67.3 years in 2023Iran: 77.7 years in 2023
- Child mortalityEthiopia: 4.5 per 100 live births in 2024Iran: 1.1 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityEthiopia: 33 per 1,000 live births in 2023Iran: 9.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterEthiopia: 13.2% in 2022Iran: 94.2% in 2022
- DepressionEthiopia: 3.82% in 2017Iran: 5.12% in 2017
- Suicide rateEthiopia: 9.6 per 100,000 people in 2017Iran: 5.4 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationEthiopia: 129 million people in 2023Iran: 90.6 million people in 2023
- Population growthEthiopia: 2.59% a year in 2023Iran: 1.12% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateEthiopia: 3.99 births per woman in 2023Iran: 1.7 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationEthiopia: 24.1% in 2025Iran: 77.4% in 2025
- Median ageEthiopia: 18.7 years in 2023Iran: 32.9 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overEthiopia: 3.2% in 2023Iran: 7.9% in 2023
- Net migration rateEthiopia: -0.1 per 1,000 people in 2023Iran: 2.9 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingEthiopia: 0.49% of GDP in 2025Iran: 2.09% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsEthiopia: $785M in 2025Iran: $7.45B in 2025
- Military spending per personEthiopia: $4 in 2025Iran: $80 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingEthiopia: 4.1% of government spending in 2025Iran: 11.2% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelEthiopia: 138,000 people in 2020Iran: 650,000 people in 2020
- National powerEthiopia: 0.85% of world capability in 2022Iran: 1.64% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersEthiopia: 0.28% of the labour force in 2020Iran: 2.35% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsEthiopia: 63 million TIV in 2025Iran: 42 million TIV in 2024
- Arms exportsEthiopia: 17 million TIV in 1997Iran: 80 million TIV in 2025