North Korea vs Vietnam
North Korea vs Vietnam: Electoral democracy
Electoral democracy in 2025: 0.08 of 1 in North Korea and 0.15 of 1 in Vietnam, by V-Dem estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Vietnam, by 0.06 of 1, or 1.76 times that in North Korea.
index, 0 to 1 · V-Dem
What the numbers say
- Vietnam has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1976.
- In 2025, North Korea ranked 169 and Vietnam ranked 158 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 | North Korea | Vietnam | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0.08 | 0.15 | 0.48 |
| 2024 | 0.08 | 0.16 | 0.49 |
| 2023 | 0.08 | 0.15 | 0.49 |
| 2022 | 0.08 | 0.15 | 0.5 |
| 2021 | 0.08 | 0.17 | 0.5 |
| 2020 | 0.08 | 0.21 | 0.51 |
| 2019 | 0.08 | 0.21 | 0.52 |
| 2018 | 0.09 | 0.16 | 0.52 |
| 2017 | 0.09 | 0.15 | 0.52 |
| 2016 | 0.09 | 0.15 | 0.52 |
| 2015 | 0.09 | 0.15 | 0.52 |
| 2014 | 0.09 | 0.15 | 0.52 |
| 2013 | 0.09 | 0.15 | 0.52 |
| 2012 | 0.09 | 0.15 | 0.53 |
| 2011 | 0.09 | 0.15 | 0.53 |
| 2010 | 0.09 | 0.15 | 0.52 |
| 2009 | 0.09 | 0.15 | 0.52 |
| 2008 | 0.09 | 0.15 | 0.52 |
| 2007 | 0.09 | 0.15 | 0.52 |
| 2006 | 0.09 | 0.15 | 0.52 |
| 2005 | 0.09 | 0.15 | 0.52 |
| 2004 | 0.09 | 0.15 | 0.51 |
| 2003 | 0.08 | 0.15 | 0.51 |
| 2002 | 0.08 | 0.15 | 0.5 |
| 2001 | 0.08 | 0.15 | 0.49 |
| 2000 | 0.08 | 0.15 | 0.49 |
| 1999 | 0.08 | 0.15 | 0.49 |
| 1998 | 0.08 | 0.15 | 0.49 |
| 1997 | 0.08 | 0.15 | 0.49 |
| 1996 | 0.08 | 0.15 | 0.48 |
| 1995 | 0.08 | 0.15 | 0.47 |
| 1994 | 0.08 | 0.15 | 0.47 |
| 1993 | 0.08 | 0.15 | 0.46 |
| 1992 | 0.08 | 0.15 | 0.44 |
| 1991 | 0.09 | 0.16 | 0.42 |
| 1990 | 0.09 | 0.15 | 0.41 |
| 1989 | 0.08 | 0.16 | 0.36 |
| 1988 | 0.08 | 0.17 | 0.36 |
| 1987 | 0.08 | 0.16 | 0.35 |
| 1986 | 0.09 | 0.15 | 0.34 |
| 1985 | 0.09 | 0.14 | 0.34 |
| 1984 | 0.09 | 0.14 | 0.33 |
| 1983 | 0.09 | 0.14 | 0.32 |
| 1982 | 0.09 | 0.14 | 0.32 |
| 1981 | 0.09 | 0.15 | 0.32 |
| 1980 | 0.09 | 0.15 | 0.32 |
| 1979 | 0.09 | 0.15 | 0.31 |
| 1978 | 0.09 | 0.15 | 0.3 |
| 1977 | 0.09 | 0.21 | 0.3 |
| 1976 | 0.09 | 0.21 | 0.29 |
| 1975 | 0.09 | – | 0.29 |
| 1974 | 0.09 | – | 0.29 |
| 1973 | 0.09 | – | 0.29 |
| 1972 | 0.09 | – | 0.29 |
| 1971 | 0.09 | – | 0.29 |
| 1970 | 0.09 | – | 0.29 |
| 1969 | 0.09 | – | 0.29 |
| 1968 | 0.09 | – | 0.3 |
| 1967 | 0.09 | – | 0.29 |
| 1966 | 0.09 | – | 0.29 |
| 1965 | 0.09 | – | 0.3 |
| 1964 | 0.09 | – | 0.3 |
| 1963 | 0.09 | – | 0.3 |
| 1962 | 0.09 | – | 0.29 |
| 1961 | 0.09 | – | 0.29 |
| 1960 | 0.09 | – | 0.28 |
| 1959 | 0.09 | – | 0.27 |
| 1958 | 0.09 | – | 0.27 |
| 1957 | 0.09 | – | 0.27 |
| 1956 | 0.1 | – | 0.26 |
| 1955 | 0.1 | – | 0.25 |
| 1954 | 0.1 | – | 0.25 |
| 1953 | 0.1 | – | 0.24 |
| 1952 | 0.1 | – | 0.24 |
| 1951 | 0.1 | – | 0.24 |
| 1950 | 0.1 | – | 0.23 |
| 1949 | 0.1 | – | 0.22 |
| 1948 | 0.02 | – | 0.22 |
| 1947 | 0.02 | – | 0.21 |
| 1946 | 0.02 | – | 0.19 |
| 1945 | 0.02 | – | 0.16 |
| 1944 | – | – | 0.14 |
| 1943 | – | – | 0.14 |
| 1942 | – | – | 0.14 |
| 1941 | – | – | 0.15 |
| 1940 | – | – | 0.15 |
| 1939 | – | – | 0.17 |
| 1938 | – | – | 0.17 |
| 1937 | – | – | 0.17 |
| 1936 | – | – | 0.17 |
| 1935 | – | – | 0.17 |
| 1934 | – | – | 0.18 |
| 1933 | – | – | 0.18 |
| 1932 | – | – | 0.19 |
| 1931 | – | – | 0.18 |
| 1930 | – | – | 0.18 |
| 1929 | – | – | 0.19 |
| 1928 | – | – | 0.19 |
| 1927 | – | – | 0.19 |
| 1926 | – | – | 0.19 |
| 1925 | – | – | 0.19 |
| 1924 | – | – | 0.19 |
| 1923 | – | – | 0.19 |
| 1922 | – | – | 0.19 |
| 1921 | – | – | 0.19 |
| 1920 | – | – | 0.18 |
| 1919 | – | – | 0.16 |
| 1918 | – | – | 0.15 |
| 1917 | – | – | 0.15 |
| 1916 | – | – | 0.15 |
| 1915 | – | – | 0.15 |
| 1914 | – | – | 0.15 |
| 1913 | – | – | 0.15 |
| 1912 | – | – | 0.15 |
| 1911 | – | – | 0.15 |
| 1910 | 0.01 | – | 0.15 |
| 1909 | 0.02 | – | 0.15 |
| 1908 | 0.02 | – | 0.15 |
| 1907 | 0.02 | – | 0.15 |
| 1906 | 0.02 | – | 0.15 |
| 1905 | 0.02 | – | 0.15 |
| 1904 | 0.02 | – | 0.14 |
| 1903 | 0.03 | – | 0.14 |
| 1902 | 0.03 | – | 0.15 |
| 1901 | 0.03 | – | 0.14 |
| 1900 | 0.03 | – | 0.14 |
| 1899 | 0.03 | – | 0.22 |
| 1898 | 0.03 | – | 0.22 |
| 1897 | 0.04 | – | 0.22 |
| 1896 | 0.05 | – | 0.22 |
| 1895 | 0.02 | – | 0.22 |
| 1894 | 0.02 | – | 0.21 |
| 1893 | 0.02 | – | 0.21 |
| 1892 | 0.02 | – | 0.21 |
| 1891 | 0.02 | – | 0.2 |
| 1890 | 0.02 | – | 0.2 |
| 1889 | 0.02 | – | 0.2 |
| 1888 | 0.02 | – | 0.2 |
| 1887 | 0.02 | – | 0.2 |
| 1886 | 0.02 | – | 0.19 |
| 1885 | 0.02 | – | 0.19 |
| 1884 | 0.02 | – | 0.2 |
| 1883 | 0.02 | – | 0.19 |
| 1882 | 0.02 | – | 0.19 |
| 1881 | 0.02 | – | 0.19 |
| 1880 | 0.02 | – | 0.19 |
| 1879 | 0.02 | – | 0.19 |
| 1878 | 0.02 | – | 0.18 |
| 1877 | 0.02 | – | 0.18 |
| 1876 | 0.02 | – | 0.19 |
| 1875 | 0.02 | – | 0.18 |
| 1874 | 0.02 | – | 0.18 |
| 1873 | 0.02 | – | 0.18 |
| 1872 | 0.02 | – | 0.18 |
| 1871 | 0.02 | – | 0.18 |
| 1870 | 0.02 | – | 0.18 |
| 1869 | 0.02 | – | 0.17 |
| 1868 | 0.02 | – | 0.17 |
| 1867 | 0.02 | – | 0.17 |
| 1866 | 0.02 | – | 0.16 |
| 1865 | 0.02 | – | 0.16 |
| 1864 | 0.02 | – | 0.16 |
| 1863 | 0.02 | – | 0.16 |
| 1862 | 0.02 | – | 0.16 |
| 1861 | 0.02 | – | 0.15 |
| 1860 | 0.02 | – | 0.15 |
| 1859 | 0.02 | – | 0.14 |
| 1858 | 0.02 | – | 0.14 |
| 1857 | 0.02 | – | 0.14 |
| 1856 | 0.02 | – | 0.13 |
| 1855 | 0.02 | – | 0.13 |
| 1854 | 0.02 | – | 0.13 |
| 1853 | 0.02 | – | 0.13 |
| 1852 | 0.02 | – | 0.13 |
| 1851 | 0.02 | – | 0.13 |
| 1850 | 0.02 | – | 0.13 |
| 1849 | 0.02 | – | 0.15 |
| 1848 | 0.02 | – | 0.13 |
| 1847 | 0.02 | – | 0.11 |
| 1846 | 0.02 | – | 0.11 |
| 1845 | 0.02 | – | 0.11 |
| 1844 | 0.02 | – | 0.11 |
| 1843 | 0.02 | – | 0.1 |
| 1842 | 0.02 | – | 0.1 |
| 1841 | 0.02 | – | 0.1 |
| 1840 | 0.02 | – | 0.1 |
| 1839 | 0.02 | – | 0.1 |
| 1838 | 0.02 | – | 0.09 |
| 1837 | 0.02 | – | 0.09 |
| 1836 | 0.02 | – | 0.1 |
| 1835 | 0.02 | – | 0.09 |
| 1834 | 0.02 | – | 0.09 |
| 1833 | 0.02 | – | 0.09 |
| 1832 | 0.02 | – | 0.09 |
| 1831 | 0.02 | – | 0.09 |
| 1830 | 0.02 | – | 0.09 |
| 1829 | 0.02 | – | 0.08 |
| 1828 | 0.02 | – | 0.08 |
| 1827 | 0.02 | – | 0.09 |
| 1826 | 0.02 | – | 0.08 |
| 1825 | 0.02 | – | 0.08 |
| 1824 | 0.02 | – | 0.08 |
| 1823 | 0.02 | – | 0.08 |
| 1822 | 0.02 | – | 0.08 |
| 1821 | 0.02 | – | 0.07 |
| 1820 | 0.02 | – | 0.07 |
| 1819 | 0.02 | – | 0.06 |
| 1818 | 0.02 | – | 0.06 |
| 1817 | 0.02 | – | 0.06 |
| 1816 | 0.02 | – | 0.06 |
| 1815 | 0.02 | – | 0.06 |
| 1814 | 0.02 | – | 0.05 |
| 1813 | 0.02 | – | 0.05 |
| 1812 | 0.02 | – | 0.06 |
| 1811 | 0.02 | – | 0.06 |
| 1810 | 0.02 | – | 0.06 |
| 1809 | 0.02 | – | 0.05 |
| 1808 | 0.02 | – | 0.05 |
| 1807 | 0.02 | – | 0.05 |
| 1806 | 0.02 | – | 0.05 |
| 1805 | 0.02 | – | 0.05 |
| 1804 | 0.02 | – | 0.05 |
| 1803 | 0.02 | – | 0.05 |
| 1802 | 0.02 | – | 0.05 |
| 1801 | 0.02 | – | 0.05 |
| 1800 | 0.02 | – | 0.05 |
| 1799 | 0.02 | – | 0.05 |
| 1798 | 0.02 | – | 0.06 |
| 1797 | 0.02 | – | 0.05 |
| 1796 | 0.02 | – | 0.05 |
| 1795 | 0.02 | – | 0.05 |
| 1794 | 0.02 | – | 0.05 |
| 1793 | 0.02 | – | 0.05 |
| 1792 | 0.02 | – | 0.05 |
| 1791 | 0.02 | – | 0.05 |
| 1790 | 0.02 | – | 0.05 |
| 1789 | 0.02 | – | 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
North Korea vs Vietnam
Health
- Life expectancyNorth Korea: 73.6 years in 2023Vietnam: 74.6 years in 2023
- Child mortalityNorth Korea: 1.7 per 100 live births in 2024Vietnam: 1.7 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityNorth Korea: 14.5 per 1,000 live births in 2023Vietnam: 15.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterNorth Korea: 66.5% in 2022Vietnam: 57.8% in 2022
- DepressionNorth Korea: 3.09% in 2017Vietnam: 2.88% in 2017
- Suicide rateNorth Korea: 11.1 per 100,000 people in 2017Vietnam: 7.4 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationNorth Korea: 26.4 million people in 2023Vietnam: 100 million people in 2023
- Population growthNorth Korea: 0.32% a year in 2023Vietnam: 0.64% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateNorth Korea: 1.78 births per woman in 2023Vietnam: 1.91 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationNorth Korea: 64.2% in 2025Vietnam: 38.8% in 2025
- Median ageNorth Korea: 36.1 years in 2023Vietnam: 32.4 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overNorth Korea: 12% in 2023Vietnam: 8.6% in 2023
- Net migration rateNorth Korea: -0.1 per 1,000 people in 2023Vietnam: -0.8 per 1,000 people in 2023
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spending per personNorth Korea: $62 in 2018Vietnam: $104 in 2025
- Armed forces personnelNorth Korea: 1.47 million people in 2020Vietnam: 522,000 people in 2020
- National powerNorth Korea: 1.41% of world capability in 2022Vietnam: 1.11% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersNorth Korea: 8.62% of the labour force in 2020Vietnam: 0.95% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsNorth Korea: 1 million TIV in 2010Vietnam: 177 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsNorth Korea: 44 million TIV in 2025Vietnam: 10 million TIV in 2018