South Africa vs Zimbabwe
South Africa vs Zimbabwe: Electoral democracy
Electoral democracy in 2025: 0.74 of 1 in South Africa and 0.27 of 1 in Zimbabwe, by V-Dem estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in South Africa, by 0.48 of 1, or 2.77 times that in Zimbabwe.
index, 0 to 1 · V-Dem
What the numbers say
- South Africa has been higher since 1994, when it overtook Zimbabwe.
- In 2025, South Africa ranked 42 and Zimbabwe ranked 123 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 | South Africa | Zimbabwe | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0.74 | 0.27 | 0.48 |
| 2024 | 0.73 | 0.27 | 0.49 |
| 2023 | 0.71 | 0.3 | 0.49 |
| 2022 | 0.72 | 0.29 | 0.5 |
| 2021 | 0.73 | 0.3 | 0.5 |
| 2020 | 0.72 | 0.3 | 0.51 |
| 2019 | 0.73 | 0.3 | 0.52 |
| 2018 | 0.75 | 0.31 | 0.52 |
| 2017 | 0.74 | 0.3 | 0.52 |
| 2016 | 0.75 | 0.3 | 0.52 |
| 2015 | 0.76 | 0.3 | 0.52 |
| 2014 | 0.76 | 0.3 | 0.52 |
| 2013 | 0.77 | 0.29 | 0.52 |
| 2012 | 0.78 | 0.27 | 0.53 |
| 2011 | 0.78 | 0.27 | 0.53 |
| 2010 | 0.78 | 0.27 | 0.52 |
| 2009 | 0.78 | 0.25 | 0.52 |
| 2008 | 0.78 | 0.25 | 0.52 |
| 2007 | 0.78 | 0.26 | 0.52 |
| 2006 | 0.78 | 0.26 | 0.52 |
| 2005 | 0.78 | 0.26 | 0.52 |
| 2004 | 0.76 | 0.26 | 0.51 |
| 2003 | 0.74 | 0.27 | 0.51 |
| 2002 | 0.74 | 0.27 | 0.5 |
| 2001 | 0.74 | 0.27 | 0.49 |
| 2000 | 0.74 | 0.28 | 0.49 |
| 1999 | 0.71 | 0.31 | 0.49 |
| 1998 | 0.67 | 0.31 | 0.49 |
| 1997 | 0.66 | 0.31 | 0.49 |
| 1996 | 0.66 | 0.31 | 0.48 |
| 1995 | 0.66 | 0.31 | 0.47 |
| 1994 | 0.39 | 0.31 | 0.47 |
| 1993 | 0.26 | 0.31 | 0.46 |
| 1992 | 0.25 | 0.31 | 0.44 |
| 1991 | 0.25 | 0.31 | 0.42 |
| 1990 | 0.22 | 0.3 | 0.41 |
| 1989 | 0.19 | 0.31 | 0.36 |
| 1988 | 0.18 | 0.31 | 0.36 |
| 1987 | 0.18 | 0.22 | 0.35 |
| 1986 | 0.18 | 0.31 | 0.34 |
| 1985 | 0.18 | 0.31 | 0.34 |
| 1984 | 0.18 | 0.32 | 0.33 |
| 1983 | 0.18 | 0.33 | 0.32 |
| 1982 | 0.18 | 0.33 | 0.32 |
| 1981 | 0.18 | 0.33 | 0.32 |
| 1980 | 0.16 | 0.3 | 0.32 |
| 1979 | 0.16 | 0.17 | 0.31 |
| 1978 | 0.16 | 0.06 | 0.3 |
| 1977 | 0.16 | 0.19 | 0.3 |
| 1976 | 0.17 | 0.19 | 0.29 |
| 1975 | 0.17 | 0.19 | 0.29 |
| 1974 | 0.17 | 0.19 | 0.29 |
| 1973 | 0.17 | 0.19 | 0.29 |
| 1972 | 0.17 | 0.19 | 0.29 |
| 1971 | 0.17 | 0.19 | 0.29 |
| 1970 | 0.17 | 0.2 | 0.29 |
| 1969 | 0.16 | 0.2 | 0.29 |
| 1968 | 0.16 | 0.2 | 0.3 |
| 1967 | 0.16 | 0.2 | 0.29 |
| 1966 | 0.16 | 0.2 | 0.29 |
| 1965 | 0.16 | 0.2 | 0.3 |
| 1964 | 0.16 | 0.21 | 0.3 |
| 1963 | 0.17 | 0.23 | 0.3 |
| 1962 | 0.17 | 0.23 | 0.29 |
| 1961 | 0.16 | 0.23 | 0.29 |
| 1960 | 0.19 | 0.23 | 0.28 |
| 1959 | 0.2 | 0.23 | 0.27 |
| 1958 | 0.2 | 0.24 | 0.27 |
| 1957 | 0.2 | 0.25 | 0.27 |
| 1956 | 0.2 | 0.25 | 0.26 |
| 1955 | 0.2 | 0.26 | 0.25 |
| 1954 | 0.2 | 0.26 | 0.25 |
| 1953 | 0.2 | 0.26 | 0.24 |
| 1952 | 0.2 | 0.26 | 0.24 |
| 1951 | 0.2 | 0.26 | 0.24 |
| 1950 | 0.2 | 0.26 | 0.23 |
| 1949 | 0.2 | 0.26 | 0.22 |
| 1948 | 0.21 | 0.26 | 0.22 |
| 1947 | 0.23 | 0.26 | 0.21 |
| 1946 | 0.24 | 0.26 | 0.19 |
| 1945 | 0.24 | 0.26 | 0.16 |
| 1944 | 0.24 | 0.27 | 0.14 |
| 1943 | 0.24 | 0.27 | 0.14 |
| 1942 | 0.24 | 0.27 | 0.14 |
| 1941 | 0.24 | 0.27 | 0.15 |
| 1940 | 0.24 | 0.27 | 0.15 |
| 1939 | 0.24 | 0.27 | 0.17 |
| 1938 | 0.24 | 0.27 | 0.17 |
| 1937 | 0.23 | 0.27 | 0.17 |
| 1936 | 0.23 | 0.27 | 0.17 |
| 1935 | 0.23 | 0.27 | 0.17 |
| 1934 | 0.23 | 0.27 | 0.18 |
| 1933 | 0.24 | 0.27 | 0.18 |
| 1932 | 0.24 | 0.27 | 0.19 |
| 1931 | 0.23 | 0.27 | 0.18 |
| 1930 | 0.23 | 0.27 | 0.18 |
| 1929 | 0.23 | 0.27 | 0.19 |
| 1928 | 0.23 | 0.27 | 0.19 |
| 1927 | 0.23 | 0.27 | 0.19 |
| 1926 | 0.23 | 0.27 | 0.19 |
| 1925 | 0.23 | 0.27 | 0.19 |
| 1924 | 0.23 | 0.27 | 0.19 |
| 1923 | 0.23 | 0.22 | 0.19 |
| 1922 | 0.23 | 0.18 | 0.19 |
| 1921 | 0.23 | 0.18 | 0.19 |
| 1920 | 0.23 | 0.18 | 0.18 |
| 1919 | 0.22 | 0.19 | 0.16 |
| 1918 | 0.22 | 0.18 | 0.15 |
| 1917 | 0.22 | 0.18 | 0.15 |
| 1916 | 0.22 | 0.18 | 0.15 |
| 1915 | 0.23 | 0.18 | 0.15 |
| 1914 | 0.23 | 0.18 | 0.15 |
| 1913 | 0.23 | 0.19 | 0.15 |
| 1912 | 0.23 | 0.19 | 0.15 |
| 1911 | 0.23 | 0.18 | 0.15 |
| 1910 | 0.19 | 0.18 | 0.15 |
| 1909 | 0.16 | 0.18 | 0.15 |
| 1908 | 0.16 | 0.18 | 0.15 |
| 1907 | 0.16 | 0.18 | 0.15 |
| 1906 | 0.16 | 0.18 | 0.15 |
| 1905 | 0.16 | 0.18 | 0.15 |
| 1904 | 0.16 | 0.18 | 0.14 |
| 1903 | 0.16 | 0.18 | 0.14 |
| 1902 | 0.16 | 0.18 | 0.15 |
| 1901 | 0.16 | 0.18 | 0.14 |
| 1900 | 0.16 | 0.18 | 0.14 |
| 1899 | – | – | 0.22 |
| 1898 | – | – | 0.22 |
| 1897 | – | – | 0.22 |
| 1896 | – | – | 0.22 |
| 1895 | – | – | 0.22 |
| 1894 | – | – | 0.21 |
| 1893 | – | – | 0.21 |
| 1892 | – | – | 0.21 |
| 1891 | – | – | 0.2 |
| 1890 | – | – | 0.2 |
| 1889 | – | – | 0.2 |
| 1888 | – | – | 0.2 |
| 1887 | – | – | 0.2 |
| 1886 | – | – | 0.19 |
| 1885 | – | – | 0.19 |
| 1884 | – | – | 0.2 |
| 1883 | – | – | 0.19 |
| 1882 | – | – | 0.19 |
| 1881 | – | – | 0.19 |
| 1880 | – | – | 0.19 |
| 1879 | – | – | 0.19 |
| 1878 | – | – | 0.18 |
| 1877 | – | – | 0.18 |
| 1876 | – | – | 0.19 |
| 1875 | – | – | 0.18 |
| 1874 | – | – | 0.18 |
| 1873 | – | – | 0.18 |
| 1872 | – | – | 0.18 |
| 1871 | – | – | 0.18 |
| 1870 | – | – | 0.18 |
| 1869 | – | – | 0.17 |
| 1868 | – | – | 0.17 |
| 1867 | – | – | 0.17 |
| 1866 | – | – | 0.16 |
| 1865 | – | – | 0.16 |
| 1864 | – | – | 0.16 |
| 1863 | – | – | 0.16 |
| 1862 | – | – | 0.16 |
| 1861 | – | – | 0.15 |
| 1860 | – | – | 0.15 |
| 1859 | – | – | 0.14 |
| 1858 | – | – | 0.14 |
| 1857 | – | – | 0.14 |
| 1856 | – | – | 0.13 |
| 1855 | – | – | 0.13 |
| 1854 | – | – | 0.13 |
| 1853 | – | – | 0.13 |
| 1852 | – | – | 0.13 |
| 1851 | – | – | 0.13 |
| 1850 | – | – | 0.13 |
| 1849 | – | – | 0.15 |
| 1848 | – | – | 0.13 |
| 1847 | – | – | 0.11 |
| 1846 | – | – | 0.11 |
| 1845 | – | – | 0.11 |
| 1844 | – | – | 0.11 |
| 1843 | – | – | 0.1 |
| 1842 | – | – | 0.1 |
| 1841 | – | – | 0.1 |
| 1840 | – | – | 0.1 |
| 1839 | – | – | 0.1 |
| 1838 | – | – | 0.09 |
| 1837 | – | – | 0.09 |
| 1836 | – | – | 0.1 |
| 1835 | – | – | 0.09 |
| 1834 | – | – | 0.09 |
| 1833 | – | – | 0.09 |
| 1832 | – | – | 0.09 |
| 1831 | – | – | 0.09 |
| 1830 | – | – | 0.09 |
| 1829 | – | – | 0.08 |
| 1828 | – | – | 0.08 |
| 1827 | – | – | 0.09 |
| 1826 | – | – | 0.08 |
| 1825 | – | – | 0.08 |
| 1824 | – | – | 0.08 |
| 1823 | – | – | 0.08 |
| 1822 | – | – | 0.08 |
| 1821 | – | – | 0.07 |
| 1820 | – | – | 0.07 |
| 1819 | – | – | 0.06 |
| 1818 | – | – | 0.06 |
| 1817 | – | – | 0.06 |
| 1816 | – | – | 0.06 |
| 1815 | – | – | 0.06 |
| 1814 | – | – | 0.05 |
| 1813 | – | – | 0.05 |
| 1812 | – | – | 0.06 |
| 1811 | – | – | 0.06 |
| 1810 | – | – | 0.06 |
| 1809 | – | – | 0.05 |
| 1808 | – | – | 0.05 |
| 1807 | – | – | 0.05 |
| 1806 | – | – | 0.05 |
| 1805 | – | – | 0.05 |
| 1804 | – | – | 0.05 |
| 1803 | – | – | 0.05 |
| 1802 | – | – | 0.05 |
| 1801 | – | – | 0.05 |
| 1800 | – | – | 0.05 |
| 1799 | – | – | 0.05 |
| 1798 | – | – | 0.06 |
| 1797 | – | – | 0.05 |
| 1796 | – | – | 0.05 |
| 1795 | – | – | 0.05 |
| 1794 | – | – | 0.05 |
| 1793 | – | – | 0.05 |
| 1792 | – | – | 0.05 |
| 1791 | – | – | 0.05 |
| 1790 | – | – | 0.05 |
| 1789 | – | – | 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
South Africa vs Zimbabwe
Health
- Life expectancySouth Africa: 66.1 years in 2023Zimbabwe: 62.8 years in 2023
- Child mortalitySouth Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024Zimbabwe: 6.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalitySouth Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023Zimbabwe: 33.2 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionSouth Africa: 3.75% in 2017Zimbabwe: 3.19% in 2017
- Suicide rateSouth Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017Zimbabwe: 26.4 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationSouth Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023Zimbabwe: 16.3 million people in 2023
- Population growthSouth Africa: 1.32% a year in 2023Zimbabwe: 1.68% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateSouth Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023Zimbabwe: 3.72 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationSouth Africa: 63.8% in 2025Zimbabwe: 40.5% in 2025
- Median ageSouth Africa: 28.2 years in 2023Zimbabwe: 17.8 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overSouth Africa: 6.5% in 2023Zimbabwe: 3.6% in 2023
- Net migration rateSouth Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023Zimbabwe: -6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingSouth Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025Zimbabwe: 0.56% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsSouth Africa: $3B in 2025Zimbabwe: $134M in 2025
- Military spending per personSouth Africa: $49 in 2025Zimbabwe: $10 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingSouth Africa: 2.2% of government spending in 2025Zimbabwe: 5.3% of government spending in 2005
- Armed forces personnelSouth Africa: 89,000 people in 2020Zimbabwe: 51,000 people in 2020
- National powerSouth Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022Zimbabwe: 0.08% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersSouth Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020Zimbabwe: 0.88% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsSouth Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025Zimbabwe: 20 million TIV in 2023
- Arms exportsSouth Africa: 115 million TIV in 2025Zimbabwe: 4 million TIV in 2001