Top 10 Democratic Countries, According to the Democracy Index

Clean water, spotless streets: Democracy seems to be working out pretty well for Norway. dibrova / Shutterstock

Democracy may be a familiar concept, but what makes a country truly democratic? According to the Democracy Index, compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit, the answer lies in more than just free and fair elections. It includes civil liberties, political participation, and the functioning of government.

The index ranks democratic countries based on five categories: electoral process and pluralism, functioning of government, political participation, political culture, and civil liberties.

Let’s look at some of the most democratic countries in the world, based on their index score and commitment to democratic principles.

1. Norway

With an overall score consistently near the top, Norway is the gold standard of full democracies. It features high levels of political participation, a pluralistic system, and strong democratic institutions. The country ensures civil liberties and promotes rule of law.

2. New Zealand

New Zealand is praised for its electoral process, functioning government and respect for human rights. Citizens enjoy basic civil liberties and high political participation. It has a strong record of freedom, pluralism and civic trust.

3. Iceland

Iceland scores high across all five sub-indices. Its commitment to free and fair elections, access to justice, and representative democracy make it one of the most democratic countries globally. Political opposition thrives and citizens actively engage in public life.

4. Sweden

A liberal democracy with a strong civil society, Sweden ranks as a full democracy due to its transparent government, high voter turnout, and low levels of corruption. The country is an example of how democratic principles can coexist with an efficient welfare state.

5. Finland

This Nordic country offers an excellent example of a full democracy with a healthy political culture. It maintains a strong rule of law and democratic institutions while fostering decision-making through inclusive public discourse.

6. Denmark

Denmark consistently earns top marks for transparency, civic freedoms and efficient governance. Its democratic system supports high voter turnout, strong political engagement and a pluralistic party structure.

The country's press enjoys wide-ranging freedom, and public trust in institutions is among the highest globally. Denmark's social policies and commitment to equality also reinforce its democratic integrity.

7. Ireland

Ireland scores well across all index categories. It balances tradition and progress, upholding electoral integrity and judicial independence. Its democratic republic model ensures broad participation and rights protection.

8. Switzerland

This country is unique in allowing citizens to vote on a wide range of issues via referendums. It has a high average score on the Democracy Index and a political system built around representative democracy and public decision-making.

9. Netherlands

With its pluralistic society and strong institutions, the Netherlands maintains its status as a full democracy. It performs especially well in electoral process and political culture, and promotes both security and civil liberties.

10. Taiwan

Taiwan stands out in Asia for its vibrant democracy, strong civil liberties and robust electoral process. It transitioned from martial law to a full democracy within a generation, with peaceful power transfers and active civic participation.

Despite external pressures, Taiwan protects freedom of speech and assembly, and its digital democracy efforts—like participatory budgeting and open government initiatives—have attracted international attention.

Democracy Index and Regime Types

The Democracy Index classifies governments into four regime types:

Full Democracies: High scores in all categories (e.g., Norway)
Flawed Democracies: Free elections, but issues with governance or political culture (e.g., United States)
Hybrid Regimes: Limited political pluralism, often electoral manipulation (e.g., Turkey)
Authoritarian Regimes: No meaningful elections, restricted freedoms (e.g., North Korea)

The index began in 2006 and offers an annual snapshot of global democracy. It highlights progress, decline, and conflict across countries, helping the world assess the state of democracy.

3 Other Notable Mentions

United States: The nation is classified as a flawed democracy due to polarization and challenges in political culture, but it retains strong electoral mechanisms and civil rights.
India: The world’s largest democracy by population, India is considered a flawed democracy because of recent concerns about press freedom and political opposition.
Japan: A full democracy with efficient governance, but ranks slightly lower in political participation.

We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then made sure it was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.