2025 country profile

How democratic is
Colombia?

Colombia scores 65.3 out of 100 and ranks 60 of 179 in our independent 2025 democracy measure. Its lowest-scoring test is political equality. Explore the evidence and history below.

Democracys.org beta estimate, derived from V-Dem v16. A measure of political institutions and conditions—not a percentage of democracy or a judgment of people.

Printable country brief Compare this country

DEMOCRACYS SCORE

65.3out of 100Substantial but incomplete

2025 rank60 of 179

10-year change−3.9

25-year change+5.9

Source-bound range58.5–73.6

Weakest areaEquality

The source-bound range is an uncertainty guide, not a confidence interval for this combined score. How to read the range →

SCORE HISTORY

Colombia, 1975–2025

The shaded area is a plain-language uncertainty guide. Treat small score differences cautiously.

About uncertainty

BEYOND THE NUMBERS

What changed on the ground?

A documented development to help interpret the institutions behind the score.

2025 context · Freedom House assessment

Political violence threatened participation

A rise in kidnappings and killings by armed and criminal groups included the assassination of an opposition leader, according to Freedom House. Violence can prevent people from campaigning, reporting, or organizing regardless of formal legal rights. This is a constraint on the practical exercise of democracy, not merely on election procedures.

Read the country report · Freedom in the World 2026

AI-assisted source summary · not independently expert-reviewed

What this context does—and does not—explain

This is a selected development, not a complete political history. Its date may differ from the selected comparison period. It is not evidence that one event caused a particular number of points, and it may describe progress even when this index declines.

The scores use V-Dem. The narrative summarizes a separate assessment by Freedom House, whose definitions and coverage differ. Neither organization endorses this website. The summary is AI-assisted, source-linked, and has not received independent country-expert review. Source checked October 5, 2026.

Why democracy measures can disagree →

UNDERSTAND THE CHANGE

What drove the score?

2015–2025 · the measured story

The score for Colombia fell 3.9 points, from 69.2 to 65.3 between 2015 and 2025. 2 of the five areas improved while 3 worsened, so the headline combines competing movements. Public reasoning contributed the largest downward push in the score calculation.

Read the political context ↓

Largest influence on the calculation

Public reasoning

The evidence rates public justification, consultation, and engagement with opposing arguments less favorably.

Area score: 83.2 → 62.4
Approx. contribution to overall change: −4.0 points

Moving in the other direction

Rights and checks

The evidence points toward stronger civil liberties, equality before the law, or constraints on executive power.

Area score: 79.2 → 81.0
Approx. contribution to overall change: +0.3 points

These contributions explain the calculation—not the causes. The five area scores combine several indicators; they do not identify which individual law, election, or event changed.

When did the biggest shifts appear?

The largest year-to-year movements within this period. These are changes in annual estimates, not precise dates of political events.

2017–2018−3.7 points
The overall score fell from 69.9 to 66.2. Public reasoning supplied the largest downward contribution to that year’s calculated change.
2019–2020−3.2 points
The overall score fell from 63.3 to 60.1. Public reasoning supplied the largest downward contribution to that year’s calculated change.
2021–2022+6.4 points
The overall score rose from 61.5 to 67.9. Public reasoning supplied the largest upward contribution to that year’s calculated change.

Highest published score in this window: 70.1 in 2016. Small differences may fall within the source’s uncertainty.

See all five areas and how contributions are calculated

Changes in inputs versus contributions to the overall score
Area	2015	2025	Input change	Approx. contribution
Public reasoning	83.2	62.4	−20.8	−4.0
Political equality	54.6	52.5	−2.1	−0.5
Rights and checks	79.2	81.0	+1.8	+0.3
Participation	63.0	64.4	+1.4	+0.3
Elections	68.1	67.9	−0.2	0.0

We change the five inputs from their starting to ending values in every possible order, then average each area’s effect on the formula. This distributes the formula’s interactions (a Shapley allocation). It is a mathematical attribution, not a causal estimate.

Inputs and published scores are rounded, so contributions are approximate and may not add exactly to the displayed total. No significance test is implied. Read the full scoring method →

BENEATH THE SCORE

Five dimensions of democracy

The headline score cannot show where a political system is strong or constrained. These five tests can. Each has equal weight in the beta standard.

Free and fair elections

Can people choose their leaders through broad voting rights, honest elections, free political groups, and open public debate?

67.9

Rights and checks on power

Are basic freedoms protected, laws applied fairly, courts independent, and leaders prevented from abusing power?

81.0

Public participation

Can people shape public life through civic groups, direct voting, and meaningful local and regional government?

64.4

Public reasoning

Do leaders explain decisions, consult the public, answer opposing arguments, and consider the common good?

62.4

Political equality

Do different social groups have equal rights, access, resources, and a real chance to influence political power?

52.5

HOW TO READ THIS PROFILE

Two kinds of evidence.
One clearer picture.

The score breakdown identifies which parts of the measure changed most. The country report adds documented political context. Together they help explain the institutions at stake—but they do not prove that a specific event produced a specific number of points.

Why this score differs from other democracy indices →

What a declining score can—and cannot—tell us about democratic backsliding

A recent improvement can coexist with a long-term decline. Always compare the dates, check the linked source, and consider developments the selected narrative does not cover.

ANNUAL DATA

Colombia score table

Download Colombia CSV

Year	Score	Source-bound range	Elections	Rights & checks	Participation	Reasoning	Equality
2025	65.3	58.5–73.6	67.9	81.0	64.4	62.4	52.5
2024	66.0	58.8–73.5	69.8	78.2	64.1	65.8	53.5
2023	67.8	60.9–75.3	71.1	79.5	65.2	69.0	55.2
2022	67.9	61.5–75.8	69.6	79.7	66.0	71.1	54.3
2021	61.5	54.5–69.8	65.4	74.0	65.1	57.5	47.4
2020	60.1	52.7–68.1	64.3	75.1	65.1	53.7	44.8
2019	63.3	55.4–70.6	65.1	76.3	66.8	59.7	50.2
2018	66.2	59.6–73.6	66.6	78.7	67.4	68.0	51.9
2017	69.9	64.1–77.1	68.0	79.8	67.6	82.1	54.0
2016	70.1	64.8–77.5	68.2	79.1	69.1	82.8	53.2
2015	69.2	64.0–76.5	68.1	79.2	63.0	83.2	54.6
2014	68.6	62.2–75.4	67.7	79.4	62.3	82.2	53.3
2013	68.1	62.5–75.5	66.9	79.2	63.3	80.1	53.1
2012	67.8	61.5–74.9	66.1	80.5	63.5	78.4	52.7
2011	67.8	62.0–75.4	66.0	80.8	64.1	77.0	53.0
2010	65.1	58.5–72.3	62.4	78.6	64.6	68.9	52.3
2009	61.6	54.9–69.6	58.7	77.0	63.7	58.9	50.9
2008	61.7	54.5–69.0	58.5	76.8	64.4	58.9	51.2
2007	61.4	54.4–69.1	58.3	76.8	65.0	58.1	50.2
2006	61.1	53.9–68.7	57.1	76.4	64.9	58.1	50.5
2005	60.5	53.5–68.5	54.2	76.2	64.9	58.1	50.5
2004	59.0	51.7–67.0	53.7	75.9	64.9	51.8	50.5
2003	58.9	51.7–67.0	53.5	75.9	64.9	51.8	50.5
2002	58.2	50.7–66.3	53.4	74.2	61.6	53.4	50.1
2001	59.1	51.7–68.0	54.2	74.5	62.0	56.6	49.7
2000	59.4	51.8–68.1	55.0	74.5	62.4	56.6	49.7
1999	59.9	52.2–68.8	53.8	74.5	62.8	56.6	52.8
1998	60.2	52.4–69.0	54.6	74.5	63.2	56.6	53.2
1997	59.4	51.6–68.5	55.4	74.5	63.6	52.6	52.4
1996	59.3	51.5–68.5	55.4	73.7	63.9	52.6	52.4
1995	59.5	51.2–68.1	56.0	73.7	64.3	52.6	52.4
1994	58.7	50.4–67.5	55.8	73.5	64.7	48.0	53.1
1993	60.5	52.8–69.5	55.8	73.4	64.7	56.5	53.1
1992	59.4	51.1–68.0	55.8	73.3	64.5	56.5	48.3
1991	59.5	52.2–67.8	51.6	71.6	65.7	70.9	40.8
1990	49.4	41.2–56.9	47.3	59.4	52.5	72.4	23.3
1989	47.1	39.1–54.4	44.3	59.6	47.5	74.5	19.9
1988	45.5	37.3–53.2	44.3	59.6	47.5	64.7	19.9
1987	41.9	33.6–49.7	44.6	61.4	29.2	64.7	19.6
1986	38.0	29.3–45.9	44.8	61.0	29.2	43.1	19.0
1985	37.5	29.1–45.6	45.4	61.9	28.1	41.1	18.7
1984	37.5	29.1–45.7	45.5	61.9	28.0	41.1	18.7
1983	37.5	29.1–45.9	46.6	60.5	28.0	41.1	18.8
1982	37.1	28.6–45.0	40.9	58.0	28.0	41.1	22.5
1981	32.0	23.5–39.4	40.9	56.6	28.0	19.5	21.5
1980	32.0	23.5–39.4	40.9	56.6	28.0	19.5	21.5
1979	31.4	22.6–38.7	40.5	56.6	25.7	19.5	21.5
1978	31.9	22.8–38.9	42.4	57.3	25.7	19.5	21.5
1977	39.4	30.4–47.3	44.7	60.3	25.5	50.4	22.9
1976	39.3	30.3–47.3	44.5	60.3	25.5	50.4	22.9
1975	39.2	29.9–47.1	44.5	59.4	25.3	50.4	22.9
1974	33.8	24.9–41.2	41.1	58.0	25.0	28.4	22.0
1973	32.8	23.9–40.1	36.9	58.9	25.0	26.7	22.0
1972	32.8	24.3–40.5	36.9	59.0	25.0	26.7	22.0
1971	32.7	24.2–40.4	36.1	59.0	25.0	26.7	22.0
1970	31.6	22.9–38.9	35.0	59.0	25.0	26.7	18.8
1969	31.9	23.4–39.8	35.6	58.7	24.0	28.6	18.9
1968	31.9	23.4–39.8	35.6	58.7	24.0	28.6	18.9
1967	31.8	23.1–39.4	35.6	58.2	24.0	28.6	18.9
1966	31.8	23.1–39.4	35.5	58.2	24.0	28.6	18.9
1965	31.4	22.8–38.5	35.5	58.2	24.2	26.2	18.9
1964	31.3	22.8–38.5	35.4	58.2	24.2	26.2	18.9
1963	31.4	22.8–38.6	35.6	58.2	24.2	26.2	18.9
1962	31.4	22.8–38.6	35.6	58.2	24.2	26.2	18.9
1961	31.6	22.8–38.7	35.4	58.2	24.2	27.3	18.9
1960	31.5	22.5–38.4	34.8	58.2	24.2	27.3	19.0
1959	31.3	22.6–38.2	33.2	57.9	24.8	27.3	19.0
1958	20.8	13.6–25.9	22.8	51.3	20.2	7.6	12.7
1957	14.6	8.6–18.6	9.9	36.5	21.3	3.1	12.7
1956	13.8	7.9–17.7	9.7	35.2	17.9	3.1	12.7
1955	13.8	7.9–17.7	9.7	35.2	17.9	3.1	12.7
1954	13.8	7.9–17.6	9.7	35.0	17.9	3.1	12.7
1953	15.2	9.2–19.3	13.1	36.4	19.6	3.6	12.5
1952	16.7	10.4–20.8	17.7	38.1	19.6	4.8	12.0
1951	16.7	10.4–20.8	17.5	38.1	19.6	4.8	12.0
1950	12.9	7.3–16.4	14.2	17.1	19.6	4.8	12.0
1949	14.3	8.3–18.0	17.8	21.7	19.6	4.8	11.8
1948	20.3	13.4–25.2	20.6	45.3	19.6	10.9	12.0
1947	22.1	14.7–27.2	25.0	48.6	19.6	10.9	14.1
1946	22.8	15.4–28.4	26.0	48.6	21.4	11.9	13.6
1945	30.5	22.8–37.7	26.3	54.4	21.4	46.0	13.6
1944	30.0	22.3–37.1	24.0	54.4	21.4	46.0	13.6
1943	30.0	22.3–37.2	24.0	54.4	21.4	46.0	13.6
1942	30.0	22.4–37.2	24.1	54.4	21.4	46.0	13.6
1941	30.1	22.4–37.2	24.4	54.5	21.4	46.0	13.6
1940	30.1	22.4–37.3	24.6	54.5	21.4	46.0	13.6
1939	30.1	22.4–37.3	24.6	54.5	21.4	46.0	13.6
1938	30.1	22.1–37.2	24.7	54.5	21.4	46.0	13.5
1937	30.6	22.9–37.8	24.6	54.5	21.4	48.0	14.1
1936	30.4	22.8–37.5	24.5	54.5	21.4	48.0	13.5
1935	29.6	22.1–36.6	23.7	53.9	21.4	48.0	11.9
1934	29.3	21.3–36.0	23.6	53.9	21.4	48.0	11.0
1933	29.1	21.2–35.8	23.8	53.9	21.4	46.7	10.9
1932	29.1	21.2–35.8	24.0	53.9	21.4	46.7	10.9
1931	28.2	20.6–35.1	23.8	53.9	21.4	43.8	9.6
1930	25.1	16.8–30.9	23.3	53.8	21.4	29.5	8.0
1929	20.9	13.0–25.5	21.9	52.9	19.3	13.0	8.0
1928	21.0	13.1–25.6	21.9	53.4	19.3	13.0	8.0
1927	21.0	13.1–25.6	21.9	53.4	19.3	13.0	8.0
1926	21.0	13.1–25.6	22.0	53.4	19.3	13.0	8.0
1925	21.1	13.1–25.7	22.4	53.4	19.3	13.0	8.0
1924	21.1	13.1–25.7	22.4	53.4	19.3	13.0	8.0
1923	21.1	13.2–25.8	22.6	53.4	19.3	13.0	8.0
1922	21.1	13.2–25.8	22.8	53.4	19.3	13.0	8.0
1921	21.3	13.3–25.9	23.7	53.4	19.3	13.0	8.0
1920	21.2	13.4–26.0	23.8	53.4	19.0	13.0	8.0
1919	21.2	13.4–25.9	23.3	53.4	19.0	13.0	8.0
1918	21.2	13.4–25.9	23.3	53.4	19.0	13.0	8.0
1917	21.2	13.4–26.0	23.5	53.4	19.0	13.0	8.0
1916	21.2	13.4–26.0	23.5	53.4	19.0	13.0	8.0
1915	21.2	13.4–26.0	23.5	53.4	19.0	13.0	8.0
1914	21.2	13.5–26.0	23.8	53.4	19.0	13.0	8.0
1913	21.8	13.8–26.5	26.9	53.4	19.0	13.0	8.0
1912	21.8	13.8–26.5	26.9	53.4	19.0	13.0	8.0
1911	21.8	13.8–26.5	26.9	53.4	19.0	13.0	8.0
1910	21.2	13.6–26.2	24.1	53.0	19.0	13.0	8.0
1909	19.3	11.7–24.0	18.4	43.9	19.0	14.4	8.0
1908	19.3	11.8–24.0	18.7	43.9	19.0	14.4	8.0
1907	19.3	11.8–24.0	18.7	43.9	19.0	14.4	8.0
1906	19.3	11.8–24.0	18.7	43.9	19.0	14.4	8.0
1905	19.2	11.7–23.8	18.3	43.9	19.0	14.4	8.0
1904	19.8	12.3–24.6	19.1	46.9	19.0	14.4	8.0
1903	19.0	11.7–23.5	18.7	48.4	19.0	10.7	8.0
1902	13.3	7.3–16.9	16.0	24.0	19.0	4.6	8.0
1901	13.3	7.3–16.9	16.0	24.0	19.0	4.6	8.0
1900	13.2	6.8–16.7	16.0	24.0	19.0	4.4	8.0

CITE THIS PROFILE

Source and attribution

Democracys.org (2026), “Colombia Democracy Score, 1900–2025,” Democracys Standard v1.0 beta; derived from Coppedge et al. (2026), V-Dem Country-Year Dataset v16.

Open source DOI

NEARBY IN THE 2025 RANKING

#58Timor-Leste65.6 #59Malawi65.4 #61Dominican Republic65.3 #62Sao Tome and Principe65.2

All rankings

How democratic isColombia?

Colombia, 1975–2025

Political violence threatened participation

Public reasoning

Rights and checks

When did the biggest shifts appear?

Five dimensions of democracy

Free and fair elections

Rights and checks on power

Public participation

Public reasoning

Political equality

Two kinds of evidence.One clearer picture.

Colombia score table

Source and attribution

How democratic is
Colombia?

Two kinds of evidence.
One clearer picture.