2025 country profile

How democratic is
United Arab Emirates?

United Arab Emirates scores 21.9 out of 100 and ranks 160 of 179 in our independent 2025 democracy measure. Its lowest-scoring test is public participation. 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

21.9out of 100Far from the standard

2025 rank160 of 179

10-year change−1.5

25-year change+2.6

Source-bound range14.2–26.9

Weakest areaParticipation

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

SCORE HISTORY

United Arab Emirates, 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.

2024 context · Freedom House assessment

Mass convictions reinforced limits on dissent

Freedom House reports lengthy prison sentences for dozens of dissidents in a mass trial, alongside serious fair-trial concerns. This bears on civil liberties and the ability to organize independently. It occurred within a system where hereditary rulers retain power and political parties are prohibited.

Read the country report · Freedom in the World 2025

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 United Arab Emirates fell 1.5 points, from 23.4 to 21.9 between 2015 and 2025. 2 of the five areas improved while 3 worsened, so the headline combines competing movements. Rights and checks contributed the largest downward push in the score calculation.

Read the political context ↓

Largest influence on the calculation

Rights and checks

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

Area score: 31.9 → 26.5
Approx. contribution to overall change: −0.9 points

Moving in the other direction

Elections

The evidence rates electoral choice, voting rights, political organization, and the space for open debate more favorably.

Area score: 9.5 → 10.4
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.

2019–2020+1.5 points
The overall score rose from 22.4 to 23.9. Participation supplied the largest upward contribution to that year’s calculated change.
2020–2021−1.5 points
The overall score fell from 23.9 to 22.4. Participation supplied the largest downward contribution to that year’s calculated change.
2022–2023−0.7 points
The overall score fell from 22.7 to 22.0. Rights and checks supplied the largest downward contribution to that year’s calculated change.

Highest published score in this window: 23.9 in 2020. 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
Rights and checks	31.9	26.5	−5.4	−0.9
Political equality	48.7	44.4	−4.3	−0.6
Elections	9.5	10.4	+0.9	+0.3
Public reasoning	30.4	28.9	−1.5	−0.3
Participation	9.0	9.1	+0.1	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?

10.4

Rights and checks on power

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

26.5

Public participation

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

9.1

Public reasoning

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

28.9

Political equality

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

44.4

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

United Arab Emirates score table

Download United Arab Emirates CSV

Year	Score	Source-bound range	Elections	Rights & checks	Participation	Reasoning	Equality
2025	21.9	14.2–26.9	10.4	26.5	9.1	28.9	44.4
2024	22.1	14.4–27.3	10.4	26.7	9.1	28.9	45.3
2023	22.0	14.3–27.1	10.2	26.7	8.8	28.9	45.7
2022	22.7	15.0–28.1	10.1	30.3	8.8	28.9	46.7
2021	22.4	14.7–27.6	10.0	29.2	8.8	28.9	46.0
2020	23.9	15.8–29.2	10.2	31.4	11.6	28.9	47.4
2019	22.4	14.8–28.0	10.2	31.7	7.7	26.9	47.8
2018	22.8	15.2–28.2	9.6	33.4	8.3	26.9	48.6
2017	23.4	15.9–29.0	9.5	32.5	8.3	30.4	49.2
2016	23.6	16.7–29.6	10.0	32.2	9.0	30.4	48.7
2015	23.4	16.4–29.2	9.5	31.9	9.0	30.4	48.7
2014	23.1	16.1–28.9	8.9	31.3	9.0	30.4	48.5
2013	22.6	15.7–28.3	9.1	31.0	7.5	30.4	48.5
2012	22.4	15.6–27.9	9.0	30.7	7.5	30.4	47.6
2011	21.3	14.3–26.7	8.1	28.4	6.3	30.4	47.6
2010	22.0	14.6–27.2	7.2	30.2	6.3	35.5	47.0
2009	21.8	14.4–26.9	7.1	29.7	6.3	35.5	46.7
2008	21.8	14.4–26.9	7.1	29.5	6.3	35.5	46.7
2007	21.3	13.9–26.3	7.1	29.5	6.3	32.5	46.7
2006	18.6	12.3–23.2	2.4	28.2	5.6	32.5	46.7
2005	18.3	11.9–22.8	2.1	27.7	5.6	32.5	46.7
2004	18.1	11.6–22.6	1.9	27.0	5.2	33.4	47.0
2003	20.0	13.1–25.4	2.5	27.1	5.2	51.2	39.9
2002	19.4	12.7–24.8	2.5	27.9	5.2	46.5	39.0
2001	19.5	12.7–24.9	2.8	27.6	5.2	46.5	39.0
2000	19.3	12.5–24.7	2.8	27.6	5.2	46.5	37.4
1999	19.3	12.6–24.8	2.8	27.6	5.2	46.5	36.9
1998	19.3	12.6–24.8	2.8	27.6	5.2	46.5	36.9
1997	19.2	12.6–24.8	2.7	27.6	5.2	46.5	36.9
1996	19.2	12.6–24.8	2.7	27.6	5.2	46.5	36.9
1995	19.0	12.4–24.9	2.7	26.6	5.2	46.5	36.7
1994	18.5	11.9–23.9	2.4	25.7	5.2	46.5	35.1
1993	17.8	11.3–23.1	2.3	21.5	5.2	46.5	35.7
1992	17.7	11.2–23.1	2.5	21.5	5.2	46.5	34.2
1991	17.3	10.8–22.5	2.2	21.5	5.2	46.5	32.9
1990	17.4	10.9–22.6	2.3	21.5	5.2	46.5	32.9
1989	16.9	10.5–22.1	2.3	20.8	5.2	46.5	29.8
1988	17.2	10.5–22.7	2.3	19.9	7.0	45.5	29.8
1987	17.2	10.5–22.7	2.3	19.9	7.0	45.5	29.8
1986	16.9	10.4–22.4	2.0	19.9	7.0	45.5	29.8
1985	16.9	10.4–22.4	2.0	19.9	7.0	45.5	29.8
1984	16.7	10.2–22.1	1.9	19.1	7.0	45.5	29.8
1983	15.6	9.4–20.4	1.8	19.1	3.9	45.5	29.3
1982	15.5	9.3–20.3	1.7	19.1	3.9	45.5	29.3
1981	15.3	9.3–20.1	1.7	19.1	3.9	45.5	27.6
1980	15.3	9.3–20.1	1.7	19.1	3.9	45.5	27.6
1979	15.4	9.4–20.4	1.9	19.1	3.9	45.5	27.4
1978	15.3	9.5–20.4	1.9	18.8	3.9	45.5	27.4
1977	14.7	8.8–19.7	1.9	18.8	3.9	41.5	26.7
1976	14.4	8.4–19.2	1.7	18.8	3.9	40.0	26.7
1975	14.4	8.4–19.1	1.6	19.0	3.9	40.0	26.7
1974	14.5	8.6–19.3	1.6	19.0	3.9	40.8	26.7
1973	12.8	7.0–17.2	1.4	19.0	3.9	38.5	18.2
1972	12.9	7.1–17.3	1.6	19.0	3.9	38.5	18.2
1971	12.9	7.1–17.3	1.6	19.0	3.9	38.5	18.2

CITE THIS PROFILE

Source and attribution

Democracys.org (2026), “United Arab Emirates Democracy Score, 1971–2025,” 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

#158Burundi23.4 #159Chad23.2 #161Bahrain21.0 #162Palestine/Gaza20.3

All rankings

How democratic isUnited Arab Emirates?