World’s Oldest (United States) And The Largest (India) Democracies Are Not Among The “Fully Democratic Countries” Ranking for 2017

So, it turns out the world’s oldest democracy (the United States; ranked 21) and the world’s largest democracy (India, ranked 42) are not among the “Fully Democratic Countries” list for 2017, according to The EIU’s annual Democracy Index – 2017. The report suggests that there are only nineteen fully democratic countries in the world.

What’s the big picture here?

No surprise there, Norway has again topped the list, followed by Iceland (No. 2), Sweden (No. 3), New Zealand (No. 4), and Denmark (No. 5).

India (ranked 42) has moved down from 32nd place last year and remains classified among “flawed democracies.” 57 other countries deemed as “flawed democracies.”

The index ranks 165 countries and two territories in five categories: electoral process and pluralism; civil liberties; the functioning of government; political participation; and political culture.

The list has been divided into 4 broad categories: full democracy, flawed democracy, hybrid regime, an authoritarian regime.

South Korea (ranked 20), the US, Italy, Japan, France, Israel, Singapore, Hong Kong, and others have been named among “flawed democracies.” Albania (ranked 77), Georgia, Ukraine, Bangladesh, Nepal, Turkey, Thailand, Pakistan, Iraq, and others have been named among “hybrid regime.”

Whereas, Côte d’Ivoire (ranked 116), Jordan, Venezuela, Kuwait, Myanmar, Egypt, Cuba, Russia, Qatar, and others have been named among “Authoritarian regime.”

Most and least Democratic Countries in the world for 2017