How many democratic countries were there in world at 1980?

In 1980, there were approximately 30 democracies worldwide, a number significantly lower than today. Most countries were either authoritarian regimes or one-party states, particularly in regions like Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe. The late 1970s and early 1980s were marked by a global wave of democratization that would gain momentum in the following decades. Thus, the number of democratic countries was limited compared to the more robust democracies seen in later years.