Rule of Law Index by Country 2022

Compare countries by Rule of Law percentile rank, reflecting confidence in laws, courts, police, property rights, and protection from crime and violence.

213 data points•Updated 12/13/2025•World•Worldwide Governance Indicators, World Bank (WB)•

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Complete Data Rankings

Rank
1	Finland	100 %
2	Denmark	99.528 %
3	Singapore	99.057 %
4	Luxembourg	98.585 %
5	Norway	98.113 %
6	Switzerland	97.642 %
7	San Marino	97.17 %
8	New Zealand	96.698 %
9	Liechtenstein	96.226 %
10	Austria	95.755 %
11	Iceland	95.283 %
12	Greenland	94.811 %
13	Jersey	94.811 %
14	Sweden	93.868 %
15	Netherlands	93.396 %
16	Canada	92.925 %
17	Japan	92.453 %
18	Germany	91.981 %
19	Ireland	91.509 %
20	Australia	91.038 %
21	Andorra	90.566 %
22	Monaco	90.566 %
23	Estonia	89.623 %
24	United Kingdom	89.151 %
25	United States	88.679 %
26	Belgium	88.208 %
27	China, Hong Kong SAR	87.736 %
28	Aruba	87.264 %
29	Taiwan	86.792 %
30	American Samoa	86.321 %
31	Guam	86.321 %
32	France	85.377 %
33	South Korea	84.906 %
34	French Guiana	84.434 %
35	Portugal	83.962 %
36	Czech Republic	83.491 %
37	Lithuania	83.019 %
38	Slovenia	82.547 %
39	United States Virgin Islands	82.075 %
40	Palau	81.604 %
41	Samoa	81.132 %
42	Israel	80.66 %
43	Brunei Darussalam	80.189 %
44	Latvia	79.717 %
45	Qatar	79.245 %
46	United Arab Emirates	78.774 %
47	Tuvalu	78.302 %
48	Spain	77.83 %
49	Mauritius	77.358 %
50	China, Macao SAR	76.887 %
51	Malta	76.415 %
52	Uruguay	75.943 %
53	Dominica	75.472 %
54	Marshall Islands	75 %
55	Cayman Islands	74.528 %
56	Bermuda	74.057 %
57	Martinique	74.057 %
58	Réunion	74.057 %
59	Micronesia (Fed. States of)	72.642 %
60	Chile	72.17 %
61	Bhutan	71.698 %
62	Saint Lucia	71.226 %
63	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	70.755 %
64	Kiribati	70.283 %
65	Slovakia	69.811 %
66	Tonga	69.34 %
67	Cyprus	68.868 %
68	Malaysia	68.396 %
69	Grenada	67.925 %
70	Puerto Rico	67.453 %
71	Saint Kitts and Nevis	66.981 %
72	Oman	66.509 %
73	Seychelles	66.038 %
74	Botswana	65.566 %
75	Bahrain	65.094 %
76	Costa Rica	64.623 %
77	Poland	64.151 %
78	Anguilla	63.679 %
79	Hungary	63.208 %
80	Namibia	62.736 %
81	Romania	62.264 %
82	Cabo Verde	61.792 %
83	Antigua and Barbuda	61.321 %
84	Croatia	60.849 %
85	Barbados	60.377 %
86	Fiji	59.906 %
87	Greece	59.434 %
88	Vanuatu	58.962 %
89	Italy	58.491 %
90	Saudi Arabia	58.019 %
91	Kuwait	57.547 %
92	Jordan	57.075 %
93	Georgia	56.604 %
94	Rwanda	56.132 %
95	Bahamas	55.66 %
96	India	55.189 %
97	Thailand	54.717 %
98	Maldives	54.245 %
99	South Africa	53.774 %
100	Nauru	53.302 %
101	China	52.83 %
102	Sri Lanka	52.358 %
103	Jamaica	51.887 %
104	Ghana	51.415 %
105	Dominican Republic	50.943 %
106	North Macedonia	50.472 %
107	Bulgaria	50 %
108	Tunisia	49.528 %
109	Serbia	49.057 %
110	Montenegro	48.585 %
111	Suriname	48.113 %
112	Vietnam	47.642 %
113	Albania	47.17 %
114	Trinidad and Tobago	46.698 %
115	Armenia	46.226 %
116	Mongolia	45.755 %
117	Indonesia	45.283 %
118	Morocco	44.811 %
119	Malawi	44.34 %
120	Solomon Islands	43.868 %
121	Brazil	43.396 %
122	Egypt	42.925 %
123	Senegal	42.453 %
124	Republic of Moldova	41.981 %
125	Bosnia and Herzegovina	41.509 %
126	Guyana	41.038 %
127	Kenya	40.566 %
128	Panama	40.094 %
129	Kosovo	39.623 %
130	Uganda	39.151 %
131	Colombia	38.679 %
132	Nepal	38.208 %
133	Gambia	37.736 %
134	Turkey	37.264 %
135	Cuba	36.792 %
136	Tanzania	36.321 %
137	Lesotho	35.849 %
138	Côte d'Ivoire	35.377 %
139	Kazakhstan	34.906 %
140	Argentina	34.434 %
141	Niger	33.962 %
142	Zambia	33.491 %
143	Philippines	33.019 %
144	Togo	32.547 %
145	Cook Islands	32.075 %
146	Niue	32.075 %
147	Peru	31.132 %
148	State of Palestine	30.66 %
149	Paraguay	30.189 %
150	Benin	29.717 %
151	Bangladesh	29.245 %
152	Burkina Faso	28.774 %
153	Papua New Guinea	28.302 %
154	Ecuador	27.83 %
155	Azerbaijan	27.358 %
156	Sao Tome and Principe	26.887 %
157	Ethiopia	26.415 %
158	Eswatini	25.943 %
159	Mauritania	25.472 %
160	Pakistan	25 %
161	Belize	24.528 %
162	El Salvador	24.057 %
163	Laos	23.585 %
164	Gabon	23.113 %
165	Sierra Leone	22.642 %
166	Algeria	22.17 %
167	Uzbekistan	21.698 %
168	Cambodia	21.226 %
169	Mexico	20.755 %
170	Timor-Leste	20.283 %
171	Nigeria	19.811 %
172	Liberia	19.34 %
173	Ukraine	18.868 %
174	Madagascar	18.396 %
175	Mali	17.925 %
176	Honduras	17.453 %
177	Iran	16.981 %
178	Angola	16.509 %
179	Mozambique	16.038 %
180	Cameroon	15.566 %
181	Congo	15.094 %
182	Guinea	14.623 %
183	Djibouti	14.151 %
184	Lebanon	13.679 %
185	Guatemala	13.208 %
186	Kyrgyzstan	12.736 %
187	Russia	12.264 %
188	Belarus	11.792 %
189	Zimbabwe	11.321 %
190	Tajikistan	10.849 %
191	Sudan	10.377 %
192	Burundi	9.906 %
193	Bolivia	9.434 %
194	Nicaragua	8.962 %
195	Comoros	8.491 %
196	Chad	8.019 %
197	Haiti	7.547 %
198	Equatorial Guinea	7.075 %
199	Guinea-Bissau	6.604 %
200	Turkmenistan	6.132 %
201	Myanmar	5.66 %
202	Afghanistan	5.189 %
203	North Korea	4.717 %
204	Congo, Democratic Republic of the	4.245 %
205	Central African Republic	3.774 %
206	Iraq	3.302 %
207	Eritrea	2.83 %
208	Libya	2.358 %
209	Yemen	1.887 %
210	South Sudan	1.415 %
211	Syrian Arab Republic	0.943 %
212	Venezuela	0.472 %
213	Somalia	0 %

↑Top 10 Countries

Analysis: These countries represent the highest values in this dataset, showcasing significant scale and impact on global statistics.

↓Bottom 10 Countries

Context: These countries or territories have the lowest values, often due to geographic size, administrative status, or specific characteristics.

Analysis & Context

The Rule of Law Index by Country in 2022 offers an insightful reflection of global confidence in legal institutions, property rights, and protection from crime and violence. This percentile rank system provides a comparative measure of how nations uphold the rule of law, an essential component for maintaining social order, economic stability, and democratic governance. In this analysis, we delve into the key trends, regional disparities, and significant year-over-year changes that defined the Rule of Law Index in 2022.

Top Country Performers in 2022

Leading the Rule of Law Index in 2022, Finland achieved a perfect score of 100%, underscoring its robust legal system and high public trust in institutional frameworks. Close behind were Denmark and Singapore, posting scores of 99.53% and 99.06% respectively, showcasing their strong commitment to legal transparency and effective governance. Other top performers included Luxembourg, Norway, and Switzerland, each reflecting a high degree of legal integrity and efficient judicial processes. These countries share common traits such as transparent governance, low corruption levels, and strong property rights, which collectively foster environments conducive to sustainable development and citizen well-being.

Challenges Facing Bottom Countries

Conversely, the bottom end of the index highlights critical areas where the rule of law is severely compromised. Turkmenistan, with a score of just 6.13%, along with Guinea-Bissau and Equatorial Guinea, emphasize significant governance challenges, including weak legal systems and prevalent corruption. These nations struggle with the effective enforcement of laws, protection of property rights, and control of crime and violence, all of which undermine societal trust and economic progress. Addressing these issues is paramount to improving these countries' standings on the global stage and ensuring security and prosperity for their citizens.

Regional Disparities and Trends

Analyzing the Rule of Law Index by region reveals stark contrasts between continents. European countries dominate the top of the index, reflecting strong legal traditions and governance structures, whereas many African and some Latin American nations appear towards the lower end, indicating ongoing struggles with legal enforcement and institutional corruption. This geographical disparity underscores the importance of tailored policy interventions and international support to strengthen legal frameworks in regions lagging behind. Regional cooperation and the sharing of best practices can play a pivotal role in elevating the rule of law across borders.

Year-Over-Year Changes and Dynamics

The Rule of Law Index in 2022 also illustrates notable shifts from the previous year. Côte d'Ivoire and Palau saw the most significant improvements, with increases of 8.23% and 7.32%, respectively. These changes reflect successful reforms and enhanced governance efforts that have strengthened their legal systems. In contrast, Ecuador experienced a substantial decline of 13.12%, attributed to political instability and eroding public trust in legal institutions. Similarly, Russia's decline by 7.74% can be linked to geopolitical tensions and increased government control, further emphasizing the complex dynamics that influence rule of law metrics globally.

Implications for Policy Makers

The insights from the 2022 Rule of Law Index are invaluable for policymakers worldwide. Understanding the factors contributing to high performance allows governments to emulate best practices, while identifying weaknesses in lower-ranking countries highlights areas in need of reform. Effective judicial systems, transparent governance, and the protection of human rights are critical elements in advancing a country's rule of law status. Thus, international collaboration, investment in legal education, and civic engagement are crucial strategies for fostering robust legal environments that can sustainably support economic growth and social harmony.

Overall, the Rule of Law Index by Country in 2022 provides a comprehensive snapshot of the global legal landscape, revealing both commendable achievements and pressing challenges. As countries navigate the complexities of governance, these insights guide efforts towards enhancing the rule of law and ultimately, the quality of life for their citizens.

Insights by country

Bahrain

Bahrain ranks 75 out of 213 countries in the 2022 Rule of Law Index, with a score of 65.09%. This positioning indicates a moderate adherence to the principles of law, including accountability, just laws, and access to justice.

The relatively high score reflects Bahrain's efforts in legal reforms and a relatively efficient judicial system; however, challenges remain, particularly concerning political freedoms and human rights. Factors contributing to its ranking include the government's control over the judiciary and limitations on civil liberties, which can undermine public trust in legal institutions.

Interestingly, Bahrain's score is comparable to several countries in the Middle East and North Africa region, highlighting a common trend of navigating complex socio-political landscapes while striving for legal development. The country's ongoing reforms aim to enhance the rule of law, though the impact of geopolitical dynamics continues to play a significant role in shaping its legal framework.

Kosovo

Kosovo ranks 129 out of 213 countries in the Rule of Law Index for the year 2022, with a score of 39.62%. This ranking reflects challenges in governance, legal frameworks, and the enforcement of laws within the country.

Several factors contribute to Kosovo's relatively low score, including ongoing political instability, limited institutional capacity, and issues related to corruption and judicial independence. The aftermath of the 1998-1999 conflict, coupled with a complex political status and ethnic tensions, has further complicated the development of a robust rule of law.

Additionally, Kosovo faces challenges such as a lack of effective mechanisms for accountability and transparency, which can undermine public trust in legal institutions. Despite these issues, there have been efforts to improve the situation, including reforms aimed at enhancing the justice system and combatting corruption.

Côte d'Ivoire

Côte d'Ivoire ranks 138th out of 213 countries in the Rule of Law Index for 2022, with a score of 35.38%. This ranking reflects the country's challenges in upholding legal standards, ensuring justice, and maintaining order within its borders.

Several factors contribute to this low score, including a history of political instability, civil conflict, and governance issues that have affected the judicial system's effectiveness and independence. Additionally, corruption and inadequate enforcement of laws further undermine the rule of law.

Despite these challenges, Côte d'Ivoire has made progress in recent years, with efforts to strengthen institutions and promote legal reforms. The nation's legal framework aims to enhance human rights and improve access to justice, which are crucial for advancing its overall ranking in future assessments.

Armenia

In 2022, Armenia ranked 115 out of 213 countries on the Rule of Law Index, with a score of 46.23%. This ranking reflects the country's ongoing challenges in governance, legal framework, and the enforcement of laws, which are critical components of effective rule of law.

The relatively low score indicates issues such as corruption, political influence on the judiciary, and insufficient protection of fundamental rights. These factors can undermine public trust in legal institutions and hinder the development of a stable civil society.

Moreover, Armenia's historical context, including its transition from Soviet rule and ongoing geopolitical tensions, particularly with neighboring Azerbaijan, may also contribute to the challenges faced in establishing a robust rule of law. Strengthening legal institutions and promoting transparency and accountability are essential for improving Armenia's position in future evaluations.

Guyana

In 2022, Guyana ranked 126th out of 213 countries on the Rule of Law Index, with a score of 41.04%. This positioning indicates challenges in the country's adherence to the principles of the rule of law, which encompasses aspects such as accountability, legal certainty, and the protection of fundamental rights.

The relatively low score can be attributed to several factors, including issues related to judicial independence, corruption, and law enforcement effectiveness. These challenges can undermine public trust in legal institutions and hinder the proper functioning of a democratic society.

Additionally, it is important to note that Guyana has been experiencing significant socio-political changes, particularly due to its emerging oil industry, which may further complicate governance and regulatory frameworks. Such developments could either improve or exacerbate the existing rule of law challenges, depending on how they are managed.

Eswatini

Eswatini ranks 158 out of 213 countries in the Rule of Law Index for the year 2022, with a score of 25.94%. This low ranking reflects significant challenges in governance, legal frameworks, and the protection of civil liberties within the country.

The Rule of Law Index encompasses various dimensions, including constraints on government powers, the independence of the judiciary, and the protection of fundamental rights. In Eswatini, the monarchy's significant influence over the legal system and limited political pluralism contribute to a diminished perception of the rule of law.

Factors contributing to this low score may include political instability, lack of judicial independence, and human rights violations. Furthermore, the absence of effective checks and balances within the government exacerbates the situation, leading to a populace that may feel disenfranchised and vulnerable under the existing legal structure.

Colombia

In 2022, Colombia ranked 131 out of 213 countries in the Rule of Law Index, with a score of 38.68%. This ranking reflects significant challenges in the enforcement of laws and the protection of fundamental rights within the country.

Various factors contribute to Colombia's position in the Rule of Law Index, including ongoing issues related to corruption, violence, and the influence of organized crime. The legacy of internal conflict and drug trafficking has undermined legal institutions and public trust in governance.

Additionally, Colombia faces challenges such as inequitable access to justice and the need for comprehensive reforms to strengthen legal frameworks. Despite these challenges, Colombia has made strides in improving human rights and increasing citizen engagement in governance.

Tonga

Tonga ranks 66 out of 213 countries on the Rule of Law Index for the year 2022. The country has a recorded index value of 69.34%, indicating a relatively strong adherence to the principles of rule of law compared to many other nations.

This ranking reflects Tonga's consistent efforts to uphold legal frameworks, ensure judicial independence, and promote accountability within its institutions. Factors contributing to this favorable position may include a stable political environment and the traditional governance structures that emphasize consensus and community engagement.

Additionally, Tonga's legal system is based on both customary and statutory law, which can enhance public trust in legal processes. The nation also benefits from a relatively low level of corruption, which supports the effectiveness of its legal institutions and reinforces the rule of law.

Costa Rica

Costa Rica ranks 76th out of 213 countries in the Rule of Law Index for the year 2022, with a score of 64.62%. This positioning reflects a relatively stable legal framework and governance compared to many nations in the region, emphasizing the country's commitment to democracy and human rights.

The Rule of Law Index encompasses various dimensions, including the effectiveness of the judiciary, the absence of corruption, and the protection of fundamental rights. In Costa Rica, factors contributing to its score include a well-established legal system, a history of political stability, and a strong civil society that advocates for accountability and transparency.

Despite these strengths, challenges remain, such as issues related to organized crime and environmental degradation, which can impact the overall perception and application of the rule of law. Costa Rica is also recognized for its significant investments in education and healthcare, which further bolster its social framework and governance quality.

Kuwait

Kuwait ranks 91 out of 213 countries in the 2022 Rule of Law Index, with a score of 57.55%. This index measures countries based on their adherence to the rule of law, including factors such as government accountability, the independence of the judiciary, and protection of fundamental rights.

The relatively moderate ranking of Kuwait indicates challenges in its legal and governance frameworks, which may stem from factors like political instability, limitations on freedom of expression, and judicial independence. Additionally, socio-political dynamics, such as the influence of tribal affiliations and the role of the ruling monarchy, may impact the enforcement and perception of laws.

Despite these challenges, Kuwait maintains a relatively high degree of political awareness among its citizens, which can lead to calls for reform and improved governance. The nation also benefits from its significant oil wealth, which provides resources that can be directed towards enhancing its legal systems and institutions.

Data Source

Worldwide Governance Indicators, World Bank (WB)

A global compilation of data capturing household, business, and citizen perceptions of the quality of governance in more than 200 economies.

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Historical Data by Year

Explore Rule of Law Index by Country data across different years. Compare trends and see how statistics have changed over time.

2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996