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Rule of Law by Country

The Rule of Law by Country ranking compares nations by year-over-year changes in legal frameworks, ranking higher those with significant progress in justice, accountability, and the protection of rights.

El Salvador ranks #1 in 2023, showing a positive change from -0.74 to -0.37. Lithuania takes #2 with a positive change from 1.06 to 1.27, and Tuvalu is #3, showing a positive change from 0.82 to 1.01.

Meanwhile, San Marino, Ecuador, and Sudan are at the bottom of the ranking. San Marino shows a negative change from 1.75 to 1.48, Ecuador sees a negative change from -0.62 to -0.96, and Sudan has a negative change from -1.26 to -1.67.

RankCountryMost Recent YearPrevious YearChange
1El Salvador-0.37 (2023)-0.74 (2022)+0.37 pts
2Lithuania1.27 (2023)1.06 (2022)+0.21 pts
3Tuvalu1.01 (2023)0.82 (2022)+0.19 pts
4Thailand0.25 (2023)0.07 (2022)+0.18 pts
5Algeria-0.68 (2023)-0.83 (2022)+0.16 pts
6Moldova-0.15 (2023)-0.29 (2022)+0.13 pts
7Saudi Arabia0.42 (2023)0.29 (2022)+0.13 pts
8Latvia1.04 (2023)0.92 (2022)+0.12 pts
9Oman0.61 (2023)0.50 (2022)+0.11 pts
10Ireland1.63 (2023)1.53 (2022)+0.11 pts
11Bulgaria-0.01 (2023)-0.11 (2022)+0.10 pts
12Philippines-0.42 (2023)-0.52 (2022)+0.10 pts
13Bangladesh-0.50 (2023)-0.60 (2022)+0.10 pts
14Italy0.39 (2023)0.30 (2022)+0.09 pts
15South Korea1.25 (2023)1.16 (2022)+0.09 pts
16Benin-0.51 (2023)-0.60 (2022)+0.09 pts
17Tanzania-0.37 (2023)-0.46 (2022)+0.09 pts
18Montenegro-0.04 (2023)-0.13 (2022)+0.08 pts
19Belize-0.64 (2023)-0.72 (2022)+0.08 pts
20Egypt-0.18 (2023)-0.27 (2022)+0.08 pts
21Bolivia-1.22 (2023)-1.30 (2022)+0.08 pts
22Gambia-0.37 (2023)-0.46 (2022)+0.08 pts
23Morocco-0.13 (2023)-0.21 (2022)+0.08 pts
24Papua New Guinea-0.54 (2023)-0.62 (2022)+0.08 pts
25Somalia-2.21 (2023)-2.29 (2022)+0.07 pts
26India0.19 (2023)0.11 (2022)+0.07 pts
27Norway1.83 (2023)1.76 (2022)+0.07 pts
28Vietnam-0.09 (2023)-0.16 (2022)+0.07 pts
29Argentina-0.41 (2023)-0.48 (2022)+0.07 pts
30Congo-1.02 (2023)-1.09 (2022)+0.07 pts
31Equatorial Guinea-1.34 (2023)-1.41 (2022)+0.07 pts
32Slovenia1.04 (2023)0.97 (2022)+0.07 pts
33Malawi-0.16 (2023)-0.22 (2022)+0.07 pts
34Suriname-0.06 (2023)-0.13 (2022)+0.07 pts
35Kuwait0.34 (2023)0.28 (2022)+0.06 pts
36Mexico-0.81 (2023)-0.87 (2022)+0.06 pts
37Azerbaijan-0.57 (2023)-0.63 (2022)+0.06 pts
38Cyprus0.63 (2023)0.57 (2022)+0.06 pts
39Rwanda0.21 (2023)0.15 (2022)+0.06 pts
40Iraq-1.69 (2023)-1.75 (2022)+0.06 pts
41Barbados0.41 (2023)0.36 (2022)+0.06 pts
42Guatemala-1.08 (2023)-1.13 (2022)+0.05 pts
43Grenada0.61 (2023)0.56 (2022)+0.05 pts
44Armenia-0.12 (2023)-0.17 (2022)+0.05 pts
45Cambodia-0.82 (2023)-0.87 (2022)+0.05 pts
46Eswatini-0.60 (2023)-0.65 (2022)+0.05 pts
47Timor-Leste-0.83 (2023)-0.88 (2022)+0.05 pts
48United Arab Emirates0.88 (2023)0.84 (2022)+0.05 pts
49Venezuela-2.15 (2023)-2.20 (2022)+0.05 pts
50South Africa0.09 (2023)0.04 (2022)+0.05 pts
51Bahamas0.18 (2023)0.14 (2022)+0.05 pts
52Austria1.75 (2023)1.70 (2022)+0.04 pts
53Czech Republic1.14 (2023)1.10 (2022)+0.04 pts
54Jordan0.26 (2023)0.22 (2022)+0.04 pts
55Serbia-0.08 (2023)-0.11 (2022)+0.04 pts
56Indonesia-0.15 (2023)-0.19 (2022)+0.03 pts
57Romania0.44 (2023)0.40 (2022)+0.03 pts
58Syria-2.04 (2023)-2.07 (2022)+0.03 pts
59Nicaragua-1.28 (2023)-1.31 (2022)+0.03 pts
60Poland0.46 (2023)0.43 (2022)+0.03 pts
61Bahrain0.47 (2023)0.44 (2022)+0.03 pts
62Libya-1.77 (2023)-1.80 (2022)+0.03 pts
63Namibia0.45 (2023)0.42 (2022)+0.03 pts
64Ukraine-0.89 (2023)-0.92 (2022)+0.03 pts
65Kazakhstan-0.45 (2023)-0.48 (2022)+0.03 pts
66Burundi-1.25 (2023)-1.28 (2022)+0.03 pts
67Nigeria-0.89 (2023)-0.91 (2022)+0.03 pts
68Spain0.82 (2023)0.80 (2022)+0.02 pts
69Togo-0.53 (2023)-0.55 (2022)+0.02 pts
70Chad-1.35 (2023)-1.37 (2022)+0.02 pts
71Uzbekistan-0.83 (2023)-0.85 (2022)+0.02 pts
72Germany1.55 (2023)1.53 (2022)+0.02 pts
73North Korea-1.64 (2023)-1.66 (2022)+0.02 pts
74Guinea-Bissau-1.44 (2023)-1.45 (2022)+0.02 pts
75Iceland1.72 (2023)1.70 (2022)+0.02 pts
76Qatar0.93 (2023)0.92 (2022)+0.02 pts
77Peru-0.54 (2023)-0.55 (2022)+0.02 pts
78Australia1.52 (2023)1.51 (2022)+0.01 pts
79Panama-0.35 (2023)-0.36 (2022)+0.01 pts
80Haiti-1.36 (2023)-1.38 (2022)+0.01 pts
81Yemen-1.84 (2023)-1.85 (2022)+0.01 pts
82Côte d'Ivoire-0.46 (2023)-0.47 (2022)+0.01 pts
83Switzerland1.76 (2023)1.75 (2022)+0.01 pts
84Eritrea-1.76 (2023)-1.77 (2022)+0.01 pts
85Malaysia0.57 (2023)0.56 (2022)+0.01 pts
86Afghanistan-1.65 (2023)-1.66 (2022)+0.01 pts
87Denmark1.91 (2023)1.90 (2022)+0.01 pts
88Finland1.97 (2023)1.96 (2022)+0.01 pts
89Russia-1.19 (2023)-1.20 (2022)+0.01 pts
90Mauritius0.81 (2023)0.80 (2022)+0.01 pts
91Paraguay-0.58 (2023)-0.59 (2022)+0.01 pts
92Cuba-0.45 (2023)-0.46 (2022)+0.01 pts
93Georgia0.18 (2023)0.17 (2022)+0.01 pts
94Mauritania-0.64 (2023)-0.65 (2022)+0.01 pts
95Hungary0.43 (2023)0.42 (2022)+0.01 pts
96Nauru-0.02 (2023)-0.02 (2022)+0.01 pts
97Turkmenistan-1.49 (2023)-1.49 (2022)+0.00 pts
98Mali-0.98 (2023)-0.98 (2022)+0.00 pts
99Mongolia-0.18 (2023)-0.19 (2022)+0.00 pts
100Albania-0.16 (2023)-0.17 (2022)+0.00 pts
101China-0.04 (2023)-0.04 (2022)+0.00 pts
102Cabo Verde0.40 (2023)0.40 (2022)+0.00 pts
103Cameroon-1.04 (2023)-1.04 (2022)+0.00 pts
104Democratic Republic of the Congo-1.67 (2023)-1.67 (2022)+0.00 pts
105Estonia1.43 (2023)1.43 (2022)+0.00 pts
106France1.18 (2023)1.18 (2022)+0.00 pts
107Mozambique-1.03 (2023)-1.03 (2022)0.00 pts
108Sierra Leone-0.83 (2023)-0.83 (2022)0.00 pts
109Senegal-0.27 (2023)-0.27 (2022)-0.01 pts
110Bhutan0.67 (2023)0.67 (2022)-0.01 pts
111Liechtenstein1.71 (2023)1.72 (2022)-0.01 pts
112Croatia0.36 (2023)0.37 (2022)-0.01 pts
113Lesotho-0.48 (2023)-0.47 (2022)-0.01 pts
114Andorra1.48 (2023)1.49 (2022)-0.01 pts
115Kenya-0.33 (2023)-0.32 (2022)-0.01 pts
116Monaco1.48 (2023)1.49 (2022)-0.01 pts
117Antigua and Barbuda0.38 (2023)0.39 (2022)-0.01 pts
118Zambia-0.53 (2023)-0.52 (2022)-0.01 pts
119Netherlands1.64 (2023)1.66 (2022)-0.01 pts
120Nepal-0.46 (2023)-0.45 (2022)-0.02 pts
121Guinea-1.11 (2023)-1.10 (2022)-0.02 pts
122United Kingdom1.40 (2023)1.41 (2022)-0.02 pts
123Luxembourg1.75 (2023)1.77 (2022)-0.02 pts
124Palau0.94 (2023)0.95 (2022)-0.02 pts
125Slovakia0.60 (2023)0.62 (2022)-0.02 pts
126Ghana-0.10 (2023)-0.08 (2022)-0.02 pts
127Fiji0.31 (2023)0.33 (2022)-0.02 pts
128Tajikistan-1.28 (2023)-1.26 (2022)-0.02 pts
129Djibouti-1.13 (2023)-1.10 (2022)-0.02 pts
130Japan1.54 (2023)1.56 (2022)-0.02 pts
131Solomon Islands-0.26 (2023)-0.24 (2022)-0.02 pts
132Saint Kitts and Nevis0.48 (2023)0.50 (2022)-0.02 pts
133New Zealand1.71 (2023)1.73 (2022)-0.02 pts
134Madagascar-0.98 (2023)-0.95 (2022)-0.03 pts
135Singapore1.75 (2023)1.78 (2022)-0.03 pts
136Tunisia-0.14 (2023)-0.11 (2022)-0.03 pts
137Comoros-1.34 (2023)-1.32 (2022)-0.03 pts
138Kyrgyzstan-1.17 (2023)-1.15 (2022)-0.03 pts
139Laos-0.83 (2023)-0.80 (2022)-0.03 pts
140Guyana-0.34 (2023)-0.31 (2022)-0.03 pts
141Seychelles0.43 (2023)0.46 (2022)-0.03 pts
142Belarus-1.25 (2023)-1.22 (2022)-0.03 pts
143Colombia-0.46 (2023)-0.43 (2022)-0.03 pts
144Sri Lanka-0.09 (2023)-0.06 (2022)-0.03 pts
145Ethiopia-0.67 (2023)-0.64 (2022)-0.03 pts
146Dominican Republic-0.13 (2023)-0.09 (2022)-0.04 pts
147Kiribati0.59 (2023)0.63 (2022)-0.04 pts
148Zimbabwe-1.28 (2023)-1.24 (2022)-0.04 pts
149United States1.33 (2023)1.37 (2022)-0.04 pts
150Iran-1.06 (2023)-1.02 (2022)-0.04 pts
151Portugal1.07 (2023)1.11 (2022)-0.04 pts
152Bosnia and Herzegovina-0.35 (2023)-0.31 (2022)-0.05 pts
153Micronesia0.64 (2023)0.69 (2022)-0.05 pts
154Samoa0.90 (2023)0.95 (2022)-0.05 pts
155Tonga0.55 (2023)0.60 (2022)-0.05 pts
156Costa Rica0.39 (2023)0.44 (2022)-0.05 pts
157Brunei0.89 (2023)0.93 (2022)-0.05 pts
158Gabon-0.87 (2023)-0.82 (2022)-0.05 pts
159Uruguay0.72 (2023)0.77 (2022)-0.05 pts
160Brazil-0.31 (2023)-0.26 (2022)-0.05 pts
161Türkiye-0.51 (2023)-0.46 (2022)-0.05 pts
162Marshall Islands0.68 (2023)0.73 (2022)-0.05 pts
163Belgium1.30 (2023)1.35 (2022)-0.05 pts
164Saint Lucia0.61 (2023)0.66 (2022)-0.06 pts
165Central African Republic-1.76 (2023)-1.70 (2022)-0.06 pts
166Sao Tome and Principe-0.70 (2023)-0.63 (2022)-0.06 pts
167Lebanon-1.17 (2023)-1.10 (2022)-0.06 pts
168Chile0.63 (2023)0.69 (2022)-0.06 pts
169Botswana0.39 (2023)0.46 (2022)-0.07 pts
170North Macedonia-0.17 (2023)-0.10 (2022)-0.07 pts
171Saint Vincent and the Grenadines0.57 (2023)0.65 (2022)-0.07 pts
172Angola-1.10 (2023)-1.02 (2022)-0.08 pts
173Honduras-1.10 (2023)-1.02 (2022)-0.08 pts
174South Sudan-2.14 (2023)-2.06 (2022)-0.08 pts
175Malta0.70 (2023)0.79 (2022)-0.08 pts
176Sweden1.60 (2023)1.69 (2022)-0.09 pts
177Myanmar-1.62 (2023)-1.53 (2022)-0.09 pts
178Canada1.47 (2023)1.57 (2022)-0.09 pts
179Uganda-0.48 (2023)-0.37 (2022)-0.10 pts
180Jamaica-0.18 (2023)-0.07 (2022)-0.10 pts
181Dominica0.63 (2023)0.73 (2022)-0.11 pts
182Greece0.21 (2023)0.33 (2022)-0.11 pts
183Trinidad and Tobago-0.28 (2023)-0.17 (2022)-0.12 pts
184Liberia-1.03 (2023)-0.92 (2022)-0.12 pts
185Maldives-0.08 (2023)0.04 (2022)-0.12 pts
186Burkina Faso-0.74 (2023)-0.61 (2022)-0.13 pts
187Israel0.78 (2023)0.95 (2022)-0.16 pts
188Vanuatu0.14 (2023)0.32 (2022)-0.18 pts
189Pakistan-0.86 (2023)-0.67 (2022)-0.19 pts
190Niger-0.71 (2023)-0.50 (2022)-0.21 pts
191San Marino1.48 (2023)1.75 (2022)-0.27 pts
192Ecuador-0.96 (2023)-0.62 (2022)-0.34 pts
193Sudan-1.67 (2023)-1.26 (2022)-0.41 pts

Source: World Bank. Only countries with consecutive data in the past 10 years are shown.