Countries Ranked by Rule of law score (2023)
Rule of law score: each country's latest value (2018–2023), ranked from highest to lowest. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0 (Worldwide Governance Indicators terms)).
Summary
Finland ranks #1 with 21.6 score (-2.5 to 2.5). Denmark is second with 21 score (-2.5 to 2.5), 3% behind. The top five are Finland, Denmark, Norway, Switzerland and Singapore. The median across all 205 is -1.34 score (-2.5 to 2.5); Somalia, Fed. Rep. is last at -24.3 score (-2.5 to 2.5). Finland's figure has fallen 47% since 2000 (41 score (-2.5 to 2.5) to 21.6 score (-2.5 to 2.5) in 2023).
- #1
- Finland · 21.6 score (-2.5 to 2.5)
- Median
- -1.34 score (-2.5 to 2.5)
- Coverage
- 205 countries
- Data year
- 2023
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
Showing the top 100 of 205. Premium downloads the full list as CSV or JSON.
About the top 10
#1 Finland
Finland ranks #1 on this list with 21.6 score (-2.5 to 2.5).
- Capital
- Helsinki
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 5.65 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$317.04 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$56,149 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 82.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 74.5% of population (2025)
Also ranks #2 in bank accounts share (adults) · #2 in control of corruption score · #2 in women in ministerial positions share.
#2 Denmark
Denmark ranks #2 on this list with 21 score (-2.5 to 2.5).
- Capital
- Copenhagen
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 6.01 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$462.53 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$76,970 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 82.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 88.8% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Copenhagen, Aarhus, Odense.
Also ranks #1 in control of corruption score · #2 in arable land share · #3 in secure internet servers per million.
#3 Norway
Norway ranks #3 on this list with 20.2 score (-2.5 to 2.5).
- Capital
- Oslo
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 5.61 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$530.76 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$94,594 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 83.2 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 83.6% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim.
Also ranks #2 in nurses and midwives per 1,000 · #2 in voice and accountability score · #3 in gni per capita.
#4 Switzerland
Switzerland ranks #4 on this list with 19.4 score (-2.5 to 2.5).
- Capital
- Bern
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 9.09 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$1.04 trillion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$114,770 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 84.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 85.7% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Zurich, Geneva, Canton of Basel-Stadt.
Also ranks #1 in nurses and midwives per 1,000 · #2 in gni per capita · #2 in health expenditure per capita.
#5 Singapore
Singapore ranks #5 on this list with 19.3 score (-2.5 to 2.5).
- Capital
- Singapore
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 6.11 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$603.87 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$98,814 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 83.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 100% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Singapore.
Also ranks #1 in gdp per capita ppp · #1 in government debt share of gdp · #1 in human capital index.
#6 Luxembourg
Luxembourg ranks #6 on this list with 19.3 score (-2.5 to 2.5).
- Capital
- Luxembourg
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 686,970 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$101.16 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$147,250 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 83.2 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 94.9% of population (2025)
Also ranks #2 in gdp per capita ppp · #2 in trade share of gdp · #3 in gdp per capita.
#7 Austria
Austria ranks #7 on this list with 19.2 score (-2.5 to 2.5).
- Capital
- Vienna
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 9.21 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$579.47 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$62,930 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 82 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 69.7% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Vienna.
Also ranks #3 in bank accounts share (adults) · #5 in government revenue share of gdp · #5 in atms per 100,000 adults.
#8 Iceland
Iceland ranks #8 on this list with 18.9 score (-2.5 to 2.5).
- Capital
- Reykjavík
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 392,400 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$38.58 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$98,323 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 82.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 94.2% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in energy use per capita · #1 in bank accounts share (adults) · #1 in water resources per capita.
#9 Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein ranks #9 on this list with 18.8 score (-2.5 to 2.5).
- Capital
- Vaduz
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 41,024 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$8.91 billion (2024)
- GDP per person
- US$220,170 (2024)
- Life expectancy
- 84.2 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 14.6% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in rural population share · #1 in researchers in r&d per million · #2 in gdp per capita.
#10 New Zealand
New Zealand ranks #10 on this list with 18.8 score (-2.5 to 2.5).
- Capital
- Wellington
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 5.32 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$264.06 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$49,591 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 82 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 84% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Auckland.
Also ranks #3 in voice and accountability score · #4 in tax revenue share of gdp · #4 in control of corruption score.
Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.
Source and method
Rule of law score: each country's latest value (2018–2023), ranked from highest to lowest.
Source: The World Bank, indicator RL.EST. Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Worldwide Governance Indicators terms). Retrieved: 2026-11-14.
The World Bank: Rule of Law: Estimate: Worldwide Governance Indicators, World Bank (WB) (via World Development Indicators)
Original data provider, as recorded by the World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators, World Bank (WB).
Values are shown as published. Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.