Which are the best and the worst countries in terms of the rule of law?
The World Justice Project produces a Rule of Law Index which measures – across eight factors – rule of law adherence in 113 countries and jurisdictions worldwide based on more than 110,000 household and 3,000 expert surveys and it has just published its latest annual report for 2017-18.
More countries’ overall rule of law score declined (34%) than improved (29%) as compared to their previous Index scores—a troubling trend. The biggest mover in this year’s Index was the Philippines, which fell 18 positions, now ranking 88th out of 113 countries overall.
The top three overall performers in the 2017-18 Index were Denmark (1), Norway (2), and Finland (3); the bottom three were Afghanistan (111), Cambodia (112), and Venezuela (113). The top three and bottom three performing countries have not changed since the 2016 Index.
Countries leading their regions in overall rule of law scores included: Nepal (South Asia), Georgia (Eastern Europe and Central Asia); Ghana (Sub-Saharan Africa); Uruguay (Latin America and the Caribbean); United Arab Emirates (Middle East and North Africa); New Zealand (East Asia and Pacific), and Denmark (Western Europe and North America, defined as EU + EFTA + North America).
The UK has dropped out of the top 10 to 11th place overall, while the USA ranks 19th.
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