# What is the Rule of Law Index, and how should I use it?

The World Justice Project Rule of Law Index scores 143 countries from 0 to 1 on how the rule of law works in daily life, using surveys of residents and legal experts. Use its eight factors to compare courts, limits on government and enforcement where you plan to live or invest.

The World Justice Project publishes the Index every year. The 2025 edition covers 143 countries and jurisdictions. Scores run from 0 to 1, where 1 means the strongest adherence to the rule of law.

The 2025 report draws on more than 215,000 ordinary people and over 4,100 survey responses from legal practitioners and scholars. That makes it a measure of lived experience, not just of laws on paper.

The Index has eight factors. They are Constraints on Government Powers, Absence of Corruption, Open Government, Fundamental Rights, Order and Security, Regulatory Enforcement, Civil Justice and Criminal Justice.

Use the factors, not just the overall rank. A property buyer should look closely at Civil Justice and Regulatory Enforcement. Someone worried about sudden rule changes should look at Constraints on Government Powers.

Watch the direction as well. The 2025 report found the rule of law declined in 68% of countries and improved in 32%. It was the eighth year in a row that more countries declined than improved.

## Sources

- [WJP Rule of Law Index 2025](https://worldjusticeproject.org/rule-of-law-index/downloads/WJPIndex2025.pdf), World Justice Project
- [What is the Rule of Law?](https://worldjusticeproject.org/about-us/overview/what-rule-law), World Justice Project

Facts checked 2026-10-08. Next review by 2026-11-30. Written and reviewed by Todd Allyn, Sovereo Intelligence Research. Canonical page: https://www.sovereo.com/answers/what-is-the-rule-of-law-index-and-how-should-i-use-it/
Educational research, not legal, tax, immigration or financial advice.