Brazil vs South Africa: Rule of Law Index
Brazil
7.5
in 2025
South Africa
7.25
in 2025
Brazil rank
13th
South Africa rank
15th
Rule of Law Index over time
- Brazil
- South Africa
How they compare
Brazil currently reports 7.5 against 7.25 in South Africa, a difference of 0.25.
The two have swapped places 3 times across 11 shared years of data; in 2005 it was South Africa ahead.
Brazil ranks 13th and South Africa ranks 15th of 128 countries.
Across the 3 decades both report, Brazil averaged higher in 1 and South Africa in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Brazil | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 7.42 | 7.58 | 0.1667 | South Africa |
| 2010s | 7.65 | 7.25 | 0.4 | Brazil |
| 2020s | 7.08 | 7.25 | 0.1667 | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher rule of law index, Brazil or South Africa?
- Brazil, at 7.5 against 7.25 in South Africa as of 2025.
- What is the difference in rule of law index between Brazil and South Africa?
- 0.25, with Brazil ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Brazil and South Africa?
- 11 years are reported by both, from 2005 to 2025.
- How do Brazil and South Africa rank globally for rule of law index?
- Brazil ranks 13th and South Africa ranks 15th of 128 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Bertelsmann Transformation Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Rule of Law Index. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Indicates the extent to which political power is separated, the judiciary is independent, office abuse is prosecuted, and civil rights are enforced.