Which has higher rule of law index, Australia or Denmark?

Denmark, at 0.997 against 0.99 in Australia as of 2025.

How many years of comparable data are there for Australia and Denmark?

237 years are reported by both, from 1789 to 2025.

Where does this data come from?

V-Dem (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.

Australia vs Denmark: Rule of Law Index

Australia

0.99

in 2025

Denmark

0.997

in 2025

Australia rank

4th

Denmark rank

1st

Rule of Law Index over time

Australia
Denmark

How they compare

Denmark currently reports 0.997 against 0.99 in Australia, a difference of 0.007.

Across all 237 years both countries report, Denmark has been ahead every year.

Australia ranks 4th and Denmark ranks 1st of 173 countries.

Denmark has averaged higher in every one of the 25 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Australia	Denmark	Difference	Ahead
1780s	0.777	0.991	0.214	Denmark
1790s	0.476	0.991	0.515	Denmark
1800s	0.347	0.991	0.644	Denmark
1810s	0.819	0.991	0.172	Denmark
1820s	0.8785	0.991	0.1125	Denmark
1830s	0.904	0.991	0.087	Denmark
1840s	0.904	0.991	0.087	Denmark
1850s	0.9312	0.9912	0.06	Denmark
1860s	0.972	0.992	0.02	Denmark
1870s	0.972	0.992	0.02	Denmark
1880s	0.972	0.9916	0.0196	Denmark
1890s	0.972	0.9915	0.0195	Denmark
1900s	0.9749	0.9922	0.0173	Denmark
1910s	0.9768	0.994	0.0172	Denmark
1920s	0.9772	0.9959	0.0187	Denmark
1930s	0.9764	0.997	0.0206	Denmark
1940s	0.9761	0.9907	0.0146	Denmark
1950s	0.99	0.998	0.008	Denmark
1960s	0.99	0.998	0.008	Denmark
1970s	0.9905	0.998	0.0075	Denmark
1980s	0.993	0.998	0.005	Denmark
1990s	0.993	0.998	0.005	Denmark
2000s	0.993	0.998	0.005	Denmark
2010s	0.9898	0.998	0.0082	Denmark
2020s	0.9897	0.9972	0.0075	Denmark

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher rule of law index, Australia or Denmark?: Denmark, at 0.997 against 0.99 in Australia as of 2025.
What is the difference in rule of law index between Australia and Denmark?: 0.007, with Denmark ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Australia and Denmark?: 237 years are reported by both, from 1789 to 2025.
How do Australia and Denmark rank globally for rule of law index?: Australia ranks 4th and Denmark ranks 1st of 173 countries.
Where does this data come from?: V-Dem (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

Indicator: Rule of Law Index
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 176 places, 30,303 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 07 August 2026

Central estimate of the extent to which the government complies with the law, courts are independent, laws transparent, justice accessible, corruption absent, and the bureaucracy is impartial.