Which has higher rule of law index, China or Iran?

China, at 0.209 against 0.209 in Iran as of 2025.

How many years of comparable data are there for China and Iran?

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.

China vs Iran: Rule of Law Index

China

0.209

in 2025

Iran

0.209

in 2025

China rank

138th

Iran rank

138th

Rule of Law Index over time

China
Iran

How they compare

China currently reports 0.209 against 0.209 in Iran, a difference of 0.

The two have swapped places 10 times across 237 shared years of data; in 1789 it was Iran ahead.

China ranks 138th and Iran ranks 138th of 176 countries.

Across the 25 decades both report, China averaged higher in 4 and Iran in 21.

Head to head by decade

Decade	China	Iran	Difference	Ahead
1780s	0.057	0.065	0.008	Iran
1790s	0.057	0.065	0.008	Iran
1800s	0.057	0.065	0.008	Iran
1810s	0.057	0.065	0.008	Iran
1820s	0.057	0.0638	0.0068	Iran
1830s	0.057	0.059	0.002	Iran
1840s	0.057	0.059	0.002	Iran
1850s	0.057	0.059	0.002	Iran
1860s	0.0521	0.059	0.0069	Iran
1870s	0.05	0.059	0.009	Iran
1880s	0.05	0.059	0.009	Iran
1890s	0.05	0.059	0.009	Iran
1900s	0.0676	0.0682	0.0006	Iran
1910s	0.1234	0.108	0.0154	China
1920s	0.164	0.1685	0.0045	Iran
1930s	0.2162	0.2444	0.0282	Iran
1940s	0.2078	0.3725	0.1647	Iran
1950s	0.3383	0.4099	0.0716	Iran
1960s	0.2918	0.4157	0.1239	Iran
1970s	0.2842	0.4305	0.1463	Iran
1980s	0.3318	0.2308	0.101	China
1990s	0.3082	0.3097	0.0015	Iran
2000s	0.2762	0.3029	0.0267	Iran
2010s	0.2574	0.2484	0.009	China
2020s	0.2268	0.208	0.0188	China

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher rule of law index, China or Iran?: China, at 0.209 against 0.209 in Iran as of 2025.
What is the difference in rule of law index between China and Iran?: 0, with China ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for China and Iran?: 237 years are reported by both, from 1789 to 2025.
How do China and Iran rank globally for rule of law index?: China ranks 138th and Iran ranks 138th of 176 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.

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China vs Iran: Rule of Law Index. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 28 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/compare/rule-of-law-index/china/iran-islamic-rep/

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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: 18 September 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.