China vs Iran: Rule of law index
China
0.209
in 2025
Iran
0.209
in 2025
China rank
135th
Iran rank
135th
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 135th and Iran ranks 135th of 173 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 135th and Iran ranks 135th of 173 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- 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.