Which has higher rule of law index, North Korea or Nicaragua?

North Korea, at 0.033 against 0.008 in Nicaragua as of 2025.

How many years of comparable data are there for North Korea and Nicaragua?

154 years are reported by both, from 1838 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.

North Korea vs Nicaragua: Rule of Law Index

North Korea

0.033

in 2025

Nicaragua

0.008

in 2025

North Korea rank

173rd

Nicaragua rank

176th

Rule of Law Index over time

North Korea
Nicaragua

How they compare

North Korea currently reports 0.033 against 0.008 in Nicaragua, a difference of 0.025.

That makes North Korea's figure about 4.1 times Nicaragua's.

The two have swapped places 4 times across 154 shared years of data; in 1838 it was North Korea ahead.

North Korea ranks 173rd and Nicaragua ranks 176th of 176 countries.

Across the 18 decades both report, North Korea averaged higher in 11 and Nicaragua in 7.

Head to head by decade

Decade	North Korea	Nicaragua	Difference	Ahead
1830s	0.179	0.039	0.14	North Korea
1840s	0.1581	0.039	0.1191	North Korea
1850s	0.123	0.0902	0.0328	North Korea
1860s	0.1896	0.3118	0.1222	Nicaragua
1870s	0.1992	0.316	0.1168	Nicaragua
1880s	0.134	0.316	0.182	Nicaragua
1890s	0.152	0.1093	0.0427	North Korea
1900s	0.193	0.106	0.087	North Korea
1910s	0.156	0.09	0.066	North Korea
1940s	0.0792	0.019	0.0602	North Korea
1950s	0.051	0.0185	0.0325	North Korea
1960s	0.0468	0.018	0.0288	North Korea
1970s	0.0443	0.0225	0.0218	North Korea
1980s	0.0412	0.3402	0.299	Nicaragua
1990s	0.03	0.4413	0.4113	Nicaragua
2000s	0.0247	0.2414	0.2167	Nicaragua
2010s	0.0312	0.0867	0.0555	Nicaragua
2020s	0.0333	0.012	0.0213	North Korea

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher rule of law index, North Korea or Nicaragua?: North Korea, at 0.033 against 0.008 in Nicaragua as of 2025.
What is the difference in rule of law index between North Korea and Nicaragua?: 0.025, with North Korea ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for North Korea and Nicaragua?: 154 years are reported by both, from 1838 to 2025.
How do North Korea and Nicaragua rank globally for rule of law index?: North Korea ranks 173rd and Nicaragua ranks 176th 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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North Korea vs Nicaragua: Rule of Law Index. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 31 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/compare/rule-of-law-index/korea-dem-people-s-rep/nicaragua/

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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: 28 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.