Enforcing contracts: Cost (% of claim) by country
The cost to enforce contracts is recorded as a percentage of the claim value, assumed to be equivalent to 200% of income per capita or $5,000, whichever is greater. Three types of costs are recorded: average attorney fees, court costs and enforcement costs. Bribes are not taken into account.
Countries reporting
188
Highest
163.2%
East Timor
Lowest
9.0%
Iceland
Median
27.4%
Years covered
17
2003–2019
Data points
3,083
What the numbers show
Enforcing contracts: Cost (% of claim) is currently reported for 188 countries. The highest value is 163.2% in East Timor; the lowest is 9.0% in Iceland.
The median across all reporting countries is 27.4%, and the mean is 33.0%.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 18.
Over the past decade 41 countries rose and 26 fell. The largest increase was in Bhutan (up 23,000.0%), and the largest decrease in Sierra Leone (down 73.6%).
Enforcing contracts: Cost: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | East Timor | 163.2% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 2 | Papua New Guinea | 110.3% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 3 | Cambodia | 103.4% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 4 | Comoros | 89.4% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 5 | Zimbabwe | 83.1% | 2019 | up 159.7% | rising |
| 6 | Central African Republic | 82.0% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 7 | Burkina Faso | 81.7% | 2019 | down 1.6% | falling |
| 8 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 80.6% | 2019 | down 46.9% | falling |
| 9 | Solomon Islands | 78.9% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 10 | Indonesia | 70.3% | 2019 | down 48.0% | falling |
| 11 | Malawi | 69.1% | 2019 | down 51.5% | falling |
| 12 | Bangladesh | 66.8% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 13 | Micronesia (country) | 66.0% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 14 | Benin | 64.7% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 15 | Rwanda | 64.6% | 2019 | down 17.9% | falling |
| 16 | Eswatini | 56.1% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 17 | Vanuatu | 56.0% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 18 | Mozambique | 53.3% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 19 | Congo | 53.2% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 20 | Niger | 52.6% | 2019 | down 11.7% | falling |
| 21 | Mali | 52.0% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 22 | Myanmar | 51.5% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 23 | Jamaica | 50.2% | 2019 | up 0.4% | flat |
| 24 | Togo | 47.5% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 25 | Kyrgyzstan | 47.0% | 2019 | up 27.0% | rising |
| 26 | Cameroon | 46.6% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 27 | Ukraine | 46.3% | 2019 | up 5.7% | rising |
| 28 | Colombia | 45.8% | 2019 | down 4.4% | falling |
| 29 | United Kingdom | 45.7% | 2019 | up 9.6% | rising |
| 29 | Chad | 45.7% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 31 | Sao Tome and Principe | 45.6% | 2019 | down 9.7% | falling |
| 32 | Guinea | 45.0% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 33 | Angola | 44.4% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 34 | Venezuela | 43.7% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 35 | Albania | 42.7% | 2019 | up 10.3% | falling |
| 36 | Fiji | 42.6% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 36 | Haiti | 42.6% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 38 | Kenya | 41.8% | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 39 | Cote d'Ivoire | 41.7% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 40 | Peru | 41.2% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 41 | Dominican Republic | 40.9% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 42 | Botswana | 39.8% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 43 | Serbia | 39.6% | 2019 | up 37.0% | rising |
| 44 | Sierra Leone | 39.5% | 2019 | down 73.6% | volatile |
| 45 | Nigeria | 38.9% | 2019 | down 57.7% | falling |
| 46 | Honduras | 38.8% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 47 | Zambia | 38.7% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 48 | Panama | 38.0% | 2019 | down 24.0% | falling |
| 49 | Malaysia | 37.9% | 2019 | up 37.8% | rising |
| 50 | Saint Lucia | 37.3% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 51 | Suriname | 37.1% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Brunei | 36.6% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 53 | Senegal | 36.4% | 2019 | up 37.4% | rising |
| 54 | Burundi | 36.1% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 55 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 36.0% | 2019 | up 5.9% | rising |
| 55 | Dominica | 36.0% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 57 | Namibia | 35.8% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 58 | Palau | 35.3% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 59 | Liberia | 35.0% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 60 | Gabon | 34.3% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 61 | Czechia | 33.8% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 62 | Madagascar | 33.6% | 2019 | down 20.8% | falling |
| 63 | Trinidad and Tobago | 33.5% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 64 | South Africa | 33.2% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 65 | Mexico | 33.0% | 2019 | up 3.1% | flat |
| 66 | Grenada | 32.6% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 67 | Marshall Islands | 32.1% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 68 | Laos | 31.6% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 69 | Lesotho | 31.3% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 69 | Uganda | 31.3% | 2019 | down 30.3% | falling |
| 71 | Jordan | 31.2% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 72 | India | 31.0% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 72 | Philippines | 31.0% | 2019 | up 19.2% | rising |
| 74 | Lebanon | 30.8% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 75 | Tonga | 30.5% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 75 | United States | 30.5% | 2019 | up 65.8% | rising |
| 77 | Sweden | 30.4% | 2019 | down 2.6% | flat |
| 78 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 30.3% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 79 | Puerto Rico | 30.2% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 80 | Paraguay | 30.0% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 80 | South Sudan | 30.0% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 80 | Yemen | 30.0% | 2019 | up 13.2% | rising |
| 83 | Syria | 29.3% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 84 | Afghanistan | 29.0% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 84 | Vietnam | 29.0% | 2019 | up 1.8% | falling |
| 86 | Bahamas | 28.9% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 87 | Moldova | 28.6% | 2019 | up 36.8% | rising |
| 87 | North Macedonia | 28.6% | 2019 | down 0.7% | falling |
| 89 | El Salvador | 28.4% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 90 | Iraq | 28.1% | 2019 | up 2.9% | falling |
| 91 | Guinea-Bissau | 28.0% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 92 | Italy | 27.6% | 2019 | down 9.2% | falling |
| 93 | Belize | 27.5% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 93 | Saudi Arabia | 27.5% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 95 | Nepal | 27.3% | 2019 | up 1.9% | flat |
| 96 | Ecuador | 27.2% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 96 | New Zealand | 27.2% | 2019 | up 21.4% | rising |
| 98 | Antigua and Barbuda | 27.1% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 99 | Guyana | 27.0% | 2019 | up 7.1% | rising |
| 99 | Libya | 27.0% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 99 | Palestine | 27.0% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 102 | Ireland | 26.9% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 103 | Nicaragua | 26.8% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 104 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 26.6% | 2019 | up 19.3% | rising |
| 105 | Guatemala | 26.5% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 105 | Morocco | 26.5% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 107 | Egypt | 26.2% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 108 | Kiribati | 25.8% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 108 | Romania | 25.8% | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 108 | Singapore | 25.8% | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 111 | Montenegro | 25.7% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 112 | Chile | 25.6% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 113 | Tajikistan | 25.5% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 114 | Israel | 25.3% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 115 | Bolivia | 25.0% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 115 | Georgia | 25.0% | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 115 | Mauritius | 25.0% | 2019 | up 53.4% | rising |
| 118 | Turkey | 24.9% | 2019 | down 8.8% | falling |
| 119 | Samoa | 24.4% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 120 | Costa Rica | 24.3% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 121 | Switzerland | 24.0% | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 122 | Netherlands | 23.9% | 2019 | down 2.0% | flat |
| 123 | Hong Kong | 23.6% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 123 | Lithuania | 23.6% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 125 | Belarus | 23.4% | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 125 | Japan | 23.4% | 2019 | down 27.3% | falling |
| 127 | Denmark | 23.3% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 128 | Australia | 23.2% | 2019 | up 5.0% | rising |
| 128 | Mauritania | 23.2% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 128 | Uruguay | 23.2% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 131 | Bhutan | 23.1% | 2019 | up 23,000.0% | volatile |
| 131 | Latvia | 23.1% | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 133 | Ghana | 23.0% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 134 | Mongolia | 22.9% | 2019 | down 25.2% | falling |
| 135 | Sri Lanka | 22.8% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 136 | Argentina | 22.5% | 2019 | up 36.4% | rising |
| 137 | Greece | 22.4% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 138 | Canada | 22.3% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 139 | Brazil | 22.0% | 2019 | up 33.3% | rising |
| 139 | Kazakhstan | 22.0% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 141 | Algeria | 21.8% | 2019 | down 8.4% | falling |
| 141 | Tunisia | 21.8% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 143 | Qatar | 21.6% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 144 | Malta | 21.5% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 145 | Somalia | 21.4% | 2019 | — | flat |
| 146 | United Arab Emirates | 21.0% | 2019 | up 2.9% | flat |
| 147 | Austria | 20.6% | 2019 | up 1.0% | rising |
| 148 | Pakistan | 20.5% | 2019 | down 13.9% | falling |
| 148 | Slovakia | 20.5% | 2019 | down 33.0% | falling |
| 148 | Uzbekistan | 20.5% | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 151 | Gambia | 20.4% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 152 | Cape Verde | 19.8% | 2019 | down 9.2% | falling |
| 152 | Sudan | 19.8% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 154 | Barbados | 19.7% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 155 | Equatorial Guinea | 19.5% | 2019 | up 5.4% | rising |
| 156 | Poland | 19.4% | 2019 | up 2.1% | flat |
| 157 | Iran | 19.3% | 2019 | up 13.5% | rising |
| 158 | Bulgaria | 18.6% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 158 | Kuwait | 18.6% | 2019 | up 30.1% | rising |
| 160 | Azerbaijan | 18.5% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 160 | Maldives | 18.5% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 162 | Taiwan | 18.3% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 163 | Belgium | 18.0% | 2019 | up 1.7% | flat |
| 164 | France | 17.4% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 165 | Estonia | 17.3% | 2019 | down 22.4% | rising |
| 166 | Spain | 17.2% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 166 | Portugal | 17.2% | 2019 | up 4.9% | flat |
| 168 | Thailand | 16.9% | 2019 | up 36.3% | rising |
| 169 | Eritrea | 16.6% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 170 | Russia | 16.5% | 2019 | up 23.1% | rising |
| 171 | Cyprus | 16.4% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 172 | China | 16.2% | 2019 | up 7.3% | rising |
| 172 | Finland | 16.2% | 2019 | up 21.8% | rising |
| 174 | Armenia | 16.0% | 2019 | down 23.8% | falling |
| 175 | Seychelles | 15.4% | 2019 | up 7.7% | rising |
| 176 | Ethiopia | 15.2% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 176 | Croatia | 15.2% | 2019 | up 23.6% | rising |
| 178 | Oman | 15.1% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 179 | Hungary | 15.0% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 180 | Bahrain | 14.7% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 181 | Germany | 14.4% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 182 | Tanzania | 14.3% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 183 | San Marino | 13.9% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 184 | South Korea | 12.7% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 184 | Slovenia | 12.7% | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 186 | Norway | 9.9% | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 187 | Luxembourg | 9.7% | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 188 | Iceland | 9.0% | 2019 | up 15.4% | rising |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- Kosovo 34.4%
About this data
The cost to enforce contracts is recorded as a percentage of the claim value, assumed to be equivalent to 200% of income per capita or $5,000, whichever is greater. Three types of costs are recorded: average attorney fees, court costs and enforcement costs. Bribes are not taken into account.