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Protecting minority investors: Ease of shareholder suits index (0-10) (DB15-20 methodology) by country

The ease of shareholder suits index measures how likely plaintiffs are to access internal corporate evidence and recover legal expenses. It has six components: (i) whether shareholders owning 10% of the company’s share capital have the right to inspect the Buyer-Seller transaction documents before filing a suit....

Countries reporting
190
Highest
10 DB15-20 methodology
Djibouti
Lowest
1 DB15-20 methodology
Iran, Islamic Republic of
Median
6.5 DB15-20 methodology
Years covered
7
2013–2019
Data points
1,337

What the numbers show

Protecting minority investors: Ease of shareholder suits index (0-10) (DB15-20 methodology) is currently reported for 190 countries. The highest value is 10 DB15-20 methodology in Djibouti; the lowest is 1 DB15-20 methodology in Iran, Islamic Republic of.

The median across all reporting countries is 6.5 DB15-20 methodology, and the mean is 6.38 DB15-20 methodology.

The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 10.

Protecting minority investors: Ease of shareholder suits index (0-10): full country ranking

#Country LatestYear 10-year changeTrend
1 Djibouti 10 DB15-20 methodology 2019 — volatile
2 Afghanistan 9 DB15-20 methodology 2019 up 200.0% volatile
2 Canada 9 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
2 Czechia 9 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
2 Georgia 9 DB15-20 methodology 2019 up 12.5% rising
2 Hong Kong, China 9 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
2 Ireland 9 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
2 Israel 9 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
2 Kazakhstan 9 DB15-20 methodology 2019 up 28.6% rising
2 Kenya 9 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
2 Lesotho 9 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
2 Latvia 9 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
2 Mauritius 9 DB15-20 methodology 2019 up 12.5% rising
2 Nepal 9 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
2 New Zealand 9 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
2 Papua New Guinea 9 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
2 Poland 9 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
2 Singapore 9 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
2 Solomon Islands 9 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
2 Thailand 9 DB15-20 methodology 2019 up 12.5% rising
2 Tonga 9 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
2 United States of America 9 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
2 Samoa 9 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
24 Armenia 8 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
24 Antigua and Barbuda 8 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
24 Australia 8 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
24 Azerbaijan 8 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
24 Bulgaria 8 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
24 Bahamas 8 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
24 Belarus 8 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
24 Brunei Darussalam 8 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
24 Colombia 8 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
24 Costa Rica 8 DB15-20 methodology 2019 up 166.7% rising
24 Dominica 8 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
24 Denmark 8 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
24 Dominican Republic 8 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
24 Finland 8 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
24 Micronesia, Federated States of 8 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
24 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 8 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
24 Grenada 8 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
24 Guyana 8 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
24 Iceland 8 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
24 Japan 8 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
24 Kyrgyzstan 8 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
24 Kiribati 8 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
24 Saint Kitts and Nevis 8 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
24 Republic of Korea 8 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
24 Saint Lucia 8 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
24 Republic of Moldova 8 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
24 Maldives 8 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
24 Marshall Islands 8 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
24 Malta 8 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
24 Mongolia 8 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
24 Malaysia 8 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
24 Norway 8 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
24 Panama 8 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
24 Puerto Rico 8 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
24 San Marino 8 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
24 Slovenia 8 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
24 Trinidad and Tobago 8 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
24 Tanzania, United Republic of 8 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
24 Uruguay 8 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
24 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 8 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
24 South Africa 8 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
65 Albania 7 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
65 Austria 7 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
65 Belgium 7 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
65 Bangladesh 7 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
65 Belize 7 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
65 Barbados 7 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
65 Chile 7 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
65 Cyprus 7 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
65 Fiji 7 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
65 Ghana 7 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
65 Hungary 7 DB15-20 methodology 2019 up 16.7% rising
65 India 7 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
65 Sri Lanka 7 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
65 Lithuania 7 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
65 Morocco 7 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
65 Mozambique 7 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
65 Mauritania 7 DB15-20 methodology 2019 up 16.7% rising
65 Malawi 7 DB15-20 methodology 2019 up 16.7% rising
65 Nigeria 7 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
65 Philippines 7 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
65 Palau 7 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
65 Portugal 7 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
65 Russian Federation 7 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
65 Saudi Arabia 7 DB15-20 methodology 2019 up 75.0% rising
65 El Salvador 7 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
65 Slovakia 7 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
65 Sweden 7 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
65 Uganda 7 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
65 Uzbekistan 7 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
65 Zambia 7 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
65 Taiwan, China 7 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
96 Angola 6 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
96 Argentina 6 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
96 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 6 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
96 Bhutan 6 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
96 Cameroon 6 DB15-20 methodology 2019 up 20.0% rising
96 Cape Verde 6 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
96 Ecuador 6 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
96 Spain 6 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
96 Estonia 6 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
96 France 6 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
96 Guinea-Bissau 6 DB15-20 methodology 2019 up 20.0% rising
96 Honduras 6 DB15-20 methodology 2019 up 20.0% rising
96 Croatia 6 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
96 Italy 6 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
96 Liberia 6 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
96 Montenegro 6 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
96 Namibia 6 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
96 Nicaragua 6 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
96 Netherlands 6 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
96 Pakistan 6 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
96 Peru 6 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
96 Paraguay 6 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
96 Palestine, State of 6 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
96 Sudan 6 DB15-20 methodology 2019 up 20.0% rising
96 Senegal 6 DB15-20 methodology 2019 up 100.0% rising
96 Sierra Leone 6 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
96 Sao Tome and Principe 6 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
96 Suriname 6 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
96 Eswatini 6 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
96 Tajikistan 6 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
96 Türkiye 6 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
96 Ukraine 6 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
128 Benin 5 DB15-20 methodology 2019 up 25.0% rising
128 Burkina Faso 5 DB15-20 methodology 2019 up 25.0% rising
128 Bahrain 5 DB15-20 methodology 2019 up 25.0% rising
128 Bosnia and Herzegovina 5 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
128 Central African Republic 5 DB15-20 methodology 2019 up 25.0% rising
128 Switzerland 5 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
128 China 5 DB15-20 methodology 2019 up 25.0% rising
128 Côte d'Ivoire 5 DB15-20 methodology 2019 up 25.0% rising
128 Congo 5 DB15-20 methodology 2019 up 25.0% rising
128 Comoros 5 DB15-20 methodology 2019 up 25.0% rising
128 Germany 5 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
128 Algeria 5 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
128 Eritrea 5 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
128 Guinea 5 DB15-20 methodology 2019 up 25.0% rising
128 Gambia 5 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
128 Equatorial Guinea 5 DB15-20 methodology 2019 up 25.0% rising
128 Greece 5 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
128 Guatemala 5 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
128 Iraq 5 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
128 Jamaica 5 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
128 Lebanon 5 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
128 Madagascar 5 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
128 Mexico 5 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
128 North Macedonia 5 DB15-20 methodology 2019 up 25.0% rising
128 Mali 5 DB15-20 methodology 2019 up 25.0% rising
128 Niger 5 DB15-20 methodology 2019 up 66.7% rising
128 Romania 5 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
128 Rwanda 5 DB15-20 methodology 2019 up 66.7% rising
128 Serbia 5 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
128 South Sudan 5 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
128 Seychelles 5 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
128 Togo 5 DB15-20 methodology 2019 up 25.0% rising
128 Timor-Leste 5 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
128 Tunisia 5 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
128 Vanuatu 5 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
128 Kosovo 5 DB15-20 methodology 2019 up 25.0% rising
128 Zimbabwe 5 DB15-20 methodology 2019 up 25.0% rising
128 Kosovo (UNSCR 1244) 5 DB15-20 methodology 2019 up 25.0% rising
166 United Arab Emirates 4 DB15-20 methodology 2019 up 33.3% rising
166 Brazil 4 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
166 Gabon 4 DB15-20 methodology 2019 up 33.3% rising
166 Haiti 4 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
166 Cambodia 4 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
166 Kuwait 4 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
166 Libya 4 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
166 Luxembourg 4 DB15-20 methodology 2019 up 33.3% rising
166 Chad 4 DB15-20 methodology 2019 up 33.3% rising
175 Botswana 3 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
175 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 3 DB15-20 methodology 2019 up 50.0% rising
175 Egypt 3 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
175 Jordan 3 DB15-20 methodology 2019 up 50.0% rising
175 Lao People's Democratic Republic 3 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
175 Myanmar 3 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
175 Oman 3 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
175 Syrian Arab Republic 3 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
175 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 3 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
175 Yemen 3 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
185 Burundi 2 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
185 Ethiopia 2 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
185 Indonesia 2 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
185 Qatar 2 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat
185 Viet Nam 2 DB15-20 methodology 2019 up 100.0% rising
190 Iran, Islamic Republic of 1 DB15-20 methodology 2019 unchanged flat

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Protecting minority investors: Ease of shareholder suits index (0-10) by country. Statizoid. Retrieved 26 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/protecting-minority-investors-ease-of-shareholder-suits-index-0-10-db15-20-methodology/

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About this data

Indicator
Protecting minority investors: Ease of shareholder suits index (0-10) (DB15-20 methodology)
Unit
DB15-20 methodology
Source
World Bank
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
191 places, 1,337 data points, 2013–2019
Last refreshed

The ease of shareholder suits index measures how likely plaintiffs are to access internal corporate evidence and recover legal expenses. It has six components: (i) whether shareholders owning 10% of the company’s share capital have the right to inspect the Buyer-Seller transaction documents before filing a suit. Alternatively, whether they can request that a government inspector investigate the Buyer-Seller transaction without filing a suit; (ii) what range of documents is available to the shareholder plaintiff from the defendant and witnesses during trial; (iii) whether the plaintiff can obtain cate­gories of relevant documents from the defendant without identifying each document specifically; (iv) whether the plaintiff can directly examine the defendant and witnesses during trial; (v) whether the standard of proof for civil suits is lower than that for criminal cases; and (vi) whether shareholder plaintiffs can recover their legal expenses from the company. The index is computed based on the methodology in the DB15-20 studies.