What is rule of law index in Belgium?

Rule of law index in Belgium was 0.964 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest rule of law index recorded in Belgium?

The highest recorded value was 0.979 in 1970.

What is the lowest rule of law index recorded in Belgium?

The lowest recorded value was 0.33 in 1814.

How does Belgium rank for rule of law index?

Belgium ranks 18th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.

Is rule of law index rising or falling in Belgium?

Over the last ten years it is down 1.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.

Where does this Belgium data come from?

The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Rule of Law Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Rule of Law Index in Belgium

Name: Rule of Law Index in Belgium
Creator: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

Belgium: Rule of Law Index was 0.964 in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)

0.964

Change on year

down 0.7%

World rank

18th

of 176 countries

All-time high

0.979

in 1970

All-time low

0.33

in 1814

Years of data

237

1789–2025

Rule of Law Index in Belgium, 1789–2025

Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

Belgium recorded 0.964 for rule of law index in 2025.

That represents a change of down 0.7% on the previous year and down 1.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, rule of law index in Belgium peaked at 0.979 in 1970 and was at its lowest, 0.33, in 1814.

Belgium ranks 18th of 176 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 237 years of available data.

Rule of Law Index in Belgium, year by year

Annual values for Rule of Law Index in Belgium, 1789 to 2025.
Year	Value	Change
1789	0.795	—
1790	0.819	+3.0%
1791	0.825	+0.7%
1792	0.825	+0.0%
1793	0.825	+0.0%
1794	0.798	-3.3%
1795	0.77	-3.5%
1796	0.717	-6.9%
1797	0.717	+0.0%
1798	0.717	+0.0%
1799	0.687	-4.2%
1800	0.699	+1.7%
1801	0.699	+0.0%
1802	0.699	+0.0%
1803	0.699	+0.0%
1804	0.699	+0.0%
1805	0.699	+0.0%
1806	0.699	+0.0%
1807	0.699	+0.0%
1808	0.699	+0.0%
1809	0.699	+0.0%
1810	0.699	+0.0%
1811	0.699	+0.0%
1812	0.699	+0.0%
1813	0.699	+0.0%
1814	0.33	-52.8%
1815	0.7	+112.1%
1816	0.7	+0.0%
1817	0.7	+0.0%
1818	0.7	+0.0%
1819	0.7	+0.0%
1820	0.7	+0.0%
1821	0.7	+0.0%
1822	0.7	+0.0%
1823	0.7	+0.0%
1824	0.7	+0.0%
1825	0.7	+0.0%
1826	0.7	+0.0%
1827	0.7	+0.0%
1828	0.7	+0.0%
1829	0.7	+0.0%
1830	0.932	+33.1%
1831	0.929	-0.3%
1832	0.965	+3.9%
1833	0.965	+0.0%
1834	0.965	+0.0%
1835	0.965	+0.0%
1836	0.965	+0.0%
1837	0.965	+0.0%
1838	0.965	+0.0%
1839	0.965	+0.0%
1840	0.965	+0.0%
1841	0.965	+0.0%
1842	0.965	+0.0%
1843	0.965	+0.0%
1844	0.965	+0.0%
1845	0.965	+0.0%
1846	0.965	+0.0%
1847	0.965	+0.0%
1848	0.965	+0.0%
1849	0.965	+0.0%
1850	0.965	+0.0%
1851	0.965	+0.0%
1852	0.965	+0.0%
1853	0.965	+0.0%
1854	0.965	+0.0%
1855	0.965	+0.0%
1856	0.965	+0.0%
1857	0.965	+0.0%
1858	0.965	+0.0%
1859	0.965	+0.0%
1860	0.965	+0.0%
1861	0.965	+0.0%
1862	0.965	+0.0%
1863	0.965	+0.0%
1864	0.965	+0.0%
1865	0.965	+0.0%
1866	0.965	+0.0%
1867	0.965	+0.0%
1868	0.965	+0.0%
1869	0.965	+0.0%
1870	0.965	+0.0%
1871	0.965	+0.0%
1872	0.965	+0.0%
1873	0.965	+0.0%
1874	0.965	+0.0%
1875	0.965	+0.0%
1876	0.965	+0.0%
1877	0.965	+0.0%
1878	0.965	+0.0%
1879	0.965	+0.0%
1880	0.965	+0.0%
1881	0.965	+0.0%
1882	0.965	+0.0%
1883	0.965	+0.0%
1884	0.965	+0.0%
1885	0.965	+0.0%
1886	0.965	+0.0%
1887	0.965	+0.0%
1888	0.965	+0.0%
1889	0.965	+0.0%
1890	0.965	+0.0%
1891	0.965	+0.0%
1892	0.965	+0.0%
1893	0.965	+0.0%
1894	0.965	+0.0%
1895	0.965	+0.0%
1896	0.965	+0.0%
1897	0.965	+0.0%
1898	0.965	+0.0%
1899	0.965	+0.0%
1900	0.965	+0.0%
1901	0.965	+0.0%
1902	0.965	+0.0%
1903	0.965	+0.0%
1904	0.965	+0.0%
1905	0.965	+0.0%
1906	0.965	+0.0%
1907	0.965	+0.0%
1908	0.965	+0.0%
1909	0.965	+0.0%
1910	0.965	+0.0%
1911	0.965	+0.0%
1912	0.965	+0.0%
1913	0.965	+0.0%
1914	0.938	-2.8%
1915	0.932	-0.6%
1916	0.932	+0.0%
1917	0.932	+0.0%
1918	0.946	+1.5%
1919	0.968	+2.3%
1920	0.97	+0.2%
1921	0.97	+0.0%
1922	0.97	+0.0%
1923	0.97	+0.0%
1924	0.97	+0.0%
1925	0.97	+0.0%
1926	0.97	+0.0%
1927	0.97	+0.0%
1928	0.97	+0.0%
1929	0.97	+0.0%
1930	0.97	+0.0%
1931	0.97	+0.0%
1932	0.97	+0.0%
1933	0.97	+0.0%
1934	0.97	+0.0%
1935	0.97	+0.0%
1936	0.97	+0.0%
1937	0.97	+0.0%
1938	0.97	+0.0%
1939	0.97	+0.0%
1940	0.944	-2.7%
1941	0.936	-0.8%
1942	0.936	+0.0%
1943	0.936	+0.0%
1944	0.936	+0.0%
1945	0.97	+3.6%
1946	0.974	+0.4%
1947	0.974	+0.0%
1948	0.974	+0.0%
1949	0.974	+0.0%
1950	0.974	+0.0%
1951	0.974	+0.0%
1952	0.974	+0.0%
1953	0.974	+0.0%
1954	0.974	+0.0%
1955	0.974	+0.0%
1956	0.974	+0.0%
1957	0.974	+0.0%
1958	0.974	+0.0%
1959	0.974	+0.0%
1960	0.974	+0.0%
1961	0.974	+0.0%
1962	0.974	+0.0%
1963	0.978	+0.4%
1964	0.978	+0.0%
1965	0.978	+0.0%
1966	0.978	+0.0%
1967	0.978	+0.0%
1968	0.978	+0.0%
1969	0.978	+0.0%
1970	0.979	+0.1%
1971	0.979	+0.0%
1972	0.979	+0.0%
1973	0.979	+0.0%
1974	0.979	+0.0%
1975	0.979	+0.0%
1976	0.979	+0.0%
1977	0.979	+0.0%
1978	0.979	+0.0%
1979	0.979	+0.0%
1980	0.979	+0.0%
1981	0.979	+0.0%
1982	0.979	+0.0%
1983	0.979	+0.0%
1984	0.979	+0.0%
1985	0.979	+0.0%
1986	0.979	+0.0%
1987	0.979	+0.0%
1988	0.979	+0.0%
1989	0.977	-0.2%
1990	0.974	-0.3%
1991	0.974	+0.0%
1992	0.975	+0.1%
1993	0.975	+0.0%
1994	0.975	+0.0%
1995	0.975	+0.0%
1996	0.975	+0.0%
1997	0.979	+0.4%
1998	0.979	+0.0%
1999	0.979	+0.0%
2000	0.979	+0.0%
2001	0.979	+0.0%
2002	0.979	+0.0%
2003	0.979	+0.0%
2004	0.979	+0.0%
2005	0.979	+0.0%
2006	0.979	+0.0%
2007	0.979	+0.0%
2008	0.979	+0.0%
2009	0.979	+0.0%
2010	0.979	+0.0%
2011	0.979	+0.0%
2012	0.979	+0.0%
2013	0.979	+0.0%
2014	0.979	+0.0%
2015	0.979	+0.0%
2016	0.978	-0.1%
2017	0.978	+0.0%
2018	0.978	+0.0%
2019	0.975	-0.3%
2020	0.976	+0.1%
2021	0.976	+0.0%
2022	0.976	+0.0%
2023	0.971	-0.5%
2024	0.971	+0.0%
2025	0.964	-0.7%

Belgium compared with similar countries

Belgium's 0.964 is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.927, 1.0× the median. (55 countries reporting)
Belgium's 0.964 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.8365, 1.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1780s	0.795	0.795	0.795	1
1790s	0.77	0.687	0.825	10
1800s	0.699	0.699	0.699	10
1810s	0.6626	0.33	0.7	10
1820s	0.7	0.7	0.7	10
1830s	0.9581	0.929	0.965	10
1840s	0.965	0.965	0.965	10
1850s	0.965	0.965	0.965	10
1860s	0.965	0.965	0.965	10
1870s	0.965	0.965	0.965	10
1880s	0.965	0.965	0.965	10
1890s	0.965	0.965	0.965	10
1900s	0.965	0.965	0.965	10
1910s	0.9508	0.932	0.968	10
1920s	0.97	0.97	0.97	10
1930s	0.97	0.97	0.97	10
1940s	0.9554	0.936	0.974	10
1950s	0.974	0.974	0.974	10
1960s	0.9768	0.974	0.978	10
1970s	0.979	0.979	0.979	10
1980s	0.9788	0.977	0.979	10
1990s	0.976	0.974	0.979	10
2000s	0.979	0.979	0.979	10
2010s	0.9783	0.975	0.979	10
2020s	0.9723	0.964	0.976	6

Countries ranked near Belgium

15 Latvia 0.973 compare
16 Netherlands 0.969 compare
17 France 0.967 compare
19 Canada 0.963 compare
20 Japan 0.956 compare
21 United Kingdom 0.955 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More reference data data for Belgium

Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.9298 (2050)
Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.291 (2050)
Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.09 (2050)
Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1382 (2050)
Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 2.09 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.12 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.93 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.61 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 10.4 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.7526 (2050)

All data for Belgium →

Frequently asked questions

What is rule of law index in Belgium?: Rule of law index in Belgium was 0.964 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest rule of law index recorded in Belgium?: The highest recorded value was 0.979 in 1970.
What is the lowest rule of law index recorded in Belgium?: The lowest recorded value was 0.33 in 1814.
How does Belgium rank for rule of law index?: Belgium ranks 18th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is rule of law index rising or falling in Belgium?: Over the last ten years it is down 1.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Belgium data come from?: The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Rule of Law Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Rule of Law Index in Belgium. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 28 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/rule-of-law-index/belgium/

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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.