Rule of law index in New Zealand

New Zealand: Rule of law index was 0.989 in 2025. β–¬ Flat

Latest (2025)
0.989
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
5th
of 176 countries
All-time high
0.992
in 2010
All-time low
0.92
in 1841
Years of data
185
1841–2025

Rule of law index in New Zealand, 1841–2025

00.20.40.60.81184119332025

Source: Our World in Data.

Analysis

The most recent figure for rule of law index in New Zealand is 0.989, measured in 2025.

The figure is down 0.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, rule of law index in New Zealand peaked at 0.992 in 2010 and was at its lowest, 0.92, in 1841.

New Zealand ranks 5th of 176 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1840s 0.92 0.92 0.92 9
1850s 0.9536 0.92 0.968 10
1860s 0.968 0.968 0.968 10
1870s 0.968 0.968 0.968 10
1880s 0.968 0.968 0.968 10
1890s 0.968 0.968 0.968 10
1900s 0.968 0.968 0.968 10
1910s 0.9777 0.968 0.981 10
1920s 0.981 0.981 0.981 10
1930s 0.981 0.981 0.981 10
1940s 0.981 0.981 0.981 10
1950s 0.981 0.981 0.981 10
1960s 0.983 0.983 0.983 10
1970s 0.9834 0.983 0.984 10
1980s 0.9881 0.986 0.991 10
1990s 0.991 0.991 0.991 10
2000s 0.991 0.991 0.991 10
2010s 0.9912 0.991 0.992 10
2020s 0.989 0.988 0.991 6

Countries ranked near New Zealand

  1. 2 Switzerland 0.995 compare
  2. 3 Germany 0.991 compare
  3. 4 Australia 0.99 compare
  4. 5 Sweden 0.989 compare
  5. 7 Norway 0.986 compare
  6. 8 Estonia 0.985 compare
  7. 8 Finland 0.985 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places β†’

More reference data data for New Zealand

All data for New Zealand β†’

Frequently asked questions

What is rule of law index in New Zealand?
Rule of law index in New Zealand was 0.989 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
What is the highest rule of law index recorded in New Zealand?
The highest recorded value was 0.992 in 2010.
What is the lowest rule of law index recorded in New Zealand?
The lowest recorded value was 0.92 in 1841.
How does New Zealand rank for rule of law index?
New Zealand ranks 5th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is rule of law index rising or falling in New Zealand?
Over the last ten years it is down 0.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this New Zealand data come from?
The figures come from 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 New Zealand. Statizoid, drawing on Our World in Data. Retrieved 19 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/rule-of-law-index/new-zealand/

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About this data

Indicator
Rule of law index
Source
Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
176 places, 30,303 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed