What is rule of law index in Spain?

Rule of law index in Spain was 0.947 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

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

The highest recorded value was 0.988 in 2006.

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

The lowest recorded value was 0.245 in 1815.

How does Spain rank for rule of law index?

Spain ranks 23rd out of 176 countries with data for 2025.

Is rule of law index rising or falling in Spain?

Over the last ten years it is down 2.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.

Where does this Spain 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 Spain

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

Spain: Rule of Law Index was 0.947 in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)

0.947

Change on year

down 0.9%

World rank

23rd

of 176 countries

All-time high

0.988

in 2006

All-time low

0.245

in 1815

Years of data

237

1789–2025

Rule of Law Index in Spain, 1789–2025

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

Analysis

In 2025, rule of law index in Spain stood at 0.947.

The figure is down 0.9% on the previous year and down 2.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, rule of law index in Spain peaked at 0.988 in 2006 and was at its lowest, 0.245, in 1815.

Spain ranks 23rd of 176 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

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

Rule of Law Index in Spain, year by year

Annual values for Rule of Law Index in Spain, 1789 to 2025.
Year	Value	Change
1789	0.318	—
1790	0.318	+0.0%
1791	0.318	+0.0%
1792	0.318	+0.0%
1793	0.318	+0.0%
1794	0.318	+0.0%
1795	0.318	+0.0%
1796	0.318	+0.0%
1797	0.318	+0.0%
1798	0.318	+0.0%
1799	0.318	+0.0%
1800	0.318	+0.0%
1801	0.318	+0.0%
1802	0.318	+0.0%
1803	0.318	+0.0%
1804	0.318	+0.0%
1805	0.318	+0.0%
1806	0.318	+0.0%
1807	0.318	+0.0%
1808	0.279	-12.3%
1809	0.25	-10.4%
1810	0.28	+12.0%
1811	0.28	+0.0%
1812	0.28	+0.0%
1813	0.28	+0.0%
1814	0.303	+8.2%
1815	0.245	-19.1%
1816	0.245	+0.0%
1817	0.245	+0.0%
1818	0.245	+0.0%
1819	0.245	+0.0%
1820	0.333	+35.9%
1821	0.365	+9.6%
1822	0.365	+0.0%
1823	0.365	+0.0%
1824	0.245	-32.9%
1825	0.245	+0.0%
1826	0.245	+0.0%
1827	0.245	+0.0%
1828	0.245	+0.0%
1829	0.245	+0.0%
1830	0.245	+0.0%
1831	0.245	+0.0%
1832	0.245	+0.0%
1833	0.245	+0.0%
1834	0.33	+34.7%
1835	0.392	+18.8%
1836	0.392	+0.0%
1837	0.392	+0.0%
1838	0.392	+0.0%
1839	0.392	+0.0%
1840	0.392	+0.0%
1841	0.392	+0.0%
1842	0.392	+0.0%
1843	0.392	+0.0%
1844	0.392	+0.0%
1845	0.392	+0.0%
1846	0.392	+0.0%
1847	0.392	+0.0%
1848	0.392	+0.0%
1849	0.392	+0.0%
1850	0.392	+0.0%
1851	0.392	+0.0%
1852	0.454	+15.8%
1853	0.454	+0.0%
1854	0.454	+0.0%
1855	0.454	+0.0%
1856	0.454	+0.0%
1857	0.454	+0.0%
1858	0.454	+0.0%
1859	0.454	+0.0%
1860	0.454	+0.0%
1861	0.454	+0.0%
1862	0.454	+0.0%
1863	0.454	+0.0%
1864	0.454	+0.0%
1865	0.454	+0.0%
1866	0.454	+0.0%
1867	0.454	+0.0%
1868	0.454	+0.0%
1869	0.51	+12.3%
1870	0.534	+4.7%
1871	0.534	+0.0%
1872	0.534	+0.0%
1873	0.534	+0.0%
1874	0.534	+0.0%
1875	0.534	+0.0%
1876	0.534	+0.0%
1877	0.534	+0.0%
1878	0.534	+0.0%
1879	0.534	+0.0%
1880	0.534	+0.0%
1881	0.534	+0.0%
1882	0.553	+3.6%
1883	0.553	+0.0%
1884	0.553	+0.0%
1885	0.553	+0.0%
1886	0.553	+0.0%
1887	0.553	+0.0%
1888	0.553	+0.0%
1889	0.553	+0.0%
1890	0.579	+4.7%
1891	0.579	+0.0%
1892	0.579	+0.0%
1893	0.579	+0.0%
1894	0.579	+0.0%
1895	0.579	+0.0%
1896	0.579	+0.0%
1897	0.579	+0.0%
1898	0.579	+0.0%
1899	0.579	+0.0%
1900	0.579	+0.0%
1901	0.579	+0.0%
1902	0.579	+0.0%
1903	0.579	+0.0%
1904	0.579	+0.0%
1905	0.579	+0.0%
1906	0.579	+0.0%
1907	0.579	+0.0%
1908	0.579	+0.0%
1909	0.579	+0.0%
1910	0.579	+0.0%
1911	0.579	+0.0%
1912	0.579	+0.0%
1913	0.579	+0.0%
1914	0.579	+0.0%
1915	0.579	+0.0%
1916	0.579	+0.0%
1917	0.579	+0.0%
1918	0.579	+0.0%
1919	0.579	+0.0%
1920	0.579	+0.0%
1921	0.579	+0.0%
1922	0.563	-2.8%
1923	0.474	-15.8%
1924	0.454	-4.2%
1925	0.454	+0.0%
1926	0.454	+0.0%
1927	0.454	+0.0%
1928	0.454	+0.0%
1929	0.454	+0.0%
1930	0.454	+0.0%
1931	0.655	+44.3%
1932	0.703	+7.3%
1933	0.703	+0.0%
1934	0.699	-0.6%
1935	0.699	+0.0%
1936	0.663	-5.2%
1937	0.606	-8.6%
1938	0.606	+0.0%
1939	0.593	-2.1%
1940	0.425	-28.3%
1941	0.425	+0.0%
1942	0.434	+2.1%
1943	0.446	+2.8%
1944	0.446	+0.0%
1945	0.446	+0.0%
1946	0.446	+0.0%
1947	0.446	+0.0%
1948	0.446	+0.0%
1949	0.435	-2.5%
1950	0.435	+0.0%
1951	0.435	+0.0%
1952	0.435	+0.0%
1953	0.435	+0.0%
1954	0.435	+0.0%
1955	0.435	+0.0%
1956	0.435	+0.0%
1957	0.435	+0.0%
1958	0.435	+0.0%
1959	0.435	+0.0%
1960	0.455	+4.6%
1961	0.455	+0.0%
1962	0.455	+0.0%
1963	0.455	+0.0%
1964	0.455	+0.0%
1965	0.455	+0.0%
1966	0.455	+0.0%
1967	0.455	+0.0%
1968	0.455	+0.0%
1969	0.455	+0.0%
1970	0.458	+0.7%
1971	0.458	+0.0%
1972	0.458	+0.0%
1973	0.475	+3.7%
1974	0.485	+2.1%
1975	0.536	+10.5%
1976	0.579	+8.0%
1977	0.784	+35.4%
1978	0.975	+24.4%
1979	0.987	+1.2%
1980	0.987	+0.0%
1981	0.987	+0.0%
1982	0.987	+0.0%
1983	0.987	+0.0%
1984	0.987	+0.0%
1985	0.987	+0.0%
1986	0.987	+0.0%
1987	0.987	+0.0%
1988	0.987	+0.0%
1989	0.987	+0.0%
1990	0.987	+0.0%
1991	0.987	+0.0%
1992	0.987	+0.0%
1993	0.987	+0.0%
1994	0.987	+0.0%
1995	0.987	+0.0%
1996	0.987	+0.0%
1997	0.987	+0.0%
1998	0.987	+0.0%
1999	0.987	+0.0%
2000	0.987	+0.0%
2001	0.987	+0.0%
2002	0.987	+0.0%
2003	0.987	+0.0%
2004	0.987	+0.0%
2005	0.987	+0.0%
2006	0.988	+0.1%
2007	0.988	+0.0%
2008	0.988	+0.0%
2009	0.988	+0.0%
2010	0.988	+0.0%
2011	0.985	-0.3%
2012	0.974	-1.1%
2013	0.969	-0.5%
2014	0.968	-0.1%
2015	0.967	-0.1%
2016	0.973	+0.6%
2017	0.97	-0.3%
2018	0.977	+0.7%
2019	0.983	+0.6%
2020	0.985	+0.2%
2021	0.981	-0.4%
2022	0.974	-0.7%
2023	0.966	-0.8%
2024	0.956	-1.0%
2025	0.947	-0.9%

Spain compared with similar countries

Spain's 0.947 is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.927, 1.0× the median. (55 countries reporting)
Spain's 0.947 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.8365, 1.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1780s	0.318	0.318	0.318	1
1790s	0.318	0.318	0.318	10
1800s	0.3073	0.25	0.318	10
1810s	0.2648	0.245	0.303	10
1820s	0.2898	0.245	0.365	10
1830s	0.327	0.245	0.392	10
1840s	0.392	0.392	0.392	10
1850s	0.4416	0.392	0.454	10
1860s	0.4596	0.454	0.51	10
1870s	0.534	0.534	0.534	10
1880s	0.5492	0.534	0.553	10
1890s	0.579	0.579	0.579	10
1900s	0.579	0.579	0.579	10
1910s	0.579	0.579	0.579	10
1920s	0.4919	0.454	0.579	10
1930s	0.6381	0.454	0.703	10
1940s	0.4395	0.425	0.446	10
1950s	0.435	0.435	0.435	10
1960s	0.455	0.455	0.455	10
1970s	0.6195	0.458	0.987	10
1980s	0.987	0.987	0.987	10
1990s	0.987	0.987	0.987	10
2000s	0.9874	0.987	0.988	10
2010s	0.9754	0.967	0.988	10
2020s	0.9682	0.947	0.985	6

Countries ranked near Spain

20 Japan 0.956 compare
21 United Kingdom 0.955 compare
22 Chile 0.951 compare
24 Czechia 0.945 compare
24 Uruguay 0.945 compare
26 Costa Rica 0.935 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More reference data data for Spain

Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.18 (2050)
Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 2.85 (2050)
Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 11.76 (2050)
Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.898 (2050)
Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 11.76 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 10.67 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 6.03 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 11.06 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 52.4 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 4.89 (2050)

All data for Spain →

Frequently asked questions

What is rule of law index in Spain?: Rule of law index in Spain was 0.947 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest rule of law index recorded in Spain?: The highest recorded value was 0.988 in 2006.
What is the lowest rule of law index recorded in Spain?: The lowest recorded value was 0.245 in 1815.
How does Spain rank for rule of law index?: Spain ranks 23rd out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is rule of law index rising or falling in Spain?: Over the last ten years it is down 2.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Spain 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.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 237 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

Share, cite or embed this page

Cite this page

Rule of Law Index in Spain. 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/spain/

Embed or link this data

Paste this into a page to link back to these figures. The data itself is free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data); please keep the attribution.

<a href="https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/rule-of-law-index/spain/">Rule of Law Index in Spain</a> — Statizoid

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.