According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, the system, process, institution, practice, or norm that maintain the equality of all citizens before the law, ensure prevention of arbitrary use of power is known as the rule of law. The 2022 WJP Rule of Law Index has evaluated 140 countries and jurisdictions across the world. Let’s take a look at the top 10 best and worst countries according to the WJP Rule of Law Index 2022. 

What is the WP Rule of Law Index?

The WJP Rule of Law Index is an empirical measure of the rule of law around the world. The index ranks countries from 1-140, with 1 being the best and 140 being the worst. 

The Rule of Law index of WJP is based on a holistic analysis of 44 indicators across eight dimensions of the rule of law: constraints on government power, open government, Absence of corruption, order and security, fundamental rights, regulatory enforcement, criminal justice, and civil justice. 

This year the organization surveys 150,000+ households and 3,600 legal practitioners and experts to understand the situation of the rule of law around the world.

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10 Best Countries on the WJP Rule of Law Index 2022

Following 10 countries ranked top means these countries protect the basic rights and freedoms of citizens while ensuring that the respective governments can govern effectively.

1. Denmark

With a 0.90 overall score, Denmark topped the WJP Rule of Law Index in 2022. However, the country was topped last year too. Annual changes in the overall score are 0.3%. That being said, even though the country was number one last, it continues improvement.

2. Norway

Norway’s position has not changed compared to last year’s performance. But, their annual changes in the score -1.1%, which brings down their score to 0.89 from 0.90. They become second in global, regional, and income ranks. The lowest score they had was 0.87 in 2015.

3. Finland

Finland came third with their 0.87 score, which was 0.88 in 2021. The country receives 0.91 in Constraints on Government Powers, 0.89 in the Absence of corruption, 0.86 in Open Government, 0.89 in Fundamental rights, and 0.91 in order of security. However, Finland has maintained consistency over the last 5 years.

4. Sweden

Sweden scored 0.86, which they have been scoring since 2016. Sweden ranked 4 in the World Justice Project’s Rule of Law Index of 2021. This year their ranking has not changed. 

5. Netherlands

The Netherlands has jumped one position from sixth to fifth. However, their score remains the same, 0.83. The country has improved in almost all criteria. The highest overall score they earned was 0.86 in 2016. This year the Netherlands ranked pretty low in order and security. With 0.85, they are 25th in the world and 18th in regional rank out of 31 countries.

6. Germany

Germany ranked down to sixth with annual -0.6% changes in the overall score. This year the country has achieved 0.83, which was 0.84 in 2021. Their global, regional, and income ranks dropped this year.

7. New Zealand

For the last three years, New Zealand ranked 7 globally and 1 regionally. From 2015-2022 they have been scoring 0.83, except in 2019. In the last 7 years, their lowest score was 0.83 in 2019. Other than that, New Zealand has been consistent in all criteria.

8. Luxembourg

Luxembourg was included in the Rule of Law index in 2021 for the first time, and they ranked 8. And this year, the country is holding the same position with 0.83. They are ranked in the seventh position in the regional ranking.

9. Estonia

Estonia jumped about two steps (from 9th to 11th) in the 2022 WJP Rule of Law index. With a 1.2% annual overall change in score, the country scored 0.82, which was 0.81 in 2021. Since 2015, Estonia is continuously improving its position from being 15th in 2015.

10. Ireland

The county is holding the same position from 2021. With 0.81, they again come at the tenth position on the World Justice Project’s 2022 Rule of Law index. They were first included in the list in 2021 and achieved 0.81 in their first inclusion.

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10 Worst Countries on the WJP Rule of Law Index 2022

Out of the 140 countries, the following 10 countries were ranked in the bottom 10 positions.

131. Mauritania

This African country ranked 131 globally with 0.37 points and ranked 32 regionally out of the 34 African countries according to the 2022 Rule of Law index of WJP. While their global rank has improved from 133 to 131, their regional rank dropped to 32 from 31.

132. Myanmar

With an overall 0.36 score, Myanmar’s ranking also dropped to 132 from 128 on the 2022 WJP index. That said, the country’s situation has changed negatively in terms of different criteria. However, Myanmar is in the red zone in the Fundamental Rights indicator, which is the lowest in the region.

133. Nicaragua

Nicaragua ranked 133 with a 0.36 overall score which was 0.34 last year. This is the lowest score for Nicaragua in the past seven years. The country is significantly risky in terms of Constraints on Government Powers and criminal justice indicators.

134. Cameroon

Although Cameroon’s ranking has improved one step from 135 to 134, they are second lowest in the region and listed as one of the most corrupt nations in the world with a 0.24 score in the Absence of the Corruption indicator.

135. Egypt, Arab Rep

Egypt’s ranking has improved one step, and they are now at 135th. However, the country ranked lowest out of the eight regional countries. In terms of Fundamental Rights, Constraints on Government Powers, and Open Government, the country is in the red zone.

136. Haiti

Haiti was included in the list in 2021, and they were ranked 132 out of 139 countries. This year they dropped four positions to 136. In terms of Criminal Justice and Absence of Corruption, they are in the red zone.

137. Congo, Dem. Rep.

Lowest in regional ranking 137 in the global WJP Rule of Law Index 2022, Congo holds the lowest position in the Absence of Corruption indicator among the 140 countries. The country also earned a low score in the Criminal Justice indicator.

138. Afghanistan

Afghanistan ranked 138 globally and lowest regionally. The country was in the 122nd position in 2022’s Rule of Law Index, which significantly changed two years after the new government took the chair.

139. Cambodia

With a 0.31 score, Cambodia ranked 139 among the 140 countries on WJP’s 2022 index. Except for the country’s order and security, other indicators are significantly low, making it the lowest in the region.

140. Venezuela

In the World Justice Project’s Rule of Law index 2022, Venezuela comes at 140th with an overall score of 0.26. And they are one the lowest scoring countries in almost all indicators. However, the country had a 0.32 score in 2015.

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Final Words

So far, we have discussed the best and worst countries in the 2022 WJP Rule of Law index. The goal of the World Justice Project’s Rule of Law Index is to provide a comprehensive picture of how well each country performs with regard to the rule of law. Therefore, this index can help policymakers identify reforms that could make their countries safer, more democratic, and better places to live and do business.