Photo: Bryce Edwards from San Jose, CA, USA derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 01 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Bahamas: Governance & Institutions
How well is the state actually run?
Bahamas is placed 69th of 194 countries on governance & institutions in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 4 key statistics. Readings behind it: Government Effectiveness 0.649 (2025); Statistical Performance Indicators 51.26 (2024).
Share
Governance & Institutions
69th
of 194 countries placed
Placed from 3 of 4 key statistics
- 0.649Government Effectiveness, 2025Governance estimate (−2.5 weak to 2.5 strong)
- 51.26Statistical Performance Indicators, 2024SPI overall score (0–100)
- 64Corruption Perceptions Index, 2025CPI score (0–100, where 100 is very clean)
- —Judicial Constraints on the Executive Index, 2025No reading for this country
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Bahamas on governance & institutions — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.
0.649
Governance estimate (−2.5 weak to 2.5 strong)
Higher is better
Bahamas: 0.649. Across the 209 countries in this edition, values run from -2.251 (South Sudan) to 2.092 (Singapore); the world median is 0.101.
- World median
- 0.101
- Best in Caribbean
- 1.103 Anguilla
Key 2 of 4
Statistical Performance Indicators
World Bank Group
2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC BY 4.0
51.26
SPI overall score (0–100)
Higher is better
Bahamas: 51.26. Across the 188 countries in this edition, values run from 27.12 (South Sudan) to 94.14 (Norway); the world median is 69.3.
- World median
- 69.3
- Best in Caribbean
- 75.22 Dominican Republic
Key 3 of 4
Corruption Perceptions Index
Transparency International
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY 4.0 (the data), CC BY-ND 4.0 (the website and report)
64
CPI score (0–100, where 100 is very clean)
Higher is better
Ranked 29th of 181 by Transparency International
Bahamas: 64. Across the 182 countries in this edition, values run from 9 (Somalia) to 89 (Denmark); the world median is 39.
- World median
- 39
- Best in Caribbean
- 68 Barbados
Key 4 of 4
Judicial Constraints on the Executive Index
V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY-SA 4.0
No reading
Judicial constraints on the executive index (0–1)
Higher is better
V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg publishes no 2025 figure for Bahamas, so the standing rests on the other keys.
Across the 176 countries in this edition, values run from 0.003 (Nicaragua) to 0.988 (Australia); the world median is 0.676.
- World median
- 0.676
- Best in Caribbean
- 0.93 Barbados
02Over time
Which way Bahamas is moving
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
Government Effectiveness
Governance estimate (−2.5 weak to 2.5 strong) · higher is better
BahamasWorld median
Bahamas fell from 1.103 in 2000 to 0.649 in 2025; the world median went from -0.397 to 0.101.
Every year’s figures
Year Bahamas World median 2025 0.64909 0.1006 2024 0.64599 0.0098 2023 0.64593 -0.0408 2022 0.64587 -0.0305 2021 0.51847 -0.0158 2020 0.51791 -0.0171 2019 0.66575 0.0150 2018 0.66461 0.0159 2017 0.66407 0.0158 2016 0.66434 0.0225 2015 0.66370 0.0038 2014 0.66423 0.0194 2013 0.87159 -0.0758 2012 0.87180 -0.0839 2011 0.87172 -0.1221 2010 0.87214 -0.1145 2009 0.87186 -0.1609 2008 1.11717 -0.2134 2007 1.10198 -0.3260 2006 1.10098 -0.3310 2005 1.10166 -0.3706 2004 0.89767 -0.3140 2003 1.10491 -0.4369 2002 1.10736 -0.3366 2000 1.10301 -0.3969 Statistical Performance Indicators
SPI overall score (0–100) · higher is better
BahamasWorld median
Bahamas rose from 36.7 in 2016 to 51.26 in 2024; the world median went from 56.25 to 69.3.
Every year’s figures
Year Bahamas World median 2024 51.26 69.30 2023 51.77 68.86 2022 53.25 67.99 2021 53.16 69.96 2020 48.47 62.91 2019 45.45 61.19 2018 48.93 61.17 2017 38.70 59.55 2016 36.70 56.25 Corruption Perceptions Index
CPI score (0–100, where 100 is very clean) · higher is better
BahamasWorld median
Bahamas fell from 71 in 2012 to 64 in 2025; the world median went from 37 to 39.
Every year’s figures
Year Bahamas World median 2025 64 39.0 2024 65 40.0 2023 64 40.0 2022 64 39.5 2021 64 39.0 2020 63 40.0 2019 64 39.5 2018 65 38.0 2017 65 38.5 2016 66 38.0 2015 — 37.0 2014 71 38.0 2013 71 38.0 2012 71 37.0
03In context
Bahamas beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 194 countries on governance & institutions, never a place within the region.
Bahamas and Caribbean
Bahamas has no land border, so the table compares it with its sub-region. Standing among all 194; the key columns are the publishers’ own values.
| Country | Standing | Government EffectivenessGovernance estimate (−2.5 weak to 2.5 strong) | Statistical Performance IndicatorsSPI overall score (0–100) | Corruption Perceptions IndexCPI score (0–100, where 100 is very clean) | Judicial Constraints on the Executive IndexJudicial constraints on the executive index (0–1) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Barbados | 45th | 0.611 | 61.74 | 68 | 0.93 |
 Jamaica | 56th | 0.189 | 73.47 | 44 | 0.88 |
 Saint Lucia | 66th | 0.32 | 64.17 | 59 | — |
| Bahamas | 69th | 0.649 | 51.26 | 64 | — |
 Trinidad and Tobago | 77th | 0.234 | 59.38 | 41 | 0.827 |
 Dominican Republic | =79th | 0.043 | 75.22 | 37 | 0.749 |
 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 82nd | 0.222 | 51.96 | 63 | — |
 Antigua and Barbuda | =84th | 0.441 | 63.21 | — | — |
 Dominica | 100th | 0.16 | 40.71 | 60 | — |
 Grenada | =106th | 0.005 | 50.81 | 56 | — |
 Saint Kitts and Nevis | =127th | 0.699 | 42.66 | — | — |
 Cuba | 145th | -0.399 | — | 40 | 0.089 |
 Haiti | 184th | -2.041 | 38.74 | 16 | 0.226 |
 Anguilla | not placed | 1.103 | — | — | — |
 Aruba | not placed | 0.905 | — | — | — |
 British Virgin Islands | not placed | — | — | — | — |
 Cayman Islands | not placed | 1.062 | — | — | — |
 Curaçao | not placed | — | — | — | — |
 Montserrat | not placed | — | — | — | — |
 Puerto Rico | not placed | -0.424 | — | — | — |
 Saint Martin | not placed | — | — | — | — |
 Sint Maarten | not placed | — | — | — | — |
 Turks and Caicos Islands | not placed | — | — | — | — |
 United States Virgin Islands | not placed | 0.355 | — | — | — |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across Caribbean
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 194.
- Barbados45th
- Jamaica56th
- Saint Lucia66th
- Bahamas69th
- Trinidad and Tobago77th
- Dominican Republic=79th
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines82nd
- Antigua and Barbuda=84th
- Dominica100th
- Grenada=106th
- Saint Kitts and Nevis=127th
- Cuba145th
- Haiti184th
- Anguillanot placed
- Arubanot placed
- British Virgin Islandsnot placed
- Cayman Islandsnot placed
- Curaçaonot placed
- Montserratnot placed
- Puerto Riconot placed
- Saint Martinnot placed
- Sint Maartennot placed
- Turks and Caicos Islandsnot placed
- United States Virgin Islandsnot placed
Placed either side on governance & institutions
The countries immediately above and below Bahamas in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Bahamas is ahead of the world, and behind
22 more statistics filed under governance & institutions, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Ahead of the world median8
Statistics on which Bahamas does better than the middle country measured.
Agriculture Orientation IndexFAO · 2024 · world median 0.3051.990.305▲ Improved since 2014
Bahamas: 1.99 · world median 0.305 · Agriculture orientation index (1.0 = spending matches sector size). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.03 to 5.38; higher is better.
Position 7th of 132 · derived.
Civic Space RatingsCIVICUS · 2025 · world median 50.468850.46No earlier reading
Bahamas: 88 · world median 50.46 · Civic space score (0–100). CIVICUS, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 2.17 to 100; higher is better.
Position 18th of 198 · derived.
Control of CorruptionWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median -0.1971.044-0.197No real change since 2015
Bahamas: 1.044 · world median -0.197 · Control of Corruption (−2.5 to 2.5). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from -2.096 to 2.259; higher is better.
Position 38th of 211 · derived.
Voice and AccountabilityWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median -0.0220.632-0.022No real change since 2015
Bahamas: 0.632 · world median -0.022 · Voice and Accountability estimate (−2.5 to 2.5). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from -2.348 to 1.825; higher is better.
Position 60th of 206 · derived.
Climate Readiness (ND-GAIN)Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN), University of Notre Dame · 2024 · world median 0.3870.4220.387▼ Worsened since 2014
Bahamas: 0.422 · world median 0.387 · ND-GAIN Readiness (0–1, where 1 is the most ready). Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN), University of Notre Dame, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.137 to 0.749; higher is better.
Ranked 80th of 192 by Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN), University of Notre Dame.
Rule of LawWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median -0.1020.229-0.102▼ Worsened since 2015
Bahamas: 0.229 · world median -0.102 · Rule of Law estimate (−2.5 to 2.5). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from -2.199 to 2.012; higher is better.
Position 89th of 211 · derived.
Disability Benefit CoverageILO · 2025 · world median 43.95143.9No earlier reading
Bahamas: 51 · world median 43.9 · People with severe disabilities receiving disability benefits (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 100; higher is better.
Regulatory QualityWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median -0.093-0.088-0.093▼ Worsened since 2015
Bahamas: -0.088 · world median -0.093 · Regulatory Quality (−2.5 to 2.5). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from -2.106 to 2.113; higher is better.
Position 104th of 209 · derived.
Behind the world median10
Statistics on which Bahamas does worse than the middle country measured.
Social Protection CoverageILO · 2025 · world median 52.149.152.1No earlier reading
Bahamas: 49.1 · world median 52.1 · Population covered by at least one social protection benefit (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 100; higher is better.
Old-Age Pension CoverageILO · 2025 · world median 80.874.880.8No earlier reading
Bahamas: 74.8 · world median 80.8 · People above statutory pensionable age receiving an old-age pension (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 100; higher is better.
GovTech Maturity IndexWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 0.630.5020.63▼ Worsened since 2022
Bahamas: 0.502 · world median 0.63 · GTMI score (0–1). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.01 to 0.997; higher is better.
Position 121st of 196 · derived.
Government AI Readiness IndexOxford Insights · 2025 · world median 40.1931.1840.19▼ Worsened since 2022
Bahamas: 31.18 · world median 40.19 · AI readiness score (0–100). Oxford Insights, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 12.12 to 88.36; higher is better.
Ranked 123rd of 195 by Oxford Insights.
Global Indicators of Regulatory Governance ScoreWorld Bank Group · 2018 · world median 2.251.252.25No earlier reading
Bahamas: 1.25 · world median 2.25 · Regulatory governance score (0–5, where 5 is the most transparent rule-making). World Bank Group, 2018 edition, data for 2018.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 5; higher is better.
Government Spending on EducationUIS · 2023 · world median 3.7092.7423.709▲ Improved since 2013
Bahamas: 2.742 · world median 3.709 · Government expenditure on education (% of GDP). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 16.39; higher is better.
Position 93rd of 123 · derived.
Firms Expecting to Make Informal Payments to Public OfficialsWorld Bank Group · 2026 · world median 6.40319.086.403No earlier reading
Bahamas: 19.08 · world median 6.403 · Firms saying firms like theirs pay officials informally to get things done (%). World Bank Group, 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 55.03; lower is better.
Position 39th of 178 · derived, 1st = worst.
Bribery IncidenceWorld Bank Group · 2026 · world median 7.269217.269No earlier reading
Bahamas: 21 · world median 7.269 · Firms asked for a bribe at least once in six dealings with officials (%). World Bank Group, 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 64.26; lower is better.
Position 34th of 175 · derived, 1st = worst.
Child and Family Benefit CoverageILO · 2024 · world median 23.751.323.75No earlier reading
Bahamas: 1.3 · world median 23.75 · Children or households with children receiving child or family cash benefits (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 100; higher is better.
Open Data InventoryOpen Data Watch · 2024 · world median 593459▼ Worsened since 2016
Bahamas: 34 · world median 59 · ODIN overall score (0–100). Open Data Watch, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 19 to 90; higher is better.
Ranked 154th of 168 by Open Data Watch.
Level with the median, or no median to compare1
Women, Business and the LawWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 81.2581.2581.25▼ Worsened since 2015
Bahamas: 81.25 · world median 81.25 · WBL Index (0–100, where 100 is full legal parity). World Bank Group, 2026 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 3.125 to 100; higher is better.
Position 95th of 190 · derived.
No better end3
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
Central Bank Independence IndexAna Carolina Garriga, University of Essex · 2023 · world median 0.6080.5740.608Moved since 2013
Bahamas: 0.574 · world median 0.608 · CBI index (0–1, where 1 is the most statutory independence). Ana Carolina Garriga, University of Essex, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.006 to 0.974.
Public Sector Wage BillWorld Bank Group · 2022 · world median 7.9755.7147.975Moved since 2012
Bahamas: 5.714 · world median 7.975 · Public sector wage bill (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 0.977 to 42.65.
Position 117th of 168 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Senior Management Time Spent on Government RegulationWorld Bank Group · 2026 · world median 6.7953.9086.795No earlier reading
Bahamas: 3.908 · world median 6.795 · Senior management time spent dealing with government regulation (% of a typical week). World Bank Group, 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 0.025 to 31.33.
No current reading for Bahamas
Business Ready: Operational Efficiency, Business Ready: Public Services, Business Ready: Regulatory Framework, Completeness of Birth Registration, Country Policy and Institutional Assessment, Debt Service on External Debt, Equal Protection Index, External Debt Stocks (% of GNI), Foundational ID Ownership, General Government Consumption (last 2024), Government Funding per Primary Student, Judicial Constraints on the Executive Index, Labour Inspectors per 10,000 Employed Persons, Liberal Democracy Index, Meritocratic Appointment in the State Administration, Neopatrimonial Rule Index, Political Corruption Index, Public Sector Employment, Rigorous and Impartial Public Administration, State Authority over Territory, State Capacity Index, State Fiscal Source of Revenue, Trade Union Density and V-Dem Electoral Democracy Index. Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.
“Position · derived” is this site’s ordering of the published values, 1st = best unless the row says otherwise; the publisher ranks no country on it. Rank, position and standing
05Country Index 2026
Governance & Institutions among Bahamas’s 12 topics
Governance & Institutions is Bahamas’s 3rd best-placed topic of 12. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Food & Agriculture13th of 1843/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Liberties59th of 1983/4 keys
- Governance & Institutions69th of 1943/4 keys
- Risk & Resilience74th of 1933/4 keys
- Health & Wellbeing96th of 2002/4 keys
- Development & Human Capital99th of 1963/3 keys
- Mobility & Trade97th of 1773/4 keys
- Work & Labour108th of 1824/4 keys
- Digital & Technologyjoint 150th of 1983/4 keys
- Environment & Sustainability162nd of 1862/4 keys
- Education & Knowledgejoint 176th of 1983/4 keys
- Energy156th of 1652/3 keys
No standing on Economy & Innovation, Gender & Equality, Peace & Security, Poverty & Inequality: too few of those topics’ key statistics are published for this country.
06The top of the list
Who leads on governance & institutions
The three countries placed highest of 194, and the leaders Bahamas can most readily be measured against.
1
DenmarkNorthern Europe
1st of 194 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: User:Aconcagua · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
2
New ZealandAustralia and New Zealand
2nd of 194 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: Karora derivative work: Inkey · Public domain, greyscale
3
SwedenNorthern Europe
3rd of 194 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: User:Pieter Kuiper · Public domain, greyscale
Placed highest nearby
Highest in Americas
Canada8th4/4 keysHighest in Caribbean
Barbados45th4/4 keysThis page
Bahamas69th3/4 keys
Positions out of 194 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Analysis
Charts and analysis about Bahamas and governance & institutions
08Questions
Bahamas on governance & institutions: questions answered
Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.
How does Bahamas rank on governance & institutions?
Bahamas is placed 69th of 194 countries on Governance & Institutions in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 4 key statistics (Government Effectiveness, Statistical Performance Indicators and Corruption Perceptions Index). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
What is the latest Government Effectiveness figure for Bahamas?
0.649 in 2025 (governance estimate (−2.5 weak to 2.5 strong)), according to World Bank Group. The world median in the same edition was 0.101.
What is the latest Statistical Performance Indicators figure for Bahamas?
51.26 in 2024 (sPI overall score (0–100)), according to World Bank Group. The world median in the same edition was 69.3.
How have Bahamas’s governance & institutions figures changed?
Government Effectiveness fell from 1.103 in 2000 to 0.649 in 2025; Statistical Performance Indicators rose from 36.7 in 2016 to 51.26 in 2024; Corruption Perceptions Index fell from 71 in 2012 to 64 in 2025.
Which governance & institutions statistics are missing for Bahamas?
No current reading is published for Bahamas on Business Ready: Operational Efficiency, Business Ready: Public Services, Business Ready: Regulatory Framework, Completeness of Birth Registration, Country Policy and Institutional Assessment, Debt Service on External Debt, Equal Protection Index, External Debt Stocks (% of GNI), Foundational ID Ownership, General Government Consumption, Government Funding per Primary Student, Judicial Constraints on the Executive Index, Labour Inspectors per 10,000 Employed Persons, Liberal Democracy Index, Meritocratic Appointment in the State Administration, Neopatrimonial Rule Index, Political Corruption Index, Public Sector Employment, Rigorous and Impartial Public Administration, State Authority over Territory, State Capacity Index, State Fiscal Source of Revenue, Trade Union Density and V-Dem Electoral Democracy Index. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.
09Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
Governance is not democracy. Free elections, civil liberties and press freedom belong to the Democracy & Civil Liberties topic, and a country can place well on one and poorly on the other. How openly official data is published sits here as context, beside the statistical capacity that is a key. Nor does this topic measure the size of government or how much it spends — the share of the economy run by the state is published on this page as context, with no better end.
How the Governance & Institutions standing is decided
A standing is this site’s ordering, named with its edition — never a publisher’s rank. 4 key statistics vote, one vote each; every country’s published value becomes a place within that key’s own field, the places are averaged, and the average is never published. A country needs 2 of the 4 keys to be placed.
The governance & institutions method, step by stepHow every standing on this site is built
The key statistics and their licences
- Government Effectiveness — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
- Statistical Performance Indicators — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
- Corruption Perceptions Index — Transparency International, CC BY 4.0 (the data), CC BY-ND 4.0 (the website and report)
- Judicial Constraints on the Executive Index — V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0
The other 22 statistics on this page come from 9 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photographs
Bahamas’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Bahamas (banner) — Bryce Edwards from San Jose, CA, USA derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY 2.0
- Denmark — User:Aconcagua, CC BY-SA 3.0
- New Zealand — Karora derivative work: Inkey, Public domain
- Sweden — User:Pieter Kuiper, Public domain
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Bahamas: Governance & Institutions — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/bahamas/governance