World Bank Group · Regulatory Quality
Regulatory quality by country
How well does government make and enforce rules that let private business work?
Singapore placed first of the 209 countries compared in 2025, at 2.11280, and Eritrea last, at -2.10585. In the middle country the figure was -0.09336. Among the 183 countries measured in every edition since 1996, the middle one moved from -0.31804 to -0.09340.
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Regulatory quality · 2025
Context statistic
Highest of 209Singapore
2.11280012025 · position · derived
Who leads
The three countries at the highest end of 209 compared, the three at the other end, and the first on each continent.
1Photo: Khairul Nizam . · CC BY 2.0, greyscale
2Photo: Karora derivative work: Inkey · Public domain, greyscale
3Photo: User:Aconcagua · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
Lowest in 2025
- 209
Eritrea-2.10585 - 208
North Korea-1.98845 - 207
Venezuela-1.98513
Positions out of 209. Where a country sits says how it compares with the others measured, and nothing about why.
02Every measured country
Regulatory quality on a map
Each country is shaded by its value, in five groups holding the same number of countries. Hover a country for its value, or select it to open its profile. Below the map, each continent’s middle country.
Darker is a higher value — the better end.
- -2.10585–-0.79546
- -0.78909–-0.37326
- -0.33992–0.12446
- 0.17202–0.85009
- 0.85250–2.11280
- No reading in 2025
- Europe
0.81940
the middle country, of 44 measured · 49 members
Denmark1.69591
Belarus-1.25913Highest and lowest reading in Europe.
- Americas
-0.00535
the middle country, of 42 measured · 48 members
Canada1.44064Venezuela-1.98513Highest and lowest reading in Americas.
- Asia
-0.09340
the middle country, of 51 measured · 52 members
Singapore2.11280North Korea-1.98845Highest and lowest reading in Asia.
- Oceania
-0.29761
the middle country, of 18 measured · 21 members
New Zealand1.85370
Solomon Islands-0.95119Highest and lowest reading in Oceania.
- Africa
-0.72985
the middle country, of 54 measured · 55 members
Mauritius0.93213Eritrea-2.10585Highest and lowest reading in Africa.
- Every region
22 sub-regions, highest middle country first
- Northern Europe
1.51559
the middle country, of 10 measured · 13 members
Denmark1.69591
Latvia1.02247Highest and lowest reading in Northern Europe.
- Western Europe
1.43729
the middle country, of 9 measured · 9 members
Switzerland1.68354
France0.98867Highest and lowest reading in Western Europe.
- Eastern Asia
1.09916
the middle country, of 8 measured · 8 members
Hong Kong1.61675North Korea-1.98845Highest and lowest reading in Eastern Asia.
- Southern Europe
0.41934
the middle country, of 15 measured · 17 members
2 share 0.85009
Bosnia and Herzegovina-0.40366Highest and lowest reading in Southern Europe.
- Western Asia
0.34471
the middle country, of 18 measured · 19 members
United Arab Emirates1.17428
Syria-1.81050Highest and lowest reading in Western Asia.
- Eastern Europe
0.26622
the middle country, of 10 measured · 10 members
Czechia1.07294Belarus-1.25913Highest and lowest reading in Eastern Europe.
- Caribbean
0.20229
the middle country, of 18 measured · 24 members
United States Virgin Islands1.08788
Cuba-1.57754Highest and lowest reading in Caribbean.
- South-eastern Asia
0.10629
the middle country, of 11 measured · 11 members
Singapore2.11280
Myanmar-1.45558Highest and lowest reading in South-eastern Asia.
- Southern Africa
-0.06822
the middle country, of 5 measured · 5 members
Botswana0.35428
Eswatini-0.67610Highest and lowest reading in Southern Africa.
- Polynesia
-0.16596
the middle country, of 6 measured · 7 members
American Samoa0.37450
Niue-0.62236Highest and lowest reading in Polynesia.
- Central America
-0.28512
the middle country, of 8 measured · 8 members
Costa Rica0.53813
Nicaragua-0.94304Highest and lowest reading in Central America.
- South America
-0.30199
the middle country, of 12 measured · 12 members
Chile0.63592Venezuela-1.98513Highest and lowest reading in South America.
- Micronesia
-0.49737
the middle country, of 6 measured · 7 members
Palau0.44503
Micronesia-0.77681Highest and lowest reading in Micronesia.
- Central Asia
-0.52011
the middle country, of 5 measured · 5 members
Kazakhstan0.02224
Turkmenistan-1.88027Highest and lowest reading in Central Asia.
- Western Africa
-0.64500
the middle country, of 16 measured · 16 members
Cabo Verde0.00808
Guinea-Bissau-1.23284Highest and lowest reading in Western Africa.
- Southern Asia
-0.65338
the middle country, of 9 measured · 9 members
Bhutan-0.09340
Iran-1.52546Highest and lowest reading in Southern Asia.
- Northern Africa
-0.65703
the middle country, of 6 measured · 6 members
Morocco-0.01791
Sudan-1.74381Highest and lowest reading in Northern Africa.
- Eastern Africa
-0.74516
the middle country, of 18 measured · 19 members
Mauritius0.93213Eritrea-2.10585Highest and lowest reading in Eastern Africa.
- Middle Africa
-1.10489
the middle country, of 9 measured · 9 members
Gabon-0.72982
Equatorial Guinea-1.43346Highest and lowest reading in Middle Africa.
- Australia and New Zealand
2 of 2 measured — too few for a middle: Australia, New Zealand.
New Zealand1.85370
Australia1.66899Highest and lowest reading in Australia and New Zealand.
- Melanesia
4 of 5 measured — too few for a middle: Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu.
Fiji0.03235Solomon Islands-0.95119Highest and lowest reading in Melanesia.
- Northern America
4 of 4 measured — too few for a middle: Bermuda, Canada, Greenland, United States.
Canada1.44064
Bermuda0.61229Highest and lowest reading in Northern America.
03The whole field at once
The spread
209 countries, one dot each, on one scale — further right is a higher value. Half the countries are above -0.09336; a quarter are above 0.61229, and a quarter below -0.72270. The bar in each row marks that continent’s middle country.
04All 209 ever measured
Every country
In order, highest value first. “=” marks a position shared with another country. World Bank Group ranks nobody on this measure; the position is derived here by ordering the published values. This measures the quality of regulation as perceived, not the quantity of it — a heavily regulated country whose rules are seen to work can score well, so this is not a deregulation league table. The underlying sources are surveys and expert assessments, which means perceptions rather than an audit of the statute book.
Showing 25 of 209 countries
Values for 2025. The change column compares 2025 with 2024 only; the sparkline covers the recent editions.
051996–2025 · 27 editions
Over time
Each point is one year. The scale runs from about −2.5 to 2.5 and is re-estimated across all years at each release, so the whole line can shift when the World Bank updates its sources.
- the middle country
- the middle half of countries
- the middle of the 183 countries measured every time
- each continent’s middle country
The same, year by year
| Year | Countries | Middle country | Middle half | Measured every time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 209 | -0.09336 | -0.72270 – 0.61229 | -0.09340 |
| 2024 | 209 | -0.08981 | -0.69420 – 0.63464 | -0.09761 |
| 2023 | 209 | -0.12109 | -0.74501 – 0.61883 | -0.12109 |
| 2022 | 209 | -0.10563 | -0.74876 – 0.74219 | -0.10563 |
| 2021 | 207 | -0.06831 | -0.72811 – 0.76347 | -0.07042 |
| 2020 | 207 | -0.08239 | -0.72392 – 0.70983 | -0.08603 |
| 2019 | 207 | -0.07341 | -0.67711 – 0.77819 | -0.06845 |
| 2018 | 207 | -0.08687 | -0.70161 – 0.74142 | -0.09470 |
| 2017 | 207 | -0.06484 | -0.68052 – 0.70697 | -0.05197 |
| 2016 | 207 | -0.06907 | -0.68087 – 0.73221 | -0.06907 |
| 2015 | 209 | -0.10235 | -0.74688 – 0.64521 | -0.10235 |
| 2014 | 207 | -0.14043 | -0.79894 – 0.61369 | -0.10422 |
| 2013 | 207 | -0.19092 | -0.82050 – 0.77215 | -0.14714 |
| 2012 | 207 | -0.20493 | -0.79288 – 0.76728 | -0.18930 |
| 2011 | 207 | -0.16777 | -0.75839 – 0.79005 | -0.14175 |
| 2010 | 206 | -0.09381 | -0.72906 – 0.81766 | -0.06320 |
| 2009 | 206 | -0.13278 | -0.73377 – 0.80278 | -0.11278 |
| 2008 | 204 | -0.18496 | -0.69226 – 0.80719 | -0.17881 |
| 2007 | 202 | -0.14996 | -0.62445 – 0.86884 | -0.15388 |
| 2006 | 201 | -0.15648 | -0.61797 – 0.79061 | -0.19098 |
| 2005 | 200 | -0.20875 | -0.66314 – 0.83997 | -0.22999 |
| 2004 | 198 | -0.23677 | -0.75724 – 0.72832 | -0.26452 |
| 2003 | 184 | -0.21324 | -0.80049 – 0.93763 | -0.20853 |
| 2002 | 184 | -0.16459 | -0.82831 – 0.86527 | -0.14392 |
| 2000 | 183 | -0.23500 | -0.82694 – 0.63758 | -0.23500 |
| 1998 | 183 | -0.19764 | -0.83455 – 0.59372 | -0.19764 |
| 1996 | 183 | -0.31804 | -0.87208 – 0.48268 | -0.31804 |
062024 → 2025
Who rose and fell
The biggest changes in value between the two newest editions. Places are shown second, because they also move when other countries do.
Improved most
before → afterDeclined most
before → after
Greenland1.52239 → 1.07045 · 15th → 28th−0.45194
Cayman Islands1.08095 → 0.67267 · 33rd → 47th−0.40828
Puerto Rico0.67956 → 0.28071 · 49th → 75th−0.39885
United States1.32537 → 1.00605 · 19th → 32nd−0.31933
Colombia0.07447 → -0.19735 · 89th → 116th−0.27182
209 countries were measured in both 2024 and 2025.
07Across every edition
Regulatory quality in records
The extremes of the statistic. A record reached by more than one country names none of them.
Highest reading on record
2.26784
Regulatory Quality (−2.5 to 2.5)
Lowest reading on record
-2.95652
Regulatory Quality (−2.5 to 2.5)
Biggest improvement between editions
+1.05934
0.04415 → 1.10349
Biggest decline between editions
−1.12874
1.26684 → 0.13810
Most improved since first measured
+1.86796
-1.61333 → 0.25464
At the top most often
13 of 27
editions, alone at the first-listed end
08The measure
About regulatory quality
Regulatory Quality is one of six Worldwide Governance Indicators. It captures how far a government is seen to write and enforce rules that let a private sector function — licensing, price controls, barriers to trade, and the weight of regulation generally.
What the number is: Regulatory Quality (−2.5 to 2.5).
09Where it fits
Connections
Its part in the Country Index, the statistics whose values line up most closely with it across countries, and others on the same subject.
In the Country Index
Context, with no vote
This statistic is published in full under Governance & Institutions and Economy & Innovation, but does not help decide any Country Index standing.
Governance & InstitutionsEconomy & InnovationWhich statistics vote, and why
Moves with
Where regulatory quality is higher, these tend to be higher too.
- Government EffectivenessKeyWorld Bank Group · 209 countries in commonρ 0.94
- Rule of LawKeyWorld Bank Group · 209 countries in commonρ 0.89
- Corruption Perceptions IndexKeyTransparency International · 182 countries in commonρ 0.89
Moves against
Where regulatory quality is higher, these tend to be lower.
- Gender Inequality IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office · 172 countries in commonρ −0.81
- Informal Employment RateILO · 97 countries in commonρ −0.80
- Political Corruption IndexV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 175 countries in commonρ −0.79
Rank correlation (ρ, from −1 to 1) across countries, on each statistic’s newest edition, out of 385 statistics sharing at least 80 countries with this one. Two statistics that move together do not cause each other.
10Keep reading
Explore further
The countries at either end
More from World Bank Group
11Questions
Regulatory quality: questions and answers
Which country has the highest regulatory quality?
Singapore, at 2.11280, among the 209 countries compared in 2025.
Which country has the lowest regulatory quality?
Eritrea, at -2.10585, among the 209 countries compared in 2025.
How many countries does the Regulatory Quality cover?
209 in 2025. The number measured varies from 183 to 209 between editions.
What is the world average regulatory quality?
This site does not calculate a world average, which would depend on how countries are weighted. In the middle country of the 209 compared in 2025, the figure was -0.09336.
Is this World Bank Group’s own ranking?
No. World Bank Group publishes the values but ranks nobody; the position on this page is derived by Nations Inquiry by ordering the published values, and equal values share a position.
How often is the Regulatory Quality published?
This site holds 27 editions, describing 1996 to 2025.
Where does the data come from, and can I download it?
From World Bank Group, under CC BY 4.0. From the World Bank’s Worldwide Governance Indicators, read from the same workbook and the same import pass as government-effectiveness, rule-of-law, voice-and-accountability and political-stability. Every edition is on this site’s Datasets pages as a full table, and downloads as a CSV file with every value unrounded.
12Method
Sources, method and citation
Source
Regulatory Quality — World Bank Group
From the World Bank’s Worldwide Governance Indicators, read from the same workbook and the same import pass as government-effectiveness, rule-of-law, voice-and-accountability and political-stability.
Newest edition
Report year 2025Data year 2025
Cite the source as: World Bank. Worldwide Governance Indicators. Washington, DC: World Bank Group.
Licence: CC BY 4.0, checked 2026-09-10.
How this page reads the numbers
- World Bank Group ranks nobody on this measure. The position is derived by Nations Inquiry by ordering the published values; equal values share a position.
- Which end is better follows the publisher’s own reading of the measure.
- A country is named at an end only when it holds that value alone. Where several share it, the page says how many and names none first.
- Values are stored exactly as published and trimmed only for display. “The middle country” is the median of the countries measured, not a world average.
The file itself, column by column — where it came from, what each column holds, and every edition as a CSV — is on its dataset page.
Photographs
The countries at the top of this statistic, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Singapore — Khairul Nizam ., CC BY 2.0
- New Zealand — Karora derivative work: Inkey, Public domain
- Denmark — User:Aconcagua, CC BY-SA 3.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Regulatory quality by country: Regulatory Quality, data from World Bank Group. https://nationsinquiry.com/statistics/regulatory-quality