Topic 01 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Governance & Institutions
How well is the state actually run?
Denmark is placed first of 194 countries on governance & institutions in the Country Index 2026, and Venezuela 194th. The standing rests on 4 key statistics; the other 45 on this page are published as context, with no vote.
01
4 key statistics
01Country Index 2026
Who leads on governance & institutions
The three countries placed highest of 194, the three placed lowest, and the country placed highest on each continent. Each position is a place in this topic’s own list, built from its key statistics.
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 lowest on Governance & Institutions
Positions out of 194. A standing is relative: it says where a country places against the others measured, not that it scored zero.
Placed first on each continent · position among all 194
02The subject
About governance & institutions
How well a state is actually run: whether the law binds those who write it, how much corruption the people who deal with government perceive, how competently public administration delivers, and whether the statute book treats citizens equally. These measure institutions rather than politics — a country can hold elections and still govern badly, and the reverse.
Governance is about the machinery of the state rather than who controls it. A government can be elected or not, left or right, large or small, and still be honest or corrupt, competent or chaotic. This topic asks the second set of questions: whether the people who deal with officials meet corruption, whether public services and the civil service deliver what they promise, whether a government keeps to the policies it announces, and whether those who hold power are themselves bound by the constitution and the courts.
It also asks something less visible but just as telling: whether a state knows its own country. A government that cannot count its population, publish its statistics openly or put modern data tools to work is governing partly blind, and every other public service inherits that blindness. Capacity and honesty are measured separately here because a state can have one without the other.
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.
03The evidence
The 4 statistics that decide it
These are the only statistics that place countries on governance & institutions — one vote each. Every number is somebody else’s research, reproduced without adjustment; the ordering on top is this site’s.
Key 1 of 4
Government Effectiveness
World Bank Group
Why it is a key: The quality of public services and the civil service that delivers them, and the credibility of a government's commitment to its own policies. Where the Corruption Perceptions Index asks whether a state is honest, this asks whether it is competent.
- Edition used
- 2025data for 2025
- Countries
- 209
- Publisher’s rank
- None — values only
- Licence
- CC BY 4.0
Every country, every editionCurrent leader, 2025 edition
SingaporeKey 2 of 4
Statistical Performance Indicators
World Bank Group
Why it is a key: Whether a state can measure its own country. Nothing else here tests the capacity of the statistical system itself.
- Edition used
- 2024data for 2024
- Countries
- 188
- Publisher’s rank
- None — values only
- Licence
- CC BY 4.0
Every country, every editionCurrent leader, 2024 edition
NorwayKey 3 of 4
Corruption Perceptions Index
Transparency International
Why it is a key: How much corruption the people who actually deal with a government perceive — an outcome, where the other keys measure the state’s capacity and the limits the law puts on it.
- Edition used
- 2025data for 2025
- Countries
- 182
- Publisher’s rank
- Published
- Licence
- CC BY 4.0 (the data), CC BY-ND 4.0 (the website and report)
Every country, every editionCurrent leader, 2025 edition
DenmarkKey 4 of 4
Judicial Constraints on the Executive Index
V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg
Why it is a key: Whether the executive respects the constitution and obeys the courts, and whether the courts can rule against it freely — the law binding those who write it.
- Edition used
- 2025data for 2025
- Countries
- 176
- Publisher’s rank
- None — values only
- Licence
- CC BY-SA 4.0
Every country, every editionCurrent leader, 2025 edition
AustraliaHow the keys combine
Each country’s value on each key becomes its place in that key’s own field, as a share of the field. The shares are averaged, one vote per key, and only the order that produces is published.
The method in full
04Every placed country
Governance & Institutions on a map
Darker is placed higher. Hover a country for its position, or select it to open its page. Below the map, each continent’s median position — half its placed countries sit at or above it, so lower is better.
1st of 5 continents
Europe
33rd
median position, of 194 · 41 of its 49 countries placed
Highest
Denmark2nd of 5 continents
Americas
91st
median position, of 194 · 35 of its 48 countries placed
Highest
Canada3rd of 5 continents
Asia
99th
median position, of 194 · 50 of its 52 countries placed
Highest
Japan4th of 5 continents
Oceania
121st
median position, of 194 · 14 of its 21 countries placed
Highest
New Zealand5th of 5 continents
Africa
146th
median position, of 194 · 54 of its 55 countries placed
Highest
Seychelles- Every region
All 22 sub-regions on Governance & Institutions, best median first
- 1Australia and New Zealandmedian 2ndfrom 2 of 2New Zealand2
- 2Northern Americamedian 8thfrom 2 of 4Canada8
- 3Northern Europemedian 9thfrom 10 of 13Denmark1
- 4Western Europemedian 15thfrom 7 of 9
Switzerland6 - 5Eastern Asiamedian 36thfrom 7 of 8Japan=10
- 6Southern Europemedian 46thfrom 14 of 17
Spain=23 - 7Eastern Europemedian 47thfrom 10 of 10
Czechia22 - 8South-eastern Asiamedian 79thfrom 11 of 11Singapore12
- 9Caribbeanmedian 82ndfrom 13 of 24
Barbados45 - 10Southern Africamedian 84thfrom 5 of 5
South Africa=54 - 11Western Asiamedian 90thfrom 18 of 19
Israel=25 - 12South Americamedian 94thfrom 12 of 12
Chile=23 - 13Melanesiamedian 98thfrom 4 of 5
Fiji50 - 14Central Americamedian 101stfrom 8 of 8
Costa Rica32 - 15Northern Africamedian 110thfrom 6 of 6
Morocco74 - 16Polynesiamedian 124thfrom 3 of 7
Samoa=106 - 17Southern Asiamedian 130thfrom 9 of 9
Bhutan51 - 18Western Africamedian 131stfrom 16 of 16
Cabo Verde48 - 19Central Asiamedian 137thfrom 5 of 5
Kazakhstan99 - 20Eastern Africamedian 144thfrom 18 of 19Seychelles38
- 21Micronesiamedian 157thfrom 5 of 7
Palau117 - 22Middle Africamedian 175thfrom 9 of 9
São Tomé and Príncipe=127
05The whole field
Where all 194 countries stand
In order, best first. A row resting on fewer keys rests on less evidence: a country needs 2 of the 4 to be placed at all. “=” marks a position shared with another country. Select a country to see the working behind its standing.
Showing 25 of 194 countries placed on Governance & Institutions
- 1 of 194DenmarkNorthern Europe4/4
- 2 of 194New ZealandAustralia and New Zealand4/4
- 3 of 194SwedenNorthern Europe4/4
- 4 of 194NorwayNorthern Europe4/4
- 5 of 194
FinlandNorthern Europe4/4 - 6 of 194SwitzerlandWestern Europe4/4
- 7 of 194AustraliaAustralia and New Zealand4/4
- 8 of 194CanadaNorthern America4/4
- 9 of 194
EstoniaNorthern Europe4/4 - =10 of 194
IrelandNorthern Europe4/4 - =10 of 194JapanEastern Asia4/4
- 12 of 194SingaporeSouth-eastern Asia4/4
- =13 of 194
GermanyWestern Europe4/4 - =13 of 194
NetherlandsWestern Europe4/4 - 15 of 194
AustriaWestern Europe4/4 - 16 of 194
LuxembourgWestern Europe4/4 - 17 of 194
LithuaniaNorthern Europe4/4 - 18 of 194
United KingdomNorthern Europe4/4 - =19 of 194
IcelandNorthern Europe4/4 - =19 of 194
South KoreaEastern Asia4/4 - 21 of 194
FranceWestern Europe4/4 - 22 of 194CzechiaEastern Europe4/4
- =23 of 194ChileSouth America4/4
- =23 of 194SpainSouthern Europe4/4
- =25 of 194IsraelWestern Asia4/4
- =25 of 194
United StatesNorthern America4/4 - 27 of 194
PortugalSouthern Europe4/4 - 28 of 194
BelgiumWestern Europe4/4 - 29 of 194
LatviaNorthern Europe4/4 - 30 of 194
TaiwanEastern Asia3/4 - 31 of 194
UruguaySouth America4/4 - 32 of 194Costa RicaCentral America4/4
- 33 of 194
SloveniaSouthern Europe4/4 - 34 of 194
ItalySouthern Europe4/4 - 35 of 194
CyprusWestern Asia4/4 - 36 of 194
Hong KongEastern Asia3/4 - 37 of 194
PolandEastern Europe4/4 - 38 of 194SeychellesEastern Africa4/4
- 39 of 194
CroatiaSouthern Europe4/4 - 40 of 194
MalaysiaSouth-eastern Asia4/4 - 41 of 194
MauritiusEastern Africa4/4 - 42 of 194
MaltaSouthern Europe4/4 - 43 of 194
RomaniaEastern Europe4/4 - 44 of 194
SlovakiaEastern Europe4/4 - 45 of 194BarbadosCaribbean4/4
- 46 of 194
GreeceSouthern Europe4/4 - 47 of 194
MoldovaEastern Europe4/4 - 48 of 194Cabo VerdeWestern Africa4/4
- 49 of 194
BruneiSouth-eastern Asia3/4 - 50 of 194FijiMelanesia4/4
- 51 of 194BhutanSouthern Asia4/4
- 52 of 194
HungaryEastern Europe4/4 - 53 of 194
GeorgiaWestern Asia4/4 - =54 of 194
Saudi ArabiaWestern Asia4/4 - =54 of 194South AfricaSouthern Africa4/4
- 56 of 194
JamaicaCaribbean4/4 - 57 of 194
BrazilSouth America4/4 - 58 of 194
United Arab EmiratesWestern Asia4/4 - =59 of 194
BulgariaEastern Europe4/4 - =59 of 194
JordanWestern Asia4/4 - =59 of 194
QatarWestern Asia4/4 - 62 of 194
SenegalWestern Africa4/4 - =63 of 194
AlbaniaSouthern Europe4/4 - =63 of 194
MontenegroSouthern Europe4/4 - 65 of 194
BotswanaSouthern Africa4/4 - 66 of 194
Saint LuciaCaribbean3/4 - 67 of 194
ColombiaSouth America4/4 - 68 of 194
ThailandSouth-eastern Asia4/4 - 69 of 194
BahamasCaribbean3/4 - 70 of 194
North MacedoniaSouthern Europe4/4 - 71 of 194
Sri LankaSouthern Asia4/4 - 72 of 194
GhanaWestern Africa4/4 - 73 of 194
IndiaSouthern Asia4/4 - 74 of 194MoroccoNorthern Africa4/4
- 75 of 194
ArgentinaSouth America4/4 - 76 of 194
KuwaitWestern Asia4/4 - 77 of 194
Trinidad and TobagoCaribbean4/4 - 78 of 194
IndonesiaSouth-eastern Asia4/4 - =79 of 194
Dominican RepublicCaribbean4/4 - =79 of 194
PhilippinesSouth-eastern Asia4/4 - 81 of 194
RwandaEastern Africa4/4 - 82 of 194
Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesCaribbean3/4 - 83 of 194
PanamaCentral America4/4 - =84 of 194
Antigua and BarbudaCaribbean2/4 - =84 of 194
NamibiaSouthern Africa4/4 - 86 of 194
GambiaWestern Africa4/4 - 87 of 194
AndorraSouthern Europe2/4 - 88 of 194
MongoliaEastern Asia4/4 - 89 of 194
BeninWestern Africa4/4 - 90 of 194
OmanWestern Asia4/4 - =91 of 194
ArmeniaWestern Asia4/4 - =91 of 194
GuatemalaCentral America4/4 - 93 of 194
KosovoSouthern Europe3/4 - 94 of 194
SurinameSouth America4/4 - 95 of 194
TanzaniaEastern Africa4/4 - =96 of 194
KenyaEastern Africa4/4 - =96 of 194
PeruSouth America4/4 - 98 of 194
VanuatuMelanesia4/4 - 99 of 194KazakhstanCentral Asia4/4
- 100 of 194
DominicaCaribbean3/4 - =101 of 194
MexicoCentral America4/4 - =101 of 194
SerbiaSouthern Europe4/4 - 103 of 194
EcuadorSouth America4/4 - 104 of 194
TunisiaNorthern Africa4/4 - 105 of 194
MaldivesSouthern Asia4/4 - =106 of 194
GrenadaCaribbean3/4 - =106 of 194SamoaPolynesia2/4
- 108 of 194
Côte d’IvoireWestern Africa4/4 - 109 of 194
GuyanaSouth America4/4 - 110 of 194
EgyptNorthern Africa4/4 - 111 of 194
BelizeCentral America3/4 - 112 of 194
VietnamSouth-eastern Asia4/4 - 113 of 194
ZambiaEastern Africa4/4 - 114 of 194
Timor-LesteSouth-eastern Asia4/4 - =115 of 194
LesothoSouthern Africa4/4 - =115 of 194
TürkiyeWestern Asia4/4 - 117 of 194PalauMicronesia2/4
- =118 of 194
Bosnia and HerzegovinaSouthern Europe4/4 - =118 of 194
Burkina FasoWestern Africa4/4 - =118 of 194
MalawiEastern Africa4/4 - =121 of 194
Solomon IslandsMelanesia4/4 - =121 of 194
UkraineEastern Europe4/4 - 123 of 194
BahrainWestern Asia4/4 - 124 of 194
TongaPolynesia2/4 - 125 of 194
ChinaEastern Asia4/4 - 126 of 194
ParaguaySouth America4/4 - =127 of 194
Saint Kitts and NevisCaribbean2/4 - =127 of 194São Tomé and PríncipeMiddle Africa4/4
- 129 of 194
HondurasCentral America4/4 - 130 of 194
NepalSouthern Asia4/4 - =131 of 194
NigerWestern Africa4/4 - =131 of 194
UzbekistanCentral Asia4/4 - 133 of 194
MaliWestern Africa4/4 - 134 of 194
LaosSouth-eastern Asia4/4 - 135 of 194
BangladeshSouthern Asia4/4 - 136 of 194
PakistanSouthern Asia4/4 - 137 of 194
KyrgyzstanCentral Asia4/4 - 138 of 194
AzerbaijanWestern Asia4/4 - 139 of 194
El SalvadorCentral America4/4 - 140 of 194
PalestineWestern Asia2/4 - 141 of 194
UgandaEastern Africa4/4 - 142 of 194
Papua New GuineaMelanesia4/4 - 143 of 194
BoliviaSouth America4/4 - 144 of 194
EthiopiaEastern Africa4/4 - 145 of 194
CubaCaribbean3/4 - 146 of 194
Sierra LeoneWestern Africa4/4 - 147 of 194
NauruMicronesia2/4 - 148 of 194
RussiaEastern Europe4/4 - 149 of 194
NigeriaWestern Africa4/4 - =150 of 194
MozambiqueEastern Africa4/4 - =150 of 194
TogoWestern Africa4/4 - 152 of 194
AlgeriaNorthern Africa4/4 - 153 of 194
BelarusEastern Europe4/4 - 154 of 194
AngolaMiddle Africa4/4 - 155 of 194
LiberiaWestern Africa4/4 - 156 of 194
EswatiniSouthern Africa4/4 - 157 of 194
KiribatiMicronesia2/4 - 158 of 194
MicronesiaMicronesia2/4 - 159 of 194
DjiboutiEastern Africa4/4 - =160 of 194
CameroonMiddle Africa4/4 - =160 of 194
GabonMiddle Africa4/4 - 162 of 194
ZimbabweEastern Africa4/4 - 163 of 194
LebanonWestern Asia4/4 - 164 of 194
IraqWestern Asia4/4 - 165 of 194
MauritaniaWestern Africa4/4 - 166 of 194
CambodiaSouth-eastern Asia4/4 - 167 of 194
Marshall IslandsMicronesia2/4 - 168 of 194
IranSouthern Asia4/4 - 169 of 194
MadagascarEastern Africa4/4 - 170 of 194
TajikistanCentral Asia4/4 - 171 of 194
GuineaWestern Africa4/4 - 172 of 194
TuvaluPolynesia2/4 - 173 of 194
MyanmarSouth-eastern Asia4/4 - 174 of 194
ComorosEastern Africa4/4 - 175 of 194
Republic of the CongoMiddle Africa4/4 - 176 of 194
Central African RepublicMiddle Africa4/4 - 177 of 194
Guinea-BissauWestern Africa4/4 - 178 of 194
ChadMiddle Africa4/4 - 179 of 194
AfghanistanSouthern Asia4/4 - 180 of 194
SomaliaEastern Africa4/4 - 181 of 194
NicaraguaCentral America4/4 - 182 of 194
DR CongoMiddle Africa4/4 - 183 of 194
LibyaNorthern Africa4/4 - 184 of 194
HaitiCaribbean4/4 - 185 of 194
BurundiEastern Africa4/4 - 186 of 194
SyriaWestern Asia4/4 - 187 of 194
SudanNorthern Africa4/4 - 188 of 194
TurkmenistanCentral Asia4/4 - 189 of 194
YemenWestern Asia4/4 - 190 of 194
South SudanEastern Africa4/4 - =191 of 194
EritreaEastern Africa3/4 - =191 of 194
North KoreaEastern Asia3/4 - 193 of 194
Equatorial GuineaMiddle Africa4/4 - 194 of 194
VenezuelaSouth America4/4
30 countries measured in the index but not placed on governance & institutions
Each holds readings on too few of this topic’s key statistics to be placed. Their profiles still show every reading the publishers give.
- American Samoa
- Anguilla
- Aruba
- Bermuda
- British Virgin Islands
- Cayman Islands
- Channel Islands
- Cook Islands
- Curaçao
- Faroe Islands
- French Polynesia
- Gibraltar
- Greenland
- Guam
- Isle of Man
- Liechtenstein
- Macau
- Monaco
- Montserrat
- New Caledonia
- Niue
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Puerto Rico
- Saint Martin
- San Marino
- Sint Maarten
- Somaliland
- Turks and Caicos Islands
- United States Virgin Islands
- Vatican City
06Beyond the headline
A different story
The countries placed furthest above and below their overall position in the Country Index 2026. Both positions are compared as a share of their own field, because 50th of 193 and 50th of 174 are not the same showing.
Placed higher on Governance & Institutions than overall
Placed lower on Governance & Institutions than overall
07In records
Governance in records
One country at the extreme of a statistic under this topic, read from its newest edition. Where countries tie at the top, no record is named.
Perceived as least corrupt
89
on Transparency International’s 0–100 scale
Most effective government
2.092
on the World Bank’s −2.5 to 2.5 scale
Strongest national statistics
94.14
on the World Bank’s 0–100 SPI scale
08Latest editions
Who rose and fell in the published ranks
The biggest moves between each report’s two newest editions, in the publisher’s own ranks — reports under this topic that print a rank. A report whose field changed by more than 5% is left out.
Ranks as published by Transparency International in the Corruption Perceptions Index: the 2024 edition (180 countries ranked) → the 2025 edition (182 ranked).
Improved most
rank before → after- Azerbaijan154 → 130+24
- Sri Lanka121 → 107+14
- El Salvador130 → 120+10
Ranks as published by Oxford Insights in the Government AI Readiness Index: the 2024 edition (188 countries ranked) → the 2025 edition (195 ranked).
Improved most
rank before → after- Tanzania139 → 93+46
- Côte d’Ivoire140 → 95+45
- Nepal150 → 106+44
Declined most
rank before → after- Saint Kitts and Nevis102 → 170−68
- Grenada121 → 176−55
- Marshall Islands123 → 177−54
Ranks as published by Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN), University of Notre Dame in the Climate Readiness (ND-GAIN): reference years 2023 (192 countries ranked) → 2024 (192 ranked), both from its 2026 report.
Improved most
rank before → after- Vanuatu163 → 146+17
- Palau45 → 33+12
- Marshall Islands92 → 82+10
Declined most
rank before → after- Nepal117 → 134−17
- Mexico102 → 116−14
- Bangladesh142 → 156−14
Ranks as published by Open Data Watch in the Open Data Inventory: the 2022 edition (167 countries ranked) → the 2024 edition (168 ranked).
Improved most
rank before → after- Côte d’Ivoire162 → 68+94
- Niger138 → 49+89
- Central African Republic158 → 73+85
Declined most
rank before → after- El Salvador109 → 160−51
- Greece58 → 106−48
- Vietnam73 → 118−45
09Context, no vote
Also measured under governance & institutions
45 more statistics on the same subject, published in full and deliberately given no vote — keeping them out is what stops the standing drifting toward whichever kind of statistic was imported most. Select a row for its leader and trend.
Control of CorruptionWorld Bank Group · 211 countries · 2025World Bank Group2112025
Current leader:
DenmarkWorld Bank Group · 27 editions, data 1996–2025
Old-Age Pension CoverageILO · 211 countries · 2025ILO2112025
International Labour Organization (ILO) · 1 edition
Rule of LawWorld Bank Group · 211 countries · 2025World Bank Group2112025
Current leader:
FinlandWorld Bank Group · 27 editions, data 1996–2025
Regulatory QualityWorld Bank Group · 209 countries · 2025World Bank Group2092025
Current leader:
SingaporeWorld Bank Group · 27 editions, data 1996–2025
Social Protection CoverageILO · 209 countries · 2025ILO2092025
International Labour Organization (ILO) · 1 edition
Voice and AccountabilityWorld Bank Group · 206 countries · 2025World Bank Group2062025
Current leader:
NorwayWorld Bank Group · 27 editions, data 1996–2025
Civic Space RatingsCIVICUS · 198 countries · 2025CIVICUS1982025
GovTech Maturity IndexWorld Bank Group · 196 countries · 2025World Bank Group1962025
Current leader:
South KoreaWorld Bank Group · 2 editions, data 2022–2025
Government AI Readiness IndexOxford Insights · 195 countries · 2025Oxford Insights1952025
Current leader:
United StatesOxford Insights · 6 editions, data 2020–2025
Climate Readiness (ND-GAIN)Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN), University of Notre Dame · 192 countries · 2024Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN), University of Notre Dame1922024
Current leader:
SingaporeNotre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN), University of Notre Dame · 30 editions, data 1995–2024
Child and Family Benefit CoverageILO · 190 countries · 2024ILO1902024
International Labour Organization (ILO) · 1 edition
Women, Business and the LawWorld Bank Group · 190 countries · 2025World Bank Group1902025
World Bank Group · 55 editions, data 1970–2025
Disability Benefit CoverageILO · 189 countries · 2025ILO1892025
International Labour Organization (ILO) · 1 edition
Global Indicators of Regulatory Governance ScoreWorld Bank Group · 186 countries · 2018World Bank Group1862018
World Bank Group · 1 edition
Completeness of Birth RegistrationUNICEF · 185 countries · 2025UNICEF1852025
UNICEF · 1 edition
Bribery IncidenceWorld Bank Group · 181 countries · 2026World Bank Group1812026
Firms Expecting to Make Informal Payments to Public OfficialsWorld Bank Group · 181 countries · 2026World Bank Group1812026
Equal Protection IndexV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 176 countries · 2025V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg1762025
Current leader:
LuxembourgV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 36 editions, data 1990–2025
Liberal Democracy IndexV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 176 countries · 2025V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg1762025
Current leader:
DenmarkV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 36 editions, data 1990–2025
Meritocratic Appointment in the State AdministrationV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 176 countries · 2025V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg1762025
Current leader:
SingaporeV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 36 editions, data 1990–2025
Neopatrimonial Rule IndexV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 176 countries · 2025V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg1762025
Most affected:
NicaraguaV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 36 editions, data 1990–2025
Political Corruption IndexV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 176 countries · 2025V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg1762025
Most affected:
VenezuelaV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 36 editions, data 1990–2025
Rigorous and Impartial Public AdministrationV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 176 countries · 2025V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg1762025
Current leader:
GermanyV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 36 editions, data 1990–2025
State Fiscal Source of RevenueV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 176 countries · 2025V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg1762025
Current leader:
SwedenV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 36 editions, data 1990–2025
V-Dem Electoral Democracy IndexV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 176 countries · 2025V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg1762025
Current leader:
DenmarkV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 36 editions, data 1990–2025
State Authority over TerritoryV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 174 countries · 2025V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg1742025
V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 36 editions, data 1990–2025
Open Data InventoryOpen Data Watch · 168 countries · 2024Open Data Watch1682024
Open Data Watch · 7 editions, data 2015–2024
State Capacity IndexJonathan K. Hanson (University of Michigan) and Rachel Sigman (Naval Postgraduate School) · 166 countries · 2015Jonathan K. Hanson (University of Michigan) and Rachel Sigman (Naval Postgraduate School)1662015
Current leader:
DenmarkJonathan K. Hanson (University of Michigan) and Rachel Sigman (Naval Postgraduate School) · 56 editions, data 1960–2015
Trade Union DensityILO · 139 countries · 2020ILO1392020
Current leader:
IcelandInternational Labour Organization (ILO) · 1 edition
Agriculture Orientation IndexFAO · 132 countries · 2024FAO1322024
Current leader:
SingaporeFood and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) · 24 editions, data 2001–2024
Government Spending on EducationUIS · 123 countries · 2023UIS1232023
Current leader:
KiribatiUNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) · 51 editions, data 1971–2023
Foundational ID OwnershipWorld Bank Group (ID4D) · 120 countries · 2024World Bank Group (ID4D)1202024
World Bank Group (ID4D) · 3 editions, data 2017–2024
External Debt Stocks (% of GNI)World Bank Group · 110 countries · 2024World Bank Group1102024
Most affected:
MozambiqueWorld Bank Group · 44 editions, data 1981–2024
Debt Service on External DebtWorld Bank Group · 109 countries · 2024World Bank Group1092024
Most affected:
El SalvadorWorld Bank Group · 43 editions, data 1982–2024
Labour Inspectors per 10,000 Employed PersonsILO · 86 countries · 2024ILO862024
Current leader:
San MarinoInternational Labour Organization (ILO) · 1 edition
Country Policy and Institutional AssessmentWorld Bank Group · 78 countries · 2025World Bank Group782025
Current leader:
RwandaWorld Bank Group · 21 editions, data 2005–2025
Government Funding per Primary StudentUIS · 68 countries · 2022UIS682022
Current leader:
South KoreaUNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) · 24 editions, data 1999–2022
Business Ready: Operational EfficiencyWorld Bank Group · 50 countries · 2024World Bank Group502024
Business Ready: Public ServicesWorld Bank Group · 50 countries · 2024World Bank Group502024
Business Ready: Regulatory FrameworkWorld Bank Group · 50 countries · 2024World Bank Group502024
Describing the shape of a country (5)
These have no better end — more is not better or worse, only different — so they could not place countries even as keys.
Central Bank Independence IndexAna Carolina Garriga, University of Essex · 191 countries · 2023Ana Carolina Garriga, University of Essex1912023
Highest:
Bosnia and HerzegovinaAna Carolina Garriga, University of Essex · 54 editions, data 1970–2023
Senior Management Time Spent on Government RegulationWorld Bank Group · 181 countries · 2026World Bank Group1812026
Public Sector Wage BillWorld Bank Group · 168 countries · 2022World Bank Group1682022
Public Sector EmploymentWorld Bank Group · 135 countries · 2022World Bank Group1352022
General Government ConsumptionWorld Bank Group · 132 countries · 2025World Bank Group1322025
Highest:
UkraineWorld Bank Group · 56 editions, data 1970–2025
10Analysis
Charts and analysis on governance & institutions
11Keep reading
Explore further
The most-read profiles, on Governance & Institutions
How Governance & Institutions relates to the other topics
- Moves most with: Economy & InnovationCountries place very similarly on both. (0.83, 176 countries)
- Moves most with: Democracy & Civil LibertiesCountries place similarly on both. (0.78, 194 countries)
- Moves least with: Environment & SustainabilityCountries placed high on one tend to place low on the other. (-0.35, 185 countries)
Rank correlation of the two topics’ positions across the countries placed on both: 1 means the same order, 0 no link. Every pair of topics
The other topics
The full Country Index 2026- Economy & InnovationFirst: Austria
- Work & LabourFirst: Iceland
- Education & KnowledgeFirst: United Arab Emirates
- Health & WellbeingFirst: San Marino
- Development & Human CapitalFirst:
Cook Islands - Environment & SustainabilityFirst: Angola
- Gender & EqualityFirst: Latvia
- Democracy & Civil LibertiesFirst: Norway
- Peace & SecurityFirst: Iceland
- Risk & ResilienceFirst:
Liechtenstein - Mobility & TradeFirst: Singapore
- Food & AgricultureFirst: Serbia
- Poverty & InequalityFirst: Belarus
- Money & Public Finance
- EnergyFirst: Bhutan
- Digital & TechnologyFirst: Estonia
- People & Population
- Every topic, side by side
12Method
Questions, method and sources
Which country is placed first on governance & institutions in the Country Index 2026?
Denmark, of the 194 countries given a standing on Governance & Institutions. The standing is this site’s own, built from 4 key statistics by 14 publishers; it is not a rank any of those publishers printed.
Which country is placed last on governance & institutions?
Venezuela, 194th of 194. A standing says how a country places against the others measured alongside it, so it moves when they move.
Which statistics decide the Governance & Institutions standing?
Government Effectiveness, Statistical Performance Indicators, Corruption Perceptions Index, Judicial Constraints on the Executive Index. Each is read at one edition and turned into a place within its own field; the places are averaged with one vote each. The other 45 statistics on this topic are published as context and have no vote.
Why is a country not placed on governance & institutions?
A country needs readings on at least 2 of the 4 key statistics before it is placed. 30 countries in the Country Index fall short on this topic; every reading the publishers do give for them is still on their profiles.
Are these the publishers’ own rankings?
The underlying numbers and any printed ranks are the publishers’, reproduced without adjustment on each statistic’s page. The standing that combines them is this site’s, and the average it is ordered by is never published — only the position it produces.
How the Governance & Institutions standing is decided, step by step
A standing is a place in a list, not a mark out of anything. This one is part of the Country Index 2026, and it is worked out like this.
- A few key indicators decide it; the rest are context. 4 indicators on this topic are keys and 45 are charted alongside them without a vote. That split is the point: if every statistic voted, importing five more of one kind would quietly change what the topic is about.
- Each key is read at one edition. ⚠ The keys behind this standing do not all describe the same year — they run from 2024 to 2025, because publishers release on their own schedules. Read the standing as “how this country places now”, not as a snapshot of one year.
- Every country’s published value is turned into a place within that one key’s own field, and then expressed as a share of that field — how far down this key’s list the country sits, rather than how many countries are above it. Keys where a higher published number is worse (terrorism, hunger, disaster risk) are turned round first, so the good end is always the same end.
- Dividing by the field first is the whole reason this works. A place carries the size of its list inside it: 22nd of 44 and 108th of 215 are the same showing, and averaging the numbers 22 and 108 says loudly that they are not. Fields on this site run from about 44 countries to about 215, so averaging raw places would reward a country for happening to be measured in small ones. Dividing each place by its own field removes the size and leaves only the showing.
- The shares are averaged, plainly. One key, one vote — no key is weighted above another, because any weighting would be this site’s opinion presented as a measurement. Countries are then put in order by that average, and the average itself is never published. It is our arithmetic with nothing anchoring it, so printing it would invite it to be read as a measurement somebody made. The position it produces, the band, and the keys it was built from are all published instead — every one of them checkable against the tables on this page.
- A country needs 2 of this topic’s 4 keys — half, rounded up, and never fewer than 2. A standing built from one reading, printed beside one built from four, is two different things sharing a column heading. 194 countries clear the bar here.
- A key has to earn its vote every edition. It must measure at least 120 countries (below that it starts measuring who was surveyed rather than the world), it must not have more than 10% of its field tied at either end, and it must not repeat another key in the same topic — Spearman correlation above 0.92 counts as repeating. A topic needs at least 2 surviving keys to place anyone at all; this one has 4.
- A standing is relative, and the grouping is ours. It says where a country places against the others measured alongside it, so it moves when they move. The publishers listed on this page did not agree to be read together, and each measures its subject its own way: the underlying numbers are theirs, the ordering on top is this site’s — the same method as the rest of the Country Index, applied to one subject instead of all of them.
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 45 statistics on this page come from 13 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
The countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- 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). Governance & Institutions: country standings, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/topics/governance