Afghanistan Rule of Law
Rule of Law RL.EST
Afghanistan's rule of law was -1.61 in 2025, ranked 191st globally. This represents a 2.4% increase from 2024. Data from World Bank WGI, covering 1996–2025.
Overview
Afghanistan's rule of law stood at -1.61 in 2025, a rise of +0.04 from 2023. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach -1.61 by 2025. Afghanistan ranked 191st globally.
Afghanistan’s rule of law score, as measured by the World Bank’s Worldwide Governance Indicators, stood at -1.61 in 2025, ranking 191st globally, reflecting persistent institutional fragility. Over a 26-year period from 1996 (-1.79) to 2025, the country experienced modest fluctuations, reaching its all-time peak in 2014 (-1.44), a period marked by international engagement and state-building efforts, before declining to a low of -1.92 in 2011 amid deteriorating security and governance. The 2025 value indicates a continued erosion of legal frameworks and judicial independence, placing Afghanistan below peer nations such as Turkmenistan (-1.55) and slightly behind the Democratic Republic of the Congo (-1.56). Compared to similarly ranked states like Haiti (-1.65) and North Korea (-1.65), Afghanistan’s trajectory remains constrained by conflict, political instability, and weak institutional capacity. The modest improvement seen during the early 2010s has not been sustained, and recent developments suggest further setbacks. Without structural reforms, enhanced accountability, and reduced conflict, the rule of law in Afghanistan is unlikely to show meaningful improvement in the near term.
Data & projection
| Year | Rule of Law | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* trend | -1.57 | - | - |
| 2025* trend | -1.61 | - | - |
| 2025 | -1.61 | +0.04 | #191 |
| 2023 | -1.65 | +0.01 | #193 |
| 2022 | -1.66 | +0.22 | #193 |
| 2021 | -1.88 | −0.05 | #200 |
| 2020 | -1.83 | −0.09 | #199 |
| 2019 | -1.74 | −0.05 | #195 |
| 2018 | -1.69 | −0.11 | #195 |
| 2017 | -1.58 | −0.06 | #193 |
| 2016 | -1.52 | −0.01 | #192 |
| 2015 | -1.52 | −0.08 | #195 |
| 2014 | -1.44 | +0.17 | #193 |
| 2013 | -1.61 | +0.04 | #200 |
| 2012 | -1.65 | +0.27 | #201 |
| 2011 | -1.92 | −0.05 | #202 |
| 2010 | -1.87 | +0.01 | #201 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Afghanistan matched the Stagflation Risk pattern in 2022. Historically, 38% of countries showing this pattern (117 out of 307) saw rule of law improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Afghanistan's rule of law was -1.61 in 2025. Ranked 191st globally. This represents a 2.4% increase from the previous year.
Afghanistan's rule of law peaked at -1.44 in 2014.
The lowest rule of law in Afghanistan was -1.92 in 2011.
Afghanistan ranks 191st globally in rule of law as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is RL.EST. Data sourced from World Bank WGI.
Afghanistan's rule of law is projected to reach -1.61 by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The rule of law of Afghanistan in 2025 was -1.61. This ranks 191st in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_afghanistan_rule-of-law,
title = {Afghanistan Rule of Law},
url = {https://historysaid.com/afghanistan/rule-of-law/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}