Honduras Rule of Law
Rule of Law RL.EST
Honduras's rule of law was -1.10 in 2025, ranked 172nd globally. This represents a 0.1% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank WGI, covering 1996–2025.
Overview
Honduras's rule of law stood at -1.10 in 2025, a decline of +0.00 from 2023. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach -1.10 by 2025. Honduras ranked 172nd globally.
Honduras’ Rule of Law score in the World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators has slipped to –1.10 in 2025, placing the country 172nd out of 193 economies and tying it with Angola at the bottom of the global distribution. The metric, which aggregates perceptions of contract enforcement, property rights, the police, and the courts, has been tracked for 26 years; it began at –0.93 in 1996, improved modestly to a historic high of –0.77 in 2005, and then deteriorated to a low of –1.17 in 2013 before the recent decline. The downward swing since the mid‑2000s mirrors broader governance challenges in the region, where Guatemala records a comparable –1.09 score, underscoring systemic weaknesses in legal institutions across Central America. If reforms that strengthen judicial independence, reduce corruption, and improve police accountability are implemented, Honduras could arrest the current slide and move the indicator back toward its 2005 peak.
Data & projection
| Year | Rule of Law | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* trend | -1.11 | - | - |
| 2025* trend | -1.10 | - | - |
| 2025 | -1.10 | −0.00 | #172 |
| 2023 | -1.10 | −0.08 | #172 |
| 2022 | -1.02 | +0.07 | #167 |
| 2021 | -1.09 | −0.08 | #172 |
| 2020 | -1.01 | +0.03 | #169 |
| 2019 | -1.04 | +0.02 | #173 |
| 2018 | -1.06 | +0.00 | #172 |
| 2017 | -1.06 | +0.08 | #175 |
| 2016 | -1.14 | −0.19 | #180 |
| 2015 | -0.94 | +0.00 | #169 |
| 2014 | -0.94 | +0.23 | #168 |
| 2013 | -1.17 | −0.03 | #180 |
| 2012 | -1.15 | −0.24 | #183 |
| 2011 | -0.91 | −0.03 | #161 |
| 2010 | -0.88 | +0.02 | #157 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Honduras matched the Orthodox Tightening Cycle pattern in 1997. Historically, 57% of countries showing this pattern (177 out of 311) saw rule of law improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Honduras's rule of law was -1.10 in 2025. Ranked 172nd globally. This represents a 0.1% decrease from the previous year.
Honduras's rule of law peaked at -0.77 in 2005.
The lowest rule of law in Honduras was -1.17 in 2013.
Honduras ranks 172nd globally in rule of law as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is RL.EST. Data sourced from World Bank WGI.
Honduras's rule of law is projected to reach -1.10 by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The rule of law of Honduras in 2025 was -1.10. This ranks 172nd in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_honduras_rule-of-law,
title = {Honduras Rule of Law},
url = {https://historysaid.com/honduras/rule-of-law/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}