Kiribati Rule of Law
Rule of Law RL.EST
Kiribati's rule of law was 0.45 in 2025, ranked 72nd globally. This represents a 23.8% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank WGI, covering 1996–2025.
Overview
Kiribati's rule of law stood at 0.45 in 2025, a decline of +0.14 from 2023. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 0.45 by 2025. Kiribati ranked 72nd globally.
Kiribati’s Rule of Law score on the World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators has slipped from an early‑1996 high of 0.81 to a 2025 value of 0.45, placing it 72nd in the global ranking. The index peaked at 1.01 in 2020, a brief improvement that followed a historic low of –0.15 in 2015, suggesting that institutional weaknesses intensified during the mid‑2010s before a modest rebound. Over the 26‑year coverage period, the downward trajectory has left Kiribati on par with Bahrain (0.45) and Barbados (0.45) and slightly below Poland (0.46) and Romania (0.43), underscoring a convergence with other small island economies that face similar governance challenges. Persistent constraints such as limited judicial capacity, vulnerability to climate‑related disruptions, and fiscal pressures have hampered the rule‑of‑law environment. Strengthening legal frameworks, enhancing transparency, and building climate‑resilient institutions could reverse the current trend and lift Kiribati’s score in the coming years.
Data & projection
| Year | Rule of Law | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* trend | 0.36 | - | - |
| 2025* trend | 0.45 | - | - |
| 2025 | 0.45 | −0.14 | #72 |
| 2023 | 0.59 | −0.04 | #62 |
| 2022 | 0.63 | −0.26 | #59 |
| 2021 | 0.89 | −0.13 | #41 |
| 2020 | 1.01 | +0.19 | #35 |
| 2019 | 0.82 | +0.24 | #44 |
| 2018 | 0.58 | −0.01 | #55 |
| 2017 | 0.59 | +0.29 | #57 |
| 2016 | 0.30 | +0.45 | #79 |
| 2015 | -0.15 | −0.05 | #94 |
| 2014 | -0.10 | −0.33 | #92 |
| 2013 | 0.23 | +0.05 | #80 |
| 2012 | 0.18 | +0.06 | #80 |
| 2011 | 0.12 | +0.06 | #82 |
| 2010 | 0.06 | −0.08 | #87 |
Analysis
Kiribati's rule of law was 0.45 in 2025, a decline of −0.14 from 2024. Based on trends, estimated 0.45 by 2025.
Frequently Asked Questions
Kiribati's rule of law was 0.45 in 2025. Ranked 72nd globally. This represents a 23.8% decrease from the previous year.
Kiribati's rule of law peaked at 1.01 in 2020.
The lowest rule of law in Kiribati was -0.15 in 2015.
Kiribati ranks 72nd globally in rule of law as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is RL.EST. Data sourced from World Bank WGI.
Kiribati's rule of law is projected to reach 0.45 by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The rule of law of Kiribati in 2025 was 0.45. This ranks 72nd in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_kiribati_rule-of-law,
title = {Kiribati Rule of Law},
url = {https://historysaid.com/kiribati/rule-of-law/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}