Regulatory Quality - Ranking 2019
In 2019, Singapore (2.15), Hong Kong SAR, China (1.98), and New Zealand (1.87) ranked highest in regulatory quality among all countries. Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of ranked lowest at -2.42.
Data & analysis
- Singapore — 2.35
- Luxembourg — 2.03
- Denmark — 2.02
- Australia — 1.96
- Macao SAR, China — 1.92
The 2025 World Bank Regulatory Quality index, which measures perceptions of governments’ ability to formulate sound policies, reveals a sharp global divide. The top five are dominated by small, open, and highly developed economies, with Singapore leading at 2.3489 and Luxembourg at 2.0321, both exemplifying efficient, transparent regulatory frameworks that attract investment. Australia’s 1.9638 further underscores the cluster of nations with strong rule of law and minimal bureaucratic obstruction. At the bottom, Eritrea’s score of -2.4937 reflects a structural reality: prolonged political isolation and centralized control that stifle private-sector development and policy adaptability. The data year, 2025, captures these persistent disparities in institutional capacity. As digital governance and climate regulations become more central to economic competitiveness, the leaderboard could be reshuffled by nations that successfully integrate agile, technology-driven rulemaking into their existing legal systems.
| Rank | Country | Value | YoY % |
|---|---|---|---|