Sri Lanka Rule of Law
Rule of Law RL.EST
Sri Lanka's rule of law was -0.14 in 2025, ranked 111th globally. This represents a 59.8% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank WGI, covering 1996–2025.
Overview
Sri Lanka's rule of law stood at -0.14 in 2025, a decline of +0.05 from 2023. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach -0.14 by 2025. Sri Lanka ranked 111th globally.
Sri Lanka's Rule of Law has exhibited significant fluctuations over the past 26 years, according to the World Bank's Worldwide Governance Indicators. The country's all-time peak of 0.34 in 2002 suggests a relatively stable period, but this was short-lived as the indicator plummeted to an all-time trough of -0.27 in 2013. Since then, Sri Lanka's Rule of Law has shown a modest recovery, with a latest value of -0.14 in 2025, ranking it #111 globally. This trajectory is comparable to that of Mongolia, which shares a similar ranking and value. Sri Lanka's performance contrasts with Viet Nam, which has maintained a relatively stable Rule of Law score over the same period. To reverse the current negative trend, Sri Lanka would need to address the persistent issues of corruption and judicial inefficiency, which have hindered the development of an effective and just rule of law system.
Data & projection
| Year | Rule of Law | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* trend | -0.18 | - | - |
| 2025* trend | -0.14 | - | - |
| 2025 | -0.14 | −0.05 | #111 |
| 2023 | -0.09 | −0.03 | #101 |
| 2022 | -0.06 | −0.07 | #96 |
| 2021 | 0.02 | +0.02 | #93 |
| 2020 | -0.01 | −0.05 | #92 |
| 2019 | 0.04 | +0.04 | #92 |
| 2018 | 0.00 | −0.03 | #93 |
| 2017 | 0.03 | −0.08 | #92 |
| 2016 | 0.11 | +0.08 | #86 |
| 2015 | 0.03 | +0.18 | #85 |
| 2014 | -0.15 | +0.12 | #98 |
| 2013 | -0.27 | −0.15 | #108 |
| 2012 | -0.11 | +0.00 | #96 |
| 2011 | -0.12 | +0.00 | #96 |
| 2010 | -0.12 | −0.02 | #98 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Sri Lanka matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2024. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw rule of law improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Sri Lanka's rule of law was -0.14 in 2025. Ranked 111th globally. This represents a 59.8% decrease from the previous year.
Sri Lanka's rule of law peaked at 0.34 in 2002.
The lowest rule of law in Sri Lanka was -0.27 in 2013.
Sri Lanka ranks 111th globally in rule of law as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is RL.EST. Data sourced from World Bank WGI.
Sri Lanka's rule of law is projected to reach -0.14 by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The rule of law of Sri Lanka in 2025 was -0.14. This ranks 111th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_sri-lanka_rule-of-law,
title = {Sri Lanka Rule of Law},
url = {https://historysaid.com/sri-lanka/rule-of-law/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}