St. Kitts and Nevis Rule of Law
Rule of Law RL.EST
St. Kitts and Nevis's rule of law was 0.51 in 2025, ranked 65th globally. This represents a 7.0% increase from 2024. Data from World Bank WGI, covering 1996–2025.
Overview
St. Kitts and Nevis's rule of law stood at 0.51 in 2025, a rise of +0.03 from 2023. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 0.51 by 2025. St. Kitts and Nevis ranked 65th globally.
St. Kitts and Nevis has experienced fluctuations in the Rule of Law index, as measured by the World Bank's Worldwide Governance Indicators (WGI). The country's score peaked in 2009 at 0.99, a strong indicator of a stable and just legal system. However, the score dipped to a low of -0.67 in 2014, a significant decline that suggests a breakdown in the rule of law. Since then, the score has improved, reaching 0.51 in 2025, placing the country 65th globally. For comparison, Cyprus, a peer country, has a score of 0.55. The improvement in St. Kitts and Nevis' score suggests that the country is moving in the right direction, but its trajectory remains uncertain. A sustained investment in the country's justice system, particularly in areas such as judicial independence and corruption control, would likely contribute to further improvement in the Rule of Law index.
Data & projection
| Year | Rule of Law | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* trend | 0.52 | - | - |
| 2025* trend | 0.51 | - | - |
| 2025 | 0.51 | +0.03 | #65 |
| 2023 | 0.48 | −0.02 | #67 |
| 2022 | 0.50 | +0.05 | #66 |
| 2021 | 0.45 | −0.03 | #66 |
| 2020 | 0.48 | +0.05 | #68 |
| 2019 | 0.44 | −0.08 | #69 |
| 2018 | 0.52 | +0.02 | #61 |
| 2017 | 0.50 | +0.04 | #63 |
| 2016 | 0.46 | −0.03 | #63 |
| 2015 | 0.49 | +1.16 | #63 |
| 2014 | -0.67 | −1.65 | #141 |
| 2013 | 0.97 | +0.00 | #38 |
| 2012 | 0.97 | −0.01 | #41 |
| 2011 | 0.98 | +0.00 | #41 |
| 2010 | 0.98 | −0.02 | #39 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
St. Kitts and Nevis matched the Fiscal Dominance Trap pattern in 1981. Historically, 72% of countries showing this pattern (278 out of 386) saw rule of law improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
St. Kitts and Nevis's rule of law was 0.51 in 2025. Ranked 65th globally. This represents a 7.0% increase from the previous year.
St. Kitts and Nevis's rule of law peaked at 0.99 in 2009.
The lowest rule of law in St. Kitts and Nevis was -0.67 in 2014.
St. Kitts and Nevis ranks 65th globally in rule of law as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is RL.EST. Data sourced from World Bank WGI.
St. Kitts and Nevis's rule of law is projected to reach 0.51 by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The rule of law of St. Kitts and Nevis in 2025 was 0.51. This ranks 65th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_st-kitts-and-nevis_rule-of-law,
title = {St. Kitts and Nevis Rule of Law},
url = {https://historysaid.com/st-kitts-and-nevis/rule-of-law/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}