Tonga Rule of Law
Rule of Law RL.EST
Tonga's rule of law was 0.59 in 2025, ranked 61st globally. This represents a 8.3% increase from 2024. Data from World Bank WGI, covering 1996–2025.
Overview
Tonga's rule of law stood at 0.59 in 2025, a rise of +0.05 from 2023. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 0.59 by 2025. Tonga ranked 61st globally.
Tonga's rule of law score, as measured by the World Bank's Worldwide Governance Indicators, stood at 0.59 in 2025, ranking the country 61st globally. This reflects a partial recovery from its all-time low of –0.22 recorded in 2015, a period marked by political instability and institutional weaknesses. The country's highest score of 0.88 was reached in 1998, indicating a significant decline over the subsequent two decades before recent improvements. Compared to peer nations, Tonga's performance is closely aligned with Malaysia and Malta, both at 0.61, and slightly ahead of Seychelles at 0.57. The 26-year data coverage reveals persistent volatility, with the early post-independence years showing stronger institutional resilience than the 2000s and early 2010s. While the recent uptick suggests modest progress in legal framework enforcement and judicial independence, sustained gains will depend on deeper institutional reforms, transparency in public administration, and consistent application of laws across all levels of society. Without such measures, the current trend may remain fragile.
Data & projection
| Year | Rule of Law | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* trend | 0.61 | - | - |
| 2025* trend | 0.59 | - | - |
| 2025 | 0.59 | +0.05 | #61 |
| 2023 | 0.55 | −0.05 | #65 |
| 2022 | 0.60 | +0.17 | #61 |
| 2021 | 0.43 | −0.06 | #70 |
| 2020 | 0.49 | −0.00 | #66 |
| 2019 | 0.50 | +0.07 | #63 |
| 2018 | 0.43 | +0.13 | #66 |
| 2017 | 0.30 | −0.00 | #77 |
| 2016 | 0.30 | +0.52 | #78 |
| 2015 | -0.22 | −0.06 | #104 |
| 2014 | -0.16 | −0.18 | #99 |
| 2013 | 0.02 | +0.04 | #89 |
| 2012 | -0.02 | −0.03 | #90 |
| 2011 | 0.01 | −0.09 | #89 |
| 2010 | 0.10 | +0.17 | #84 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Tonga matched the Fiscal Dominance Trap pattern in 2022. 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
Tonga's rule of law was 0.59 in 2025. Ranked 61st globally. This represents a 8.3% increase from the previous year.
Tonga's rule of law peaked at 0.88 in 1998.
The lowest rule of law in Tonga was -0.22 in 2015.
Tonga ranks 61st globally in rule of law as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is RL.EST. Data sourced from World Bank WGI.
Tonga's rule of law is projected to reach 0.59 by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The rule of law of Tonga in 2025 was 0.59. This ranks 61st in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_tonga_rule-of-law,
title = {Tonga Rule of Law},
url = {https://historysaid.com/tonga/rule-of-law/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}