Cannabis Freedom Index

Datasets Society · not part of the score

Government effectiveness

World Bank · 1996 to 2025

A law is only as strong as the state that applies it. The World Bank’s governance indicators estimate how well a state works: the quality of its public services and civil service, and how far it can carry out the policies it makes.[1] On a scale of 0 to 100, Singapore, Japan and Luxembourg score highest in 2025, and South Sudan, Haiti and Sudan lowest; the median is about 52.

It measures capacity, not freedom: an effective state can enforce a harsh law thoroughly, as Singapore does, or run a legal market well.[1] The chart of state capacity sets it beside each score. A weak state may have a strict law on paper and a black market in practice; see also the corruption perceptions index.

Published by
World Bank — Worldwide Governance Indicators, government effectiveness (GOV_WGI_GE.EST and GOV_WGI_GE.SC)
Data
World Bank API
File here
wb-government-effectiveness.csv
See also
The interactive map · The chart · The files and their checksums
of 220 places covered
204
years in the file
1996–2025
the median country
52
places with several years
204

Government effectiveness, on the map

The stronger the blue, the more effective the government, on the World Bank's scale of 0 to 100. Select a country for its profile.

Under 3030–4545–6060–7575 or moreNo World Bank estimate

World Bank, Worldwide Governance Indicators. A measure of state capacity, not of freedom; not part of the score.

Highest · Government effectiveness

  1. Singapore952025
  2. Japan942025
  3. Luxembourg932025

Lowest · Government effectiveness

  1. South Sudan62025
  2. Haiti112025
  3. Sudan122025

Country by country

Each place's latest figure, as on its profile. Select a heading to sort.

Further figures
AfghanistanAsia12of 100estimate -1.97 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
AlbaniaEurope62of 100estimate 0.47 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
AlgeriaAfrica48of 100estimate -0.19 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
AndorraEurope81of 100estimate 1.38 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
AngolaAfrica38of 100estimate -0.71 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
Antigua and BarbudaNorth America61of 100estimate 0.44 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
ArgentinaSouth America58of 100estimate 0.28 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
ArmeniaAsia47of 100estimate -0.24 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
ArubaNorth America71of 100estimate 0.91 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
AustraliaOceania88of 100estimate 1.75 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
AustriaEurope84of 100estimate 1.54 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
AzerbaijanAsia55of 100estimate 0.13 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
BahamasNorth America66of 100estimate 0.65 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
BahrainAsia61of 100estimate 0.42 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
BangladeshAsia43of 100estimate -0.45 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
BarbadosNorth America65of 100estimate 0.61 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
BelarusEurope36of 100estimate -0.80 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
BelgiumEurope79of 100estimate 1.32 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
BelizeNorth America49of 100estimate -0.18 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
BeninAfrica49of 100estimate -0.17 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
BermudaNorth America82of 100estimate 1.47 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
BhutanAsia67of 100estimate 0.71 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
BoliviaSouth America40of 100estimate -0.62 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
Bosnia and HerzegovinaEurope43of 100estimate -0.48 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
BotswanaAfrica61of 100estimate 0.43 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
BrazilSouth America52of 100estimate -0.04 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
BruneiAsia71of 100estimate 0.89 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
BulgariaEurope55of 100estimate 0.13 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
Burkina FasoAfrica36of 100estimate -0.79 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
BurundiAfrica27of 100estimate -1.25 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
Cabo VerdeAfrica63of 100estimate 0.51 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
CambodiaAsia44of 100estimate -0.40 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
CameroonAfrica36of 100estimate -0.80 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
CanadaNorth America88of 100estimate 1.76 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
Cayman IslandsNorth America74of 100estimate 1.06 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
Central African RepublicAfrica19of 100estimate -1.61 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
ChadAfrica31of 100estimate -1.05 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
ChileSouth America74of 100estimate 1.04 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
ChinaAsia65of 100estimate 0.62 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
ColombiaSouth America50of 100estimate -0.09 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
ComorosAfrica29of 100estimate -1.14 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
CongoAfrica28of 100estimate -1.17 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
Costa RicaNorth America61of 100estimate 0.41 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
Côte d'IvoireAfrica47of 100estimate -0.25 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
CroatiaEurope68of 100estimate 0.77 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
CubaNorth America44of 100estimate -0.40 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
CyprusEurope69of 100estimate 0.83 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
CzechiaEurope78of 100estimate 1.24 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
DenmarkEurope92of 100estimate 1.96 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
DjiboutiAfrica42of 100estimate -0.53 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
DominicaNorth America56of 100estimate 0.16 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
Dominican RepublicNorth America53of 100estimate 0.04 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
DR CongoAfrica18of 100estimate -1.68 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
EcuadorSouth America52of 100estimate -0.03 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
EgyptAfrica50of 100estimate -0.11 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
El SalvadorNorth America48of 100estimate -0.23 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
Equatorial GuineaAfrica27of 100estimate -1.23 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
EritreaAfrica21of 100estimate -1.53 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
EstoniaEurope83of 100estimate 1.50 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
EswatiniAfrica35of 100estimate -0.84 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
EthiopiaAfrica40of 100estimate -0.62 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
FijiOceania63of 100estimate 0.53 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
FinlandEurope92of 100estimate 1.94 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
FranceEurope77of 100estimate 1.21 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
GabonAfrica41of 100estimate -0.55 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
GambiaAfrica43of 100estimate -0.43 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
GeorgiaAsia60of 100estimate 0.35 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
GermanyEurope83of 100estimate 1.49 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
GhanaAfrica55of 100estimate 0.13 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
GreeceEurope59of 100estimate 0.32 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
GreenlandNorth America79of 100estimate 1.32 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
GrenadaNorth America52of 100estimate 0.01 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
GuamOceania77of 100estimate 1.21 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
GuatemalaNorth America36of 100estimate -0.78 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
GuineaAfrica34of 100estimate -0.90 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
Guinea-BissauAfrica22of 100estimate -1.47 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
GuyanaSouth America55of 100estimate 0.15 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
HaitiNorth America11of 100estimate -2.04 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
HondurasNorth America40of 100estimate -0.58 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
Hong KongAsia84of 100estimate 1.54 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
HungaryEurope62of 100estimate 0.47 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
IcelandEurope84of 100estimate 1.54 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
IndiaAsia63of 100estimate 0.50 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
IndonesiaAsia58of 100estimate 0.26 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
IranAsia35of 100estimate -0.86 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
IraqAsia32of 100estimate -1.02 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
IrelandEurope86of 100estimate 1.63 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
IsraelAsia77of 100estimate 1.19 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
ItalyEurope71of 100estimate 0.93 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
JamaicaNorth America56of 100estimate 0.19 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
JapanAsia94of 100estimate 2.04 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
JordanAsia55of 100estimate 0.11 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
KazakhstanAsia54of 100estimate 0.10 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
KenyaAfrica51of 100estimate -0.09 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
KiribatiOceania45of 100estimate -0.36 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
KosovoEurope50of 100estimate -0.12 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
KuwaitAsia58of 100estimate 0.26 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
KyrgyzstanAsia35of 100estimate -0.85 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
LaosAsia40of 100estimate -0.59 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
LatviaEurope69of 100estimate 0.83 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
LebanonAsia30of 100estimate -1.10 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
LesothoAfrica39of 100estimate -0.64 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
LiberiaAfrica28of 100estimate -1.17 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
LibyaAfrica22of 100estimate -1.49 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
LiechtensteinEurope86of 100estimate 1.64 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
LithuaniaEurope78of 100estimate 1.24 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
LuxembourgEurope93of 100estimate 1.98 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
MacauAsia76of 100estimate 1.16 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
MadagascarAfrica34of 100estimate -0.87 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
MalawiAfrica40of 100estimate -0.60 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
MalaysiaAsia72of 100estimate 0.96 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
MaldivesAsia47of 100estimate -0.24 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
MaliAfrica24of 100estimate -1.37 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
MaltaEurope68of 100estimate 0.76 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
Marshall IslandsOceania45of 100estimate -0.35 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
MauritaniaAfrica37of 100estimate -0.76 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
MauritiusAfrica70of 100estimate 0.86 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
MexicoNorth America49of 100estimate -0.18 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
MicronesiaOceania51of 100estimate -0.07 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
MoldovaEurope57of 100estimate 0.21 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
MonacoEurope88of 100estimate 1.72 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
MongoliaAsia48of 100estimate -0.21 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
MontenegroEurope62of 100estimate 0.47 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
MoroccoAfrica56of 100estimate 0.18 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
MozambiqueAfrica36of 100estimate -0.81 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
MyanmarAsia19of 100estimate -1.62 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
NamibiaAfrica54of 100estimate 0.10 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
NauruOceania54of 100estimate 0.08 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
NepalAsia37of 100estimate -0.77 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
NetherlandsEurope88of 100estimate 1.74 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
New ZealandOceania91of 100estimate 1.87 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
NicaraguaNorth America34of 100estimate -0.89 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
NigerAfrica35of 100estimate -0.86 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
NigeriaAfrica34of 100estimate -0.91 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
North KoreaAsia25of 100estimate -1.32 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
North MacedoniaEurope56of 100estimate 0.20 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
NorwayEurope90of 100estimate 1.84 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
OmanAsia60of 100estimate 0.38 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
PakistanAsia40of 100estimate -0.61 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
PalauOceania54of 100estimate 0.10 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
PalestineAsia25of 100estimate -1.32 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
PanamaNorth America57of 100estimate 0.22 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
Papua New GuineaOceania38of 100estimate -0.71 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
ParaguaySouth America48of 100estimate -0.23 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
PeruSouth America49of 100estimate -0.14 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
PhilippinesAsia56of 100estimate 0.20 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
PolandEurope69of 100estimate 0.80 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
PortugalEurope73of 100estimate 1.02 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
Puerto RicoNorth America44of 100estimate -0.42 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
QatarAsia73of 100estimate 1.00 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
RomaniaEurope60of 100estimate 0.37 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
RussiaEurope42of 100estimate -0.50 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
RwandaAfrica60of 100estimate 0.36 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
Saint Kitts and NevisNorth America67of 100estimate 0.70 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
Saint LuciaNorth America59of 100estimate 0.32 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesNorth America57of 100estimate 0.22 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
SamoaOceania56of 100estimate 0.20 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
San MarinoEurope70of 100estimate 0.87 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
São Tomé and PríncipeAfrica37of 100estimate -0.77 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
Saudi ArabiaAsia67of 100estimate 0.74 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
SenegalAfrica57of 100estimate 0.25 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
SerbiaEurope53of 100estimate 0.03 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
SeychellesAfrica68of 100estimate 0.77 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
Sierra LeoneAfrica33of 100estimate -0.93 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
SingaporeAsia95of 100estimate 2.09 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
SlovakiaEurope64of 100estimate 0.58 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
SloveniaEurope75of 100estimate 1.10 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
Solomon IslandsOceania35of 100estimate -0.84 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
SomaliaAfrica13of 100estimate -1.91 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
South AfricaAfrica52of 100estimate -0.02 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
South KoreaAsia83of 100estimate 1.50 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
South SudanAfrica6of 100estimate -2.25 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
SpainEurope75of 100estimate 1.13 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
Sri LankaAsia50of 100estimate -0.13 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
SudanAfrica12of 100estimate -1.95 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
SurinameSouth America52of 100estimate -0.01 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
SwedenEurope90of 100estimate 1.82 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
SwitzerlandEurope93of 100estimate 1.97 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
SyriaAsia20of 100estimate -1.59 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
TajikistanAsia38of 100estimate -0.69 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
TanzaniaAfrica47of 100estimate -0.26 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
ThailandAsia58of 100estimate 0.26 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
Timor-LesteAsia41of 100estimate -0.54 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
TogoAfrica35of 100estimate -0.84 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
TongaOceania51of 100estimate -0.06 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
Trinidad and TobagoNorth America57of 100estimate 0.23 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
TunisiaAfrica47of 100estimate -0.28 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
TürkiyeAsia53of 100estimate 0.03 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
TurkmenistanAsia29of 100estimate -1.16 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
TuvaluOceania40of 100estimate -0.60 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
UgandaAfrica46of 100estimate -0.31 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
UkraineEurope40of 100estimate -0.60 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
United Arab EmiratesAsia75of 100estimate 1.13 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
United KingdomEurope78of 100estimate 1.23 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
United StatesNorth America77of 100estimate 1.19 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
UruguaySouth America70of 100estimate 0.86 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
US Virgin IslandsNorth America60of 100estimate 0.35 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
UzbekistanAsia48of 100estimate -0.20 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
VanuatuOceania37of 100estimate -0.75 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
VenezuelaSouth America24of 100estimate -1.39 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
VietnamAsia56of 100estimate 0.18 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
YemenAsia14of 100estimate -1.87 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
ZambiaAfrica44of 100estimate -0.39 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025
ZimbabweAfrica34of 100estimate -0.89 on a scale of −2.5 to 2.5 · 20252025

What is counted, and how the file was made

How well a state works, by the World Bank's estimate: the quality of its public services and civil service, and how far it can carry out the policies it makes. An estimate from about −2.5 to 2.5, and the same on a scale of 0 to 100. A measure of capacity, not of freedom.

Downloaded on 22 October 2026 by scripts/fetch-open-data.py (governance) from the World Bank's API, which keeps the countries with a country file.

The file belongs to World Bank and keeps its terms; cite the publisher when you use it.

References

  1. World Bank — Worldwide Governance Indicators
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