Judicial Corruption Score in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Judicial Corruption Score was -1.19 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
-1.19
Change on year
down 40.2%
World rank
139th
of 176 countries
All-time high
1.15
in 1900
All-time low
-1.82
in 2023
Years of data
126
1900–2025
Judicial Corruption Score in Zimbabwe, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Zimbabwe recorded -1.19 for judicial corruption score in 2025.
That represents a change of down 40.2% on the previous year and down 643.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, judicial corruption score in Zimbabwe peaked at 1.15 in 1900 and was at its lowest, -1.82, in 2023.
That places Zimbabwe 139th out of 176 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Judicial Corruption Score in Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 1.15 | — |
| 1901 | 1.15 | +0.0% |
| 1902 | 1.15 | +0.0% |
| 1903 | 1.15 | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 1.15 | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 1.15 | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 1.15 | +0.0% |
| 1907 | 1.15 | +0.0% |
| 1908 | 1.15 | +0.0% |
| 1909 | 1.15 | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 1.15 | +0.0% |
| 1911 | 1.15 | +0.0% |
| 1912 | 1.15 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 1.15 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 1.15 | +0.0% |
| 1915 | 1.15 | +0.0% |
| 1916 | 1.15 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 1.15 | +0.0% |
| 1918 | 1.15 | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 1.15 | +0.0% |
| 1920 | 1.15 | +0.0% |
| 1921 | 1.15 | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 1.15 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 0.953 | -16.8% |
| 1924 | 0.953 | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 0.953 | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 0.953 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 0.953 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 0.953 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 0.953 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 0.953 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 0.953 | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 0.953 | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 0.953 | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 0.953 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 0.953 | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 0.953 | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 0.953 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 0.953 | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 0.953 | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 0.953 | +0.0% |
| 1941 | 0.953 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 0.953 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 0.953 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 0.953 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 0.953 | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 0.953 | +0.0% |
| 1947 | 0.953 | +0.0% |
| 1948 | 0.953 | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 0.953 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 0.953 | +0.0% |
| 1951 | 0.953 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 0.953 | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 0.953 | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 0.953 | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 0.953 | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 0.953 | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 0.953 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 0.953 | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 0.953 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 0.953 | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 0.953 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 0.953 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 0.953 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 0.953 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 0.8 | -16.1% |
| 1966 | 0.8 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 0.8 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 0.8 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 0.8 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 0.8 | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 0.8 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 0.8 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 0.8 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 0.8 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 0.8 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 0.8 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 0.8 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 0.8 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 0.8 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 0.067 | -91.6% |
| 1981 | 0.067 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 0.067 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 0.067 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 0.067 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 0.067 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 0.067 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 0.067 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 0.067 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 0.067 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 0.067 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 0.067 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 0.067 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 0.067 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 0.067 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 0.067 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.067 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 0.067 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.067 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 0.067 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | -0.154 | -329.9% |
| 2001 | -0.154 | -0.0% |
| 2002 | -0.154 | -0.0% |
| 2003 | -0.154 | -0.0% |
| 2004 | -0.154 | -0.0% |
| 2005 | -0.154 | -0.0% |
| 2006 | -0.154 | -0.0% |
| 2007 | -0.154 | -0.0% |
| 2008 | -0.154 | -0.0% |
| 2009 | -0.154 | -0.0% |
| 2010 | -0.154 | -0.0% |
| 2011 | -0.154 | -0.0% |
| 2012 | -0.154 | -0.0% |
| 2013 | 0.218 | -241.6% |
| 2014 | 0.218 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 0.218 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | -0.073 | -133.5% |
| 2017 | -0.073 | -0.0% |
| 2018 | -0.621 | +750.7% |
| 2019 | -0.621 | -0.0% |
| 2020 | -1.02 | +64.9% |
| 2021 | -1.02 | -0.0% |
| 2022 | -0.671 | -34.5% |
| 2023 | -1.82 | +171.7% |
| 2024 | -0.845 | -53.6% |
| 2025 | -1.19 | +40.2% |
Zimbabwe compared with similar countries
- Zimbabwe's -1.19 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is -1.01, 1.2× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Zimbabwe's -1.19 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is -0.632, 1.9× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 1.15 | 1.15 | 1.15 | 10 |
| 1910s | 1.15 | 1.15 | 1.15 | 10 |
| 1920s | 1.01 | 0.953 | 1.15 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.953 | 0.953 | 0.953 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.953 | 0.953 | 0.953 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.953 | 0.953 | 0.953 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.8765 | 0.8 | 0.953 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.067 | 0.067 | 0.067 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.067 | 0.067 | 0.067 | 10 |
| 2000s | -0.154 | -0.154 | -0.154 | 10 |
| 2010s | -0.1196 | -0.621 | 0.218 | 10 |
| 2020s | -1.1 | -1.82 | -0.671 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
- 136 Laos -1.12 compare
- 137 Paraguay -1.14 compare
- 138 Kyrgyzstan -1.17 compare
- 140 Djibouti -1.19 compare
- 140 Kazakhstan -1.19 compare
- 142 Madagascar -1.2 compare
More social development data for Zimbabwe
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 8,570 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 6,632 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 6 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 6 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0004 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 6,632 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0005 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is judicial corruption score in Zimbabwe?
- Judicial corruption score in Zimbabwe was -1.19 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest judicial corruption score recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 1.15 in 1900.
- What is the lowest judicial corruption score recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.82 in 2023.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for judicial corruption score?
- Zimbabwe ranks 139th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is judicial corruption score rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 643.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zimbabwe data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Judicial Corruption Score. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 126 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Data by V-Dem. Expert estimates of how often individuals or businesses make undocumented extra payments or bribes to obtain a favorable judicial decision, or speed up or delay the process. Higher scores mean less corruption. A score of 0 is approximately the average across all countries and years.