Public Sector Corruption Index in Zambia
Zambia: Public Sector Corruption Index was 0.494 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Public Sector Corruption Index in Zambia, 1911–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Zambia recorded 0.494 for public sector corruption index in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 11.2% on the previous year and up 17.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, public sector corruption index in Zambia peaked at 0.721 in 2019 and was at its lowest, 0.023, in 1911.
Zambia ranks 91st of 176 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 0.023 | 0.023 | 0.023 | 9 |
| 1920s | 0.0509 | 0.023 | 0.068 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.068 | 0.068 | 0.068 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.068 | 0.068 | 0.068 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.0428 | 0.032 | 0.068 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.1238 | 0.032 | 0.185 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.185 | 0.185 | 0.185 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.185 | 0.185 | 0.185 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.5324 | 0.185 | 0.588 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.3616 | 0.2 | 0.555 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.4485 | 0.181 | 0.721 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.5407 | 0.422 | 0.692 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More social development data for Zambia
- Political Rights Rating 4 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy 83,225 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 346 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Key features of democracy 0.497 (2025)
- Freedom of Expression Index 0.778 (2025)
- Freedom of Association Index 0.746 (2025)
- Electoral Democracy Index 0.497 (2025)
- Participatory Democracy Index 0.348 (2025)
- Liberal Democracy Index 0.375 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is public sector corruption index in Zambia?
- Public sector corruption index in Zambia was 0.494 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest public sector corruption index recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 0.721 in 2019.
- What is the lowest public sector corruption index recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.023 in 1911.
- How does Zambia rank for public sector corruption index?
- Zambia ranks 91st out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is public sector corruption index rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Public Sector Corruption Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 115 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Data by V-Dem. Expert estimates of the extent to which public sector employees engage in bribery and theft. The index ranges from 0 to 1 (highly corrupt).