Public Sector Corruption Index in Zambia

Zambia: Public Sector Corruption Index was 0.494 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)
0.494
Change on year
down 11.2%
World rank
91st
of 176 countries
All-time high
0.721
in 2019
All-time low
0.023
in 1911
Years of data
115
1911–2025

Public Sector Corruption Index in Zambia, 1911–2025

00.20.40.60.8191119682025

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

DecadeAverage LowestHighest 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

  1. 88 Burkina Faso 0.519 compare
  2. 89 North Macedonia 0.517 compare
  3. 90 China 0.498 compare
  4. 92 Guyana 0.488 compare
  5. 93 Vietnam 0.48 compare
  6. 94 Argentina 0.467 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More social development data for Zambia

All data for Zambia →

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

Indicator
Public Sector Corruption Index
Source
V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
176 places, 25,541 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed

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).