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.

Public Sector Corruption Index in Zambia

Name: Public Sector Corruption Index in Zambia
Creator: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

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

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.

Public Sector Corruption Index in Zambia, year by year

Annual values for Public Sector Corruption Index in Zambia, 1911 to 2025.
Year	Value	Change
1911	0.023	—
1912	0.023	+0.0%
1913	0.023	+0.0%
1914	0.023	+0.0%
1915	0.023	+0.0%
1916	0.023	+0.0%
1917	0.023	+0.0%
1918	0.023	+0.0%
1919	0.023	+0.0%
1920	0.023	+0.0%
1921	0.023	+0.0%
1922	0.023	+0.0%
1923	0.032	+39.1%
1924	0.068	+112.5%
1925	0.068	+0.0%
1926	0.068	+0.0%
1927	0.068	+0.0%
1928	0.068	+0.0%
1929	0.068	+0.0%
1930	0.068	+0.0%
1931	0.068	+0.0%
1932	0.068	+0.0%
1933	0.068	+0.0%
1934	0.068	+0.0%
1935	0.068	+0.0%
1936	0.068	+0.0%
1937	0.068	+0.0%
1938	0.068	+0.0%
1939	0.068	+0.0%
1940	0.068	+0.0%
1941	0.068	+0.0%
1942	0.068	+0.0%
1943	0.068	+0.0%
1944	0.068	+0.0%
1945	0.068	+0.0%
1946	0.068	+0.0%
1947	0.068	+0.0%
1948	0.068	+0.0%
1949	0.068	+0.0%
1950	0.068	+0.0%
1951	0.068	+0.0%
1952	0.068	+0.0%
1953	0.032	-52.9%
1954	0.032	+0.0%
1955	0.032	+0.0%
1956	0.032	+0.0%
1957	0.032	+0.0%
1958	0.032	+0.0%
1959	0.032	+0.0%
1960	0.032	+0.0%
1961	0.032	+0.0%
1962	0.032	+0.0%
1963	0.032	+0.0%
1964	0.185	+478.1%
1965	0.185	+0.0%
1966	0.185	+0.0%
1967	0.185	+0.0%
1968	0.185	+0.0%
1969	0.185	+0.0%
1970	0.185	+0.0%
1971	0.185	+0.0%
1972	0.185	+0.0%
1973	0.185	+0.0%
1974	0.185	+0.0%
1975	0.185	+0.0%
1976	0.185	+0.0%
1977	0.185	+0.0%
1978	0.185	+0.0%
1979	0.185	+0.0%
1980	0.185	+0.0%
1981	0.185	+0.0%
1982	0.185	+0.0%
1983	0.185	+0.0%
1984	0.185	+0.0%
1985	0.185	+0.0%
1986	0.185	+0.0%
1987	0.185	+0.0%
1988	0.185	+0.0%
1989	0.185	+0.0%
1990	0.185	+0.0%
1991	0.501	+170.8%
1992	0.588	+17.4%
1993	0.588	+0.0%
1994	0.588	+0.0%
1995	0.588	+0.0%
1996	0.588	+0.0%
1997	0.588	+0.0%
1998	0.555	-5.6%
1999	0.555	+0.0%
2000	0.555	+0.0%
2001	0.526	-5.2%
2002	0.327	-37.8%
2003	0.327	+0.0%
2004	0.327	+0.0%
2005	0.222	-32.1%
2006	0.222	+0.0%
2007	0.2	-9.9%
2008	0.455	+127.5%
2009	0.455	+0.0%
2010	0.489	+7.5%
2011	0.379	-22.5%
2012	0.181	-52.2%
2013	0.339	+87.3%
2014	0.339	+0.0%
2015	0.421	+24.2%
2016	0.421	+0.0%
2017	0.509	+20.9%
2018	0.686	+34.8%
2019	0.721	+5.1%
2020	0.692	-4.0%
2021	0.658	-4.9%
2022	0.422	-35.9%
2023	0.422	+0.0%
2024	0.556	+31.8%
2025	0.494	-11.2%

Zambia compared with similar countries

Zambia's 0.494 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.693, 71% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Zambia's 0.494 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.692, 71% of the median. (48 countries reporting)

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

88 Burkina Faso 0.519 compare
89 North Macedonia 0.517 compare
90 China 0.498 compare
92 Guyana 0.488 compare
93 Vietnam 0.48 compare
94 Argentina 0.467 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More social development data for Zambia

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 83,225 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 346 (2025)
Political Rights Rating 4 (2025)
Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 4 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 346 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0038 units per person (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)

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.

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Public Sector Corruption Index in Zambia. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 22 September 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/stat/public-sector-corruption-index/zambia/

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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: 18 September 2026

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).