Governance Matters IV: Governance Indicators 1996-2004

This file contains aggregate indicators of six dimensions of governance. The indicators are constructed using an unobserved components methodology described in detail in the paper. The six governance indicators are measured in units ranging from about -2.5 to 2.5, with higher values corresponding to better governance outcomes. The column labeled "Est." provides the point estimate. The column labeled "S. E." contains the corresponding standard error. The column labeled "N" contains the number of individual sources of governance data in which each country appears. Details on the concepts measured by each indicator, its components, and the interpretation of the point estimates and standard errors can be found in the accompanying paper.

The governance indicators presented here reflect the statistical compilation of responses on the quality of governance given by a large number of enterprise, citizen and expert survey respondents in industrial and developing countries, as reported by a number of survey institutes, think tanks, non-governmental organizations, and international organizations. The aggregate indicators in no way reflect the official position of the World Bank, its Executive Directors, or the countries they represent. As discussed in detail in the accompanying papers, countries' relative positions on these indicators are subject to margins of error that are clearly indicated. Consequently, precise country rankings should not be inferred from this data.