Travel Advisory LogoTravelAdvisory
Also see:Puerto Rico Travel AdvisoryPuerto Rico Freedom Score

🇵🇷Puerto Rico Political Stability: 44.1/100

Puerto Rico scores 44.1 out of 100 on the Political Stability Index, rated "Moderate" based on World Bank 2023 Worldwide Governance Indicators across six governance dimensions.

Moderate
Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions

Composite score is the unweighted average of six governance dimensions, each measured on a 0-100 percentile scale.

Governance Indicators

Rule of Law55/100
Regulatory Quality54/100
Voice & Accountability51/100
Political Stability50/100
Control of Corruption38/100
Government Effectiveness17/100

Governance Profile: Puerto Rico

World Bank governance: rule of law 55th percentile, corruption control 38th percentile, political stability 50th percentile.

Puerto Rico's strongest governance dimension is Rule of Law at 55/100, placing it in the upper half globally. This reflects relatively strong confidence in contract enforcement, property rights, police, and courts.

The weakest dimension is Government Effectiveness at 17/100. Limited government effectiveness can mean inconsistent public services and gaps in policy implementation.

A notable 38-point gap between Rule of Law and Government Effectiveness reveals uneven governance. Some institutions function well while others lag significantly. Travelers should be aware that the quality of government services and protections may vary depending on the context.

Puerto Rico's moderate governance scores suggest travelers should prepare for some institutional inconsistency. Public services may be unreliable in certain areas, and regulatory enforcement can be uneven. Travel insurance and advance planning are recommended.

The U.S. State Department currently rates Puerto Rico as Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions). This aligns with a governance profile that, while not without challenges, provides a baseline of institutional functioning.

NA Governance Comparison

Top governance performers in NA based on the corruption composite ranking (weighted: 60% corruption control, 25% rule of law, 15% government effectiveness).

CountryScore
🇨🇦Canada87.2
🇺🇸United States79.6
🇧🇧Barbados68.9
🇬🇱Greenland68.1
🇧🇸Bahamas65.8
🇵🇷Puerto Rico39.1

Common Questions About Puerto Rico's Political Stability

What is Puerto Rico's political stability score?+
Puerto Rico has a composite political stability score of 44.1 out of 100, placing it in the "Moderate" category. This score is the average of six World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators for 2023: Voice & Accountability, Political Stability, Government Effectiveness, Regulatory Quality, Rule of Law, and Control of Corruption.
What do the World Bank governance indicators measure?+
The six indicators come from the World Bank's Worldwide Governance Indicators (WGI) project. Each measures a different dimension of governance on a 0-100 percentile scale. Voice & Accountability captures perceptions of citizen participation and media freedom. Political Stability measures the likelihood of political instability or violence. Government Effectiveness assesses the quality of public services and policy implementation. Regulatory Quality evaluates the government's ability to formulate sound policies. Rule of Law captures confidence in contract enforcement, property rights, and courts. Control of Corruption measures the extent to which public power is exercised for private gain.
How does Puerto Rico's stability affect travel safety?+
Governance indicators provide context beyond traditional travel advisories. Puerto Rico's strongest area is Rule of Law (55/100) and its weakest is Government Effectiveness (17/100). Moderate governance means travelers should expect some inconsistency in public services and regulatory enforcement.
How does Puerto Rico compare to other countries in NA?+
Within NA, Puerto Rico ranks among 6 peer countries with available governance data. Its composite score of 44.1/100 places it in the lower half of the regional ranking.
When was this data last updated?+
The governance data on this page is from the World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators 2023 dataset. The WGI project publishes annual updates covering over 200 countries. This page is refreshed every six hours to incorporate any new data from our sources.

More Puerto Rico Data

Puerto Rico Travel Advisory

Safety ratings, regional breakdown, and entry requirements.

Puerto Rico Freedom Score

Free — 90/100 on the Freedom House index.

Interactive Advisory Map

View all 195 countries color-coded by advisory level.

Official State Dept. Page →

Read the full advisory on travel.state.gov.

Travel Advisory API

Access this data programmatically. Free tier available.

Travel Risk Reports

On-demand country risk PDFs from 6 government sources.