Botswana vs Zambia: Academic Freedom Index

Botswana
0.834
in 2025
Zambia
0.844
in 2025
Botswana rank
43rd
Zambia rank
40th

Academic Freedom Index over time

  • Botswana
  • Zambia
00.20.40.60.81196319942025

How they compare

Zambia currently reports 0.844 against 0.834 in Botswana, a difference of 0.01.

The two have swapped places 1 time across 62 shared years of data; in 1964 it was Botswana ahead.

Botswana ranks 43rd and Zambia ranks 40th of 174 countries.

Botswana has averaged higher in every one of the 7 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Botswana Zambia Difference Ahead
1960s 0.867 0.507 0.36 Botswana
1970s 0.8946 0.4751 0.4195 Botswana
1980s 0.8986 0.532 0.3666 Botswana
1990s 0.8976 0.6345 0.2631 Botswana
2000s 0.8843 0.7192 0.1651 Botswana
2010s 0.867 0.696 0.171 Botswana
2020s 0.8625 0.7423 0.1202 Botswana

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher academic freedom index, Botswana or Zambia?
Zambia, at 0.844 against 0.834 in Botswana as of 2025.
What is the difference in academic freedom index between Botswana and Zambia?
0.01, with Zambia ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Botswana and Zambia?
62 years are reported by both, from 1964 to 2025.
How do Botswana and Zambia rank globally for academic freedom index?
Botswana ranks 43rd and Zambia ranks 40th of 174 countries.
Where does this data come from?
V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Academic Freedom Index. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Individual pages

About this data

Indicator
Academic Freedom Index
Source
V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
174 places, 16,942 data points, 1900–2025
Last refreshed

Central estimate of the extent to which academics can research, teach, publish, express opinions, and participate in academic bodies without interference, censorship, or institutional restrictions, and universities exercise institutional autonomy.