Which has higher academic freedom index, Canada or Sierra Leone?

Sierra Leone, at 0.862 against 0.854 in Canada as of 2025.

What is the difference in academic freedom index between Canada and Sierra Leone?

0.008, with Sierra Leone ahead.

How many years of comparable data are there for Canada and Sierra Leone?

126 years are reported by both, from 1900 to 2025.

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.

Canada vs Sierra Leone: Academic Freedom Index

Canada

0.854

in 2025

Sierra Leone

0.862

in 2025

Canada rank

33rd

Sierra Leone rank

32nd

Academic Freedom Index over time

Canada
Sierra Leone

How they compare

Sierra Leone currently reports 0.862 against 0.854 in Canada, a difference of 0.008.

The two have swapped places 3 times across 126 shared years of data; in 1900 it was Canada ahead.

Canada ranks 33rd and Sierra Leone ranks 32nd of 174 countries.

Canada has averaged higher in every one of the 13 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Canada	Sierra Leone	Difference	Ahead
1900s	0.739	0.478	0.261	Canada
1910s	0.733	0.478	0.255	Canada
1920s	0.755	0.478	0.277	Canada
1930s	0.7529	0.478	0.2749	Canada
1940s	0.7818	0.478	0.3038	Canada
1950s	0.8588	0.4764	0.3824	Canada
1960s	0.922	0.5879	0.3341	Canada
1970s	0.9375	0.4446	0.4929	Canada
1980s	0.938	0.432	0.506	Canada
1990s	0.9264	0.4682	0.4582	Canada
2000s	0.9185	0.8156	0.1029	Canada
2010s	0.913	0.8592	0.0538	Canada
2020s	0.87	0.8622	0.0078	Canada

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher academic freedom index, Canada or Sierra Leone?: Sierra Leone, at 0.862 against 0.854 in Canada as of 2025.
What is the difference in academic freedom index between Canada and Sierra Leone?: 0.008, with Sierra Leone ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Canada and Sierra Leone?: 126 years are reported by both, from 1900 to 2025.
How do Canada and Sierra Leone rank globally for academic freedom index?: Canada ranks 33rd and Sierra Leone ranks 32nd 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: 07 August 2026

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.