Which has higher academic freedom index, China or Iran?

China, at 0.071 against 0.06 in Iran as of 2025.

How many years of comparable data are there for China and Iran?

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.

China vs Iran: Academic Freedom Index

China

0.071

in 2025

Iran

0.06

in 2025

China rank

165th

Iran rank

168th

Academic Freedom Index over time

China
Iran

How they compare

China currently reports 0.071 against 0.06 in Iran, a difference of 0.011.

That makes China's figure about 1.2 times Iran's.

The two have swapped places 4 times across 126 shared years of data; in 1900 it was China ahead.

China ranks 165th and Iran ranks 168th of 174 countries.

Across the 13 decades both report, China averaged higher in 9 and Iran in 4.

Head to head by decade

Decade	China	Iran	Difference	Ahead
1900s	0.3902	0.0715	0.3187	China
1910s	0.4967	0.0807	0.416	China
1920s	0.5249	0.0701	0.4548	China
1930s	0.4901	0.06	0.4301	China
1940s	0.4489	0.3099	0.139	China
1950s	0.0665	0.2889	0.2224	Iran
1960s	0.0348	0.201	0.1662	Iran
1970s	0.0471	0.1921	0.145	Iran
1980s	0.2837	0.0925	0.1912	China
1990s	0.245	0.1467	0.0983	China
2000s	0.2814	0.1453	0.1361	China
2010s	0.1366	0.1177	0.0189	China
2020s	0.0687	0.0928	0.0242	Iran

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher academic freedom index, China or Iran?: China, at 0.071 against 0.06 in Iran as of 2025.
What is the difference in academic freedom index between China and Iran?: 0.011, with China ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for China and Iran?: 126 years are reported by both, from 1900 to 2025.
How do China and Iran rank globally for academic freedom index?: China ranks 165th and Iran ranks 168th 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.