China vs Saudi Arabia: Academic Freedom Index
China
0.071
in 2025
Saudi Arabia
0.066
in 2025
China rank
165th
Saudi Arabia rank
166th
Academic Freedom Index over time
- China
- Saudi Arabia
How they compare
China currently reports 0.071 against 0.066 in Saudi Arabia, a difference of 0.005.
That makes China's figure about 1.1 times Saudi Arabia's.
The two have swapped places 6 times across 77 shared years of data; in 1949 it was China ahead.
China ranks 165th and Saudi Arabia ranks 166th of 174 countries.
Across the 9 decades both report, China averaged higher in 7 and Saudi Arabia in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | Saudi Arabia | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 0.379 | 0.063 | 0.316 | China |
| 1950s | 0.0665 | 0.0514 | 0.0151 | China |
| 1960s | 0.0348 | 0.051 | 0.0162 | Saudi Arabia |
| 1970s | 0.0471 | 0.0531 | 0.006 | Saudi Arabia |
| 1980s | 0.2837 | 0.0575 | 0.2262 | China |
| 1990s | 0.245 | 0.058 | 0.187 | China |
| 2000s | 0.2814 | 0.0632 | 0.2182 | China |
| 2010s | 0.1366 | 0.0585 | 0.0781 | China |
| 2020s | 0.0687 | 0.0613 | 0.0073 | China |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher academic freedom index, China or Saudi Arabia?
- China, at 0.071 against 0.066 in Saudi Arabia as of 2025.
- What is the difference in academic freedom index between China and Saudi Arabia?
- 0.005, with China ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and Saudi Arabia?
- 77 years are reported by both, from 1949 to 2025.
- How do China and Saudi Arabia rank globally for academic freedom index?
- China ranks 165th and Saudi Arabia ranks 166th 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
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.