Iran vs Saudi Arabia: Academic Freedom Index
Iran
0.06
in 2025
Saudi Arabia
0.066
in 2025
Iran rank
168th
Saudi Arabia rank
166th
Academic Freedom Index over time
- Iran
- Saudi Arabia
How they compare
Saudi Arabia currently reports 0.066 against 0.06 in Iran, a difference of 0.006.
That makes Saudi Arabia's figure about 1.1 times Iran's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 77 shared years of data; in 1949 it was Iran ahead.
Iran ranks 168th and Saudi Arabia ranks 166th of 174 countries.
Iran has averaged higher in every one of the 9 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Iran | Saudi Arabia | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 0.381 | 0.063 | 0.318 | Iran |
| 1950s | 0.2889 | 0.0514 | 0.2375 | Iran |
| 1960s | 0.201 | 0.051 | 0.15 | Iran |
| 1970s | 0.1921 | 0.0531 | 0.139 | Iran |
| 1980s | 0.0925 | 0.0575 | 0.035 | Iran |
| 1990s | 0.1467 | 0.058 | 0.0887 | Iran |
| 2000s | 0.1453 | 0.0632 | 0.0821 | Iran |
| 2010s | 0.1177 | 0.0585 | 0.0592 | Iran |
| 2020s | 0.0928 | 0.0613 | 0.0315 | Iran |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher academic freedom index, Iran or Saudi Arabia?
- Saudi Arabia, at 0.066 against 0.06 in Iran as of 2025.
- What is the difference in academic freedom index between Iran and Saudi Arabia?
- 0.006, with Saudi Arabia ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Iran and Saudi Arabia?
- 77 years are reported by both, from 1949 to 2025.
- How do Iran and Saudi Arabia rank globally for academic freedom index?
- Iran ranks 168th 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.