Iran vs South Sudan: Academic Freedom Index
Iran
0.06
in 2025
South Sudan
0.054
in 2025
Iran rank
168th
South Sudan rank
170th
Academic Freedom Index over time
- Iran
- South Sudan
How they compare
Iran currently reports 0.06 against 0.054 in South Sudan, a difference of 0.006.
That makes Iran's figure about 1.1 times South Sudan's.
The two have swapped places 11 times across 114 shared years of data; in 1912 it was South Sudan ahead.
Iran ranks 168th and South Sudan ranks 170th of 174 countries.
Across the 12 decades both report, Iran averaged higher in 5 and South Sudan in 7.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Iran | South Sudan | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 0.0804 | 0.106 | 0.0256 | South Sudan |
| 1920s | 0.0701 | 0.1087 | 0.0386 | South Sudan |
| 1930s | 0.06 | 0.109 | 0.049 | South Sudan |
| 1940s | 0.3099 | 0.1195 | 0.1904 | Iran |
| 1950s | 0.2889 | 0.1703 | 0.1186 | Iran |
| 1960s | 0.201 | 0.224 | 0.023 | South Sudan |
| 1970s | 0.1921 | 0.182 | 0.0101 | Iran |
| 1980s | 0.0925 | 0.2007 | 0.1082 | South Sudan |
| 1990s | 0.1467 | 0.1964 | 0.0497 | South Sudan |
| 2000s | 0.1453 | 0.2096 | 0.0643 | South Sudan |
| 2010s | 0.1177 | 0.0683 | 0.0494 | Iran |
| 2020s | 0.0928 | 0.0653 | 0.0275 | Iran |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher academic freedom index, Iran or South Sudan?
- Iran, at 0.06 against 0.054 in South Sudan as of 2025.
- What is the difference in academic freedom index between Iran and South Sudan?
- 0.006, with Iran ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Iran and South Sudan?
- 114 years are reported by both, from 1912 to 2025.
- How do Iran and South Sudan rank globally for academic freedom index?
- Iran ranks 168th and South Sudan ranks 170th 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.