Which has higher academic freedom index, New Zealand or Zambia?

New Zealand, at 0.847 against 0.844 in Zambia as of 2025.

How many years of comparable data are there for New Zealand and Zambia?

63 years are reported by both, from 1963 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.

New Zealand vs Zambia: Academic Freedom Index

New Zealand

0.847

in 2025

Zambia

0.844

in 2025

New Zealand rank

39th

Zambia rank

40th

Academic Freedom Index over time

New Zealand
Zambia

How they compare

New Zealand currently reports 0.847 against 0.844 in Zambia, a difference of 0.003.

The two have swapped places 2 times across 63 shared years of data; in 1963 it was New Zealand ahead.

New Zealand ranks 39th and Zambia ranks 40th of 174 countries.

New Zealand has averaged higher in every one of the 7 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade	New Zealand	Zambia	Difference	Ahead
1960s	0.8387	0.5034	0.3353	New Zealand
1970s	0.8418	0.4751	0.3667	New Zealand
1980s	0.8768	0.532	0.3448	New Zealand
1990s	0.8919	0.6345	0.2574	New Zealand
2000s	0.893	0.7192	0.1738	New Zealand
2010s	0.8923	0.696	0.1963	New Zealand
2020s	0.8312	0.7423	0.0888	New Zealand

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher academic freedom index, New Zealand or Zambia?: New Zealand, at 0.847 against 0.844 in Zambia as of 2025.
What is the difference in academic freedom index between New Zealand and Zambia?: 0.003, with New Zealand ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for New Zealand and Zambia?: 63 years are reported by both, from 1963 to 2025.
How do New Zealand and Zambia rank globally for academic freedom index?: New Zealand ranks 39th and Zambia ranks 40th 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.

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New Zealand vs Zambia: Academic Freedom Index. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 08 November 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/compare/academic-freedom-index/new-zealand/zambia/

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<a href="https://social-development.statizoid.com/compare/academic-freedom-index/new-zealand/zambia/">New Zealand vs Zambia: Academic Freedom Index</a> — Statizoid

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: 30 October 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.