South Africa vs Sri Lanka: Academic freedom index
South Africa
0.831
in 2025
Sri Lanka
0.828
in 2025
South Africa rank
44th
Sri Lanka rank
46th
Academic freedom index over time
- South Africa
- Sri Lanka
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 0.831 against 0.828 in Sri Lanka, a difference of 0.003.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 126 shared years of data; in 1900 it was Sri Lanka ahead.
South Africa ranks 44th and Sri Lanka ranks 46th of 174 countries.
Across the 13 decades both report, South Africa averaged higher in 3 and Sri Lanka in 10.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Africa | Sri Lanka | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 0.424 | 0.582 | 0.158 | Sri Lanka |
| 1910s | 0.424 | 0.582 | 0.158 | Sri Lanka |
| 1920s | 0.424 | 0.582 | 0.158 | Sri Lanka |
| 1930s | 0.424 | 0.582 | 0.158 | Sri Lanka |
| 1940s | 0.3842 | 0.7381 | 0.3539 | Sri Lanka |
| 1950s | 0.1874 | 0.8022 | 0.6148 | Sri Lanka |
| 1960s | 0.185 | 0.7922 | 0.6072 | Sri Lanka |
| 1970s | 0.185 | 0.724 | 0.539 | Sri Lanka |
| 1980s | 0.1995 | 0.6914 | 0.4919 | Sri Lanka |
| 1990s | 0.6632 | 0.744 | 0.0808 | Sri Lanka |
| 2000s | 0.9203 | 0.6176 | 0.3027 | South Africa |
| 2010s | 0.8461 | 0.6124 | 0.2337 | South Africa |
| 2020s | 0.8355 | 0.6962 | 0.1393 | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher academic freedom index, South Africa or Sri Lanka?
- South Africa, at 0.831 against 0.828 in Sri Lanka as of 2025.
- What is the difference in academic freedom index between South Africa and Sri Lanka?
- 0.003, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and Sri Lanka?
- 126 years are reported by both, from 1900 to 2025.
- How do South Africa and Sri Lanka rank globally for academic freedom index?
- South Africa ranks 44th and Sri Lanka ranks 46th of 174 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Our World in Data, published as Academic freedom index. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.