Which has higher freedom of expression index, Afghanistan or Nicaragua?

Afghanistan, at 0.022 against 0.018 in Nicaragua as of 2025.

How many years of comparable data are there for Afghanistan and Nicaragua?

188 years are reported by both, from 1838 to 2025.

Where does this data come from?

V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Freedom of Expression Index. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Afghanistan vs Nicaragua: Freedom of Expression Index

Afghanistan

0.022

in 2025

Nicaragua

0.018

in 2025

Afghanistan rank

174th

Nicaragua rank

175th

Freedom of Expression Index over time

Afghanistan
Nicaragua

How they compare

Afghanistan currently reports 0.022 against 0.018 in Nicaragua, a difference of 0.004.

That makes Afghanistan's figure about 1.2 times Nicaragua's.

The two have swapped places 6 times across 188 shared years of data; in 1838 it was Afghanistan ahead.

Afghanistan ranks 174th and Nicaragua ranks 175th of 176 countries.

Across the 20 decades both report, Afghanistan averaged higher in 5 and Nicaragua in 15.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Afghanistan	Nicaragua	Difference	Ahead
1830s	0.086	0.04	0.046	Afghanistan
1840s	0.086	0.073	0.013	Afghanistan
1850s	0.086	0.0669	0.0191	Afghanistan
1860s	0.086	0.483	0.397	Nicaragua
1870s	0.086	0.483	0.397	Nicaragua
1880s	0.08	0.483	0.403	Nicaragua
1890s	0.08	0.2886	0.2086	Nicaragua
1900s	0.0796	0.2815	0.2019	Nicaragua
1910s	0.1022	0.3445	0.2423	Nicaragua
1920s	0.2021	0.3527	0.1506	Nicaragua
1930s	0.2023	0.298	0.0957	Nicaragua
1940s	0.2058	0.2696	0.0638	Nicaragua
1950s	0.1739	0.256	0.0821	Nicaragua
1960s	0.2397	0.2633	0.0236	Nicaragua
1970s	0.194	0.2584	0.0644	Nicaragua
1980s	0.1061	0.492	0.3859	Nicaragua
1990s	0.0665	0.8749	0.8084	Nicaragua
2000s	0.5545	0.7971	0.2426	Nicaragua
2010s	0.6966	0.4862	0.2104	Afghanistan
2020s	0.1762	0.087	0.0892	Afghanistan

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher freedom of expression index, Afghanistan or Nicaragua?: Afghanistan, at 0.022 against 0.018 in Nicaragua as of 2025.
What is the difference in freedom of expression index between Afghanistan and Nicaragua?: 0.004, with Afghanistan ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Afghanistan and Nicaragua?: 188 years are reported by both, from 1838 to 2025.
How do Afghanistan and Nicaragua rank globally for freedom of expression index?: Afghanistan ranks 174th and Nicaragua ranks 175th of 176 countries.
Where does this data come from?: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Freedom of Expression Index. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Afghanistan vs Nicaragua: Freedom of Expression Index. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 07 November 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/compare/freedom-of-expression-index/afghanistan/nicaragua/

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About this data

Indicator: Freedom of Expression Index
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 176 places, 30,035 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 30 October 2026

Central estimate of the extent to which people can discuss political matters at home and in the public sphere, the press, and media are free and can present different political perspectives, and the freedom of academic and cultural expression.