Which has higher freedom of expression index, Bulgaria or Italy?

Italy, at 0.756 against 0.754 in Bulgaria as of 2025.

How many years of comparable data are there for Bulgaria and Italy?

211 years are reported by both, from 1815 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.

Bulgaria vs Italy: Freedom of Expression Index

Bulgaria

0.754

in 2025

Italy

0.756

in 2025

Bulgaria rank

75th

Italy rank

73rd

Freedom of Expression Index over time

Bulgaria
Italy

How they compare

Italy currently reports 0.756 against 0.754 in Bulgaria, a difference of 0.002.

The two have swapped places 8 times across 211 shared years of data; in 1815 it was Italy ahead.

Bulgaria ranks 75th and Italy ranks 73rd of 176 countries.

Across the 22 decades both report, Bulgaria averaged higher in 2 and Italy in 20.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Bulgaria	Italy	Difference	Ahead
1810s	0.069	0.096	0.027	Italy
1820s	0.069	0.096	0.027	Italy
1830s	0.0696	0.1088	0.0392	Italy
1840s	0.071	0.2014	0.1304	Italy
1850s	0.071	0.625	0.554	Italy
1860s	0.2018	0.6082	0.4064	Italy
1870s	0.2835	0.6023	0.3188	Italy
1880s	0.334	0.6215	0.2875	Italy
1890s	0.409	0.61	0.201	Italy
1900s	0.6101	0.6841	0.074	Italy
1910s	0.5473	0.6376	0.0903	Italy
1920s	0.4793	0.2623	0.217	Bulgaria
1930s	0.4253	0.0299	0.3954	Bulgaria
1940s	0.1627	0.3324	0.1697	Italy
1950s	0.02	0.7728	0.7528	Italy
1960s	0.0221	0.7891	0.767	Italy
1970s	0.0297	0.8459	0.8162	Italy
1980s	0.0411	0.9176	0.8765	Italy
1990s	0.8717	0.9415	0.0698	Italy
2000s	0.8658	0.937	0.0712	Italy
2010s	0.7752	0.9462	0.171	Italy
2020s	0.7713	0.8767	0.1053	Italy

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher freedom of expression index, Bulgaria or Italy?: Italy, at 0.756 against 0.754 in Bulgaria as of 2025.
What is the difference in freedom of expression index between Bulgaria and Italy?: 0.002, with Italy ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Bulgaria and Italy?: 211 years are reported by both, from 1815 to 2025.
How do Bulgaria and Italy rank globally for freedom of expression index?: Bulgaria ranks 75th and Italy ranks 73rd 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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Bulgaria vs Italy: 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/bulgaria/italy/

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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.