Which has higher freedom of expression index, North Korea or Nicaragua?

Nicaragua, at 0.018 against 0.013 in North Korea as of 2025.

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

154 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.

North Korea vs Nicaragua: Freedom of Expression Index

North Korea

0.013

in 2025

Nicaragua

0.018

in 2025

North Korea rank

176th

Nicaragua rank

175th

Freedom of Expression Index over time

North Korea
Nicaragua

How they compare

Nicaragua currently reports 0.018 against 0.013 in North Korea, a difference of 0.005.

That makes Nicaragua's figure about 1.4 times North Korea's.

The two have swapped places 9 times across 154 shared years of data; in 1838 it was North Korea ahead.

North Korea ranks 176th and Nicaragua ranks 175th of 176 countries.

Across the 18 decades both report, North Korea averaged higher in 2 and Nicaragua in 16.

Head to head by decade

Decade	North Korea	Nicaragua	Difference	Ahead
1830s	0.071	0.04	0.031	North Korea
1840s	0.071	0.073	0.002	Nicaragua
1850s	0.071	0.0669	0.0041	North Korea
1860s	0.071	0.483	0.412	Nicaragua
1870s	0.071	0.483	0.412	Nicaragua
1880s	0.0755	0.483	0.4075	Nicaragua
1890s	0.1441	0.2886	0.1445	Nicaragua
1900s	0.1274	0.2815	0.1541	Nicaragua
1910s	0.065	0.35	0.285	Nicaragua
1940s	0.0554	0.2672	0.2118	Nicaragua
1950s	0.0303	0.256	0.2257	Nicaragua
1960s	0.0214	0.2633	0.2419	Nicaragua
1970s	0.011	0.2584	0.2474	Nicaragua
1980s	0.011	0.492	0.481	Nicaragua
1990s	0.011	0.8749	0.8639	Nicaragua
2000s	0.0122	0.7971	0.7849	Nicaragua
2010s	0.013	0.4862	0.4732	Nicaragua
2020s	0.013	0.087	0.074	Nicaragua

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher freedom of expression index, North Korea or Nicaragua?: Nicaragua, at 0.018 against 0.013 in North Korea as of 2025.
What is the difference in freedom of expression index between North Korea and Nicaragua?: 0.005, with Nicaragua ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for North Korea and Nicaragua?: 154 years are reported by both, from 1838 to 2025.
How do North Korea and Nicaragua rank globally for freedom of expression index?: North Korea ranks 176th 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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North Korea vs Nicaragua: Freedom of Expression Index. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 01 September 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/compare/freedom-of-expression-index/korea-dem-people-s-rep/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: 28 August 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.