Saudi Arabia vs South Africa: Key media freedoms, annual growth rate
Saudi Arabia
22.68 % change on previous year
in 2025
South Africa
17.52 % change on previous year
in 2025
Saudi Arabia rank
24th
South Africa rank
27th
Key media freedoms, annual growth rate over time
- Saudi Arabia
- South Africa
How they compare
Saudi Arabia currently reports 22.68 % change on previous year against 17.52 % change on previous year in South Africa, a difference of 5.16 % change on previous year.
That makes Saudi Arabia's figure about 1.3 times South Africa's.
The two have swapped places 25 times across 93 shared years of data; in 1933 it was South Africa ahead.
Saudi Arabia ranks 24th and South Africa ranks 27th of 175 countries.
Across the 10 decades both report, Saudi Arabia averaged higher in 4 and South Africa in 4.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Saudi Arabia | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 0 % change on previous year | 0 % change on previous year | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1940s | 0 % change on previous year | -73.52 % change on previous year | 73.52 % change on previous year | Saudi Arabia |
| 1950s | 2.91 % change on previous year | 0 % change on previous year | 2.91 % change on previous year | Saudi Arabia |
| 1960s | 0 % change on previous year | -11.54 % change on previous year | 11.54 % change on previous year | Saudi Arabia |
| 1970s | -4.17 % change on previous year | -3.91 % change on previous year | 0.2637 % change on previous year | South Africa |
| 1980s | 0 % change on previous year | 0 % change on previous year | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1990s | 0 % change on previous year | 124.45 % change on previous year | 124.45 % change on previous year | South Africa |
| 2000s | 0.6181 % change on previous year | -1.89 % change on previous year | 2.51 % change on previous year | Saudi Arabia |
| 2010s | 2.32 % change on previous year | 2.96 % change on previous year | 0.6418 % change on previous year | South Africa |
| 2020s | 3.78 % change on previous year | 9.33 % change on previous year | 5.55 % change on previous year | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher key media freedoms, annual growth rate, Saudi Arabia or South Africa?
- Saudi Arabia, at 22.68 % change on previous year against 17.52 % change on previous year in South Africa as of 2025.
- What is the difference in key media freedoms, annual growth rate between Saudi Arabia and South Africa?
- 5.16 % change on previous year, with Saudi Arabia ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Saudi Arabia and South Africa?
- 93 years are reported by both, from 1933 to 2025.
- How do Saudi Arabia and South Africa rank globally for key media freedoms, annual growth rate?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 24th and South Africa ranks 27th of 175 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Statizoid (derived), published as Key media freedoms, annual growth rate. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
The year-on-year percentage change in Key media freedoms. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.