Iran vs United Arab Emirates: Key media freedoms
Iran
-1.49
in 2025
United Arab Emirates
-1.69
in 2025
Iran rank
149th
United Arab Emirates rank
150th
Key media freedoms over time
- Iran
- United Arab Emirates
How they compare
Iran currently reports -1.49 against -1.69 in United Arab Emirates, a difference of 0.2.
The two have swapped places 11 times across 55 shared years of data; in 1971 it was United Arab Emirates ahead.
Iran ranks 149th and United Arab Emirates ranks 150th of 175 countries.
Across the 6 decades both report, Iran averaged higher in 4 and United Arab Emirates in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Iran | United Arab Emirates | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | -1.83 | -2.36 | 0.5279 | Iran |
| 1980s | -2.17 | -2.56 | 0.3914 | Iran |
| 1990s | -1.44 | -1.74 | 0.2978 | Iran |
| 2000s | -1.39 | -1.06 | 0.3297 | United Arab Emirates |
| 2010s | -1.75 | -1.18 | 0.5683 | United Arab Emirates |
| 2020s | -1.44 | -1.64 | 0.208 | Iran |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher key media freedoms, Iran or United Arab Emirates?
- Iran, at -1.49 against -1.69 in United Arab Emirates as of 2025.
- What is the difference in key media freedoms between Iran and United Arab Emirates?
- 0.2, with Iran ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Iran and United Arab Emirates?
- 55 years are reported by both, from 1971 to 2025.
- How do Iran and United Arab Emirates rank globally for key media freedoms?
- Iran ranks 149th and United Arab Emirates ranks 150th of 175 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Key media freedoms. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Central estimate of the extent to which the government directly or indirectly attempts to censor political content in print and broadcast media, through formal restrictions or indirect pressures such as financial control, licensing, or access to distribution channels.