Laos vs Saudi Arabia: Key media freedoms
Laos
-1.48
in 2025
Saudi Arabia
-1.32
in 2025
Laos rank
148th
Saudi Arabia rank
145th
Key media freedoms over time
- Laos
- Saudi Arabia
How they compare
Saudi Arabia currently reports -1.32 against -1.48 in Laos, a difference of 0.16.
The two have swapped places 3 times across 94 shared years of data; in 1932 it was Laos ahead.
Laos ranks 148th and Saudi Arabia ranks 145th of 175 countries.
Across the 10 decades both report, Laos averaged higher in 9 and Saudi Arabia in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Laos | Saudi Arabia | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1930s | -0.569 | -2.35 | 1.78 | Laos |
| 1940s | -0.212 | -2.35 | 2.14 | Laos |
| 1950s | 0.1372 | -1.94 | 2.08 | Laos |
| 1960s | -0.2947 | -1.67 | 1.37 | Laos |
| 1970s | -1.24 | -2.01 | 0.7731 | Laos |
| 1980s | -2.25 | -2.36 | 0.108 | Laos |
| 1990s | -2.25 | -2.36 | 0.108 | Laos |
| 2000s | -2.25 | -2.29 | 0.035 | Laos |
| 2010s | -2.38 | -2.11 | 0.2656 | Saudi Arabia |
| 2020s | -1.48 | -1.64 | 0.1547 | Laos |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher key media freedoms, Laos or Saudi Arabia?
- Saudi Arabia, at -1.32 against -1.48 in Laos as of 2025.
- What is the difference in key media freedoms between Laos and Saudi Arabia?
- 0.16, with Saudi Arabia ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Laos and Saudi Arabia?
- 94 years are reported by both, from 1932 to 2025.
- How do Laos and Saudi Arabia rank globally for key media freedoms?
- Laos ranks 148th and Saudi Arabia ranks 145th 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.