Academic Freedom Index by country
Central estimate of the extent to which academics can research, teach, publish, express opinions, and participate in academic bodies without interference, censorship, or institutional restrictions, and universities exercise institutional autonomy.
Countries reporting
171
Highest
0.978
Czechia
Lowest
0.019
Nicaragua
Median
0.609
Years covered
126
1900–2025
Data points
16,942
What the numbers show
Academic Freedom Index is currently reported for 171 countries. The highest value is 0.978 in Czechia; the lowest is 0.019 in Nicaragua.
The median across all reporting countries is 0.609, and the mean is 0.5475.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 51.
Over the past decade 55 countries rose and 114 fell. The largest increase was in Syria (up 443.2%), and the largest decrease in Nicaragua (down 95.4%).
Academic Freedom Index: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Czechia | 0.978 | 2025 | up 4.2% | volatile |
| 2 | Estonia | 0.974 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 3 | Belgium | 0.946 | 2025 | down 1.9% | rising |
| 4 | Jamaica | 0.939 | 2025 | down 1.1% | rising |
| 5 | Slovenia | 0.937 | 2025 | down 2.0% | volatile |
| 6 | Sweden | 0.934 | 2025 | down 1.8% | rising |
| 7 | Honduras | 0.931 | 2025 | up 3.6% | rising |
| 7 | Seychelles | 0.931 | 2025 | up 26.0% | rising |
| 9 | Latvia | 0.928 | 2025 | down 3.8% | volatile |
| 11 | Chile | 0.918 | 2025 | down 4.8% | rising |
| 13 | Costa Rica | 0.915 | 2025 | down 0.8% | rising |
| 14 | Panama | 0.914 | 2025 | up 1.1% | rising |
| 15 | Uruguay | 0.91 | 2025 | down 5.1% | rising |
| 16 | Vanuatu | 0.909 | 2025 | up 3.3% | rising |
| 17 | Barbados | 0.904 | 2025 | up 0.6% | rising |
| 18 | Dominican Republic | 0.901 | 2025 | up 6.2% | volatile |
| 19 | Solomon Islands | 0.9 | 2025 | up 0.3% | flat |
| 20 | Cyprus | 0.889 | 2025 | down 6.7% | rising |
| 21 | Austria | 0.881 | 2025 | down 9.4% | rising |
| 22 | Germany | 0.877 | 2025 | down 8.8% | volatile |
| 23 | Nigeria | 0.876 | 2025 | down 4.2% | rising |
| 24 | Denmark | 0.875 | 2025 | down 8.5% | rising |
| 26 | Spain | 0.869 | 2025 | down 8.5% | volatile |
| 27 | Cape Verde | 0.866 | 2025 | up 0.2% | rising |
| 27 | Trinidad and Tobago | 0.866 | 2025 | up 1.3% | rising |
| 29 | Australia | 0.864 | 2025 | down 2.7% | rising |
| 29 | Kenya | 0.864 | 2025 | up 4.5% | volatile |
| 29 | Poland | 0.864 | 2025 | down 11.3% | volatile |
| 32 | Sierra Leone | 0.862 | 2025 | up 1.4% | rising |
| 33 | Canada | 0.854 | 2025 | down 6.4% | rising |
| 33 | Norway | 0.854 | 2025 | down 4.7% | rising |
| 35 | Bulgaria | 0.85 | 2025 | down 6.8% | volatile |
| 35 | South Korea | 0.85 | 2025 | up 8.7% | volatile |
| 37 | Brazil | 0.849 | 2025 | down 4.3% | volatile |
| 37 | Papua New Guinea | 0.849 | 2025 | up 4.6% | falling |
| 39 | New Zealand | 0.847 | 2025 | down 5.2% | rising |
| 40 | Zambia | 0.844 | 2025 | up 17.7% | rising |
| 41 | Israel | 0.84 | 2025 | down 10.5% | rising |
| 42 | Peru | 0.838 | 2025 | down 9.5% | rising |
| 43 | Botswana | 0.834 | 2025 | down 3.7% | flat |
| 44 | Nepal | 0.831 | 2025 | down 0.5% | volatile |
| 44 | South Africa | 0.831 | 2025 | up 0.4% | volatile |
| 46 | Sri Lanka | 0.828 | 2025 | up 25.8% | rising |
| 46 | Suriname | 0.828 | 2025 | up 1.1% | rising |
| 46 | Taiwan | 0.828 | 2025 | down 5.4% | volatile |
| 49 | Portugal | 0.826 | 2025 | down 14.0% | volatile |
| 50 | Montenegro | 0.824 | 2025 | up 29.0% | rising |
| 51 | Lithuania | 0.823 | 2025 | down 13.7% | volatile |
| 52 | Italy | 0.822 | 2025 | down 13.8% | rising |
| 53 | Gambia | 0.821 | 2025 | up 56.4% | rising |
| 54 | Finland | 0.818 | 2025 | down 13.3% | rising |
| 55 | Croatia | 0.811 | 2025 | down 5.1% | volatile |
| 56 | Slovakia | 0.807 | 2025 | down 14.7% | volatile |
| 57 | France | 0.8 | 2025 | down 10.4% | rising |
| 58 | Malawi | 0.795 | 2025 | up 3.5% | volatile |
| 59 | Switzerland | 0.773 | 2025 | down 16.5% | rising |
| 60 | Netherlands | 0.763 | 2025 | down 13.3% | rising |
| 61 | Guyana | 0.761 | 2025 | down 1.3% | rising |
| 62 | Albania | 0.76 | 2025 | down 11.6% | volatile |
| 62 | Japan | 0.76 | 2025 | up 11.9% | rising |
| 64 | Iceland | 0.756 | 2025 | down 17.1% | rising |
| 65 | Senegal | 0.755 | 2025 | down 13.9% | volatile |
| 66 | Romania | 0.754 | 2025 | down 18.0% | volatile |
| 67 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 0.75 | 2025 | up 2.9% | rising |
| 68 | Guatemala | 0.736 | 2025 | down 8.3% | volatile |
| 69 | East Timor | 0.731 | 2025 | down 1.7% | volatile |
| 70 | Namibia | 0.718 | 2025 | down 0.8% | rising |
| 71 | Benin | 0.709 | 2025 | down 19.2% | rising |
| 72 | Mexico | 0.706 | 2025 | down 23.0% | rising |
| 73 | Paraguay | 0.703 | 2025 | down 3.0% | volatile |
| 74 | Haiti | 0.69 | 2025 | down 0.9% | rising |
| 75 | Moldova | 0.689 | 2025 | down 14.6% | volatile |
| 75 | Niger | 0.689 | 2025 | down 9.1% | rising |
| 77 | Madagascar | 0.684 | 2025 | down 14.0% | volatile |
| 78 | Greece | 0.68 | 2025 | down 21.1% | volatile |
| 79 | Mongolia | 0.671 | 2025 | down 21.7% | volatile |
| 80 | Ghana | 0.67 | 2025 | down 16.9% | rising |
| 81 | United Kingdom | 0.668 | 2025 | down 28.5% | flat |
| 82 | North Macedonia | 0.664 | 2025 | up 4.2% | volatile |
| 83 | Lesotho | 0.643 | 2025 | down 3.7% | rising |
| 84 | Fiji | 0.636 | 2025 | up 71.4% | rising |
| 84 | Sao Tome and Principe | 0.636 | 2025 | down 8.6% | rising |
| 86 | Argentina | 0.625 | 2025 | down 33.8% | rising |
| 87 | Lebanon | 0.618 | 2025 | down 8.2% | rising |
| 88 | Liberia | 0.609 | 2025 | down 23.9% | flat |
| 88 | Togo | 0.609 | 2025 | down 29.3% | rising |
| 90 | Iraq | 0.604 | 2025 | up 42.1% | volatile |
| 91 | Colombia | 0.599 | 2025 | down 16.1% | rising |
| 92 | Serbia | 0.598 | 2025 | down 28.2% | rising |
| 93 | Mauritius | 0.592 | 2025 | down 9.3% | falling |
| 94 | Philippines | 0.589 | 2025 | down 25.9% | rising |
| 95 | Georgia | 0.584 | 2025 | down 32.7% | volatile |
| 96 | Armenia | 0.582 | 2025 | down 12.7% | volatile |
| 96 | Bolivia | 0.582 | 2025 | down 30.0% | rising |
| 98 | Cote d'Ivoire | 0.575 | 2025 | down 7.6% | rising |
| 99 | Burkina Faso | 0.562 | 2025 | down 36.2% | rising |
| 100 | Tunisia | 0.558 | 2025 | down 23.5% | volatile |
| 101 | Maldives | 0.555 | 2025 | up 50.8% | rising |
| 102 | Guinea-Bissau | 0.523 | 2025 | down 20.2% | rising |
| 103 | Bangladesh | 0.519 | 2025 | up 120.9% | volatile |
| 104 | Tanzania | 0.515 | 2025 | down 24.8% | rising |
| 105 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 0.506 | 2025 | up 31.8% | rising |
| 106 | Somalia | 0.494 | 2025 | up 3.1% | volatile |
| 107 | Morocco | 0.481 | 2025 | down 22.9% | volatile |
| 108 | Singapore | 0.466 | 2025 | up 1.3% | rising |
| 109 | Ecuador | 0.433 | 2025 | down 37.1% | rising |
| 110 | Gabon | 0.428 | 2025 | down 48.9% | rising |
| 111 | Kuwait | 0.418 | 2025 | down 12.7% | flat |
| 112 | Angola | 0.416 | 2025 | up 4.3% | volatile |
| 113 | Mozambique | 0.408 | 2025 | down 36.6% | volatile |
| 114 | Bhutan | 0.401 | 2025 | up 2.8% | rising |
| 115 | United States | 0.397 | 2025 | down 56.9% | rising |
| 116 | Thailand | 0.382 | 2025 | up 223.7% | volatile |
| 117 | Kyrgyzstan | 0.378 | 2025 | down 39.2% | volatile |
| 118 | Ethiopia | 0.337 | 2025 | up 3.7% | flat |
| 119 | Kazakhstan | 0.334 | 2025 | up 40.3% | volatile |
| 120 | Indonesia | 0.33 | 2025 | down 55.5% | volatile |
| 121 | Central African Republic | 0.326 | 2025 | down 47.3% | rising |
| 122 | Comoros | 0.303 | 2025 | down 52.6% | falling |
| 123 | Djibouti | 0.302 | 2025 | up 9.0% | rising |
| 124 | Guinea | 0.301 | 2025 | down 19.7% | rising |
| 125 | Hungary | 0.299 | 2025 | down 42.6% | volatile |
| 126 | Malaysia | 0.289 | 2025 | down 29.2% | rising |
| 127 | Libya | 0.282 | 2025 | down 35.3% | volatile |
| 128 | Mali | 0.281 | 2025 | down 67.1% | volatile |
| 128 | Ukraine | 0.281 | 2025 | down 48.9% | volatile |
| 130 | Pakistan | 0.268 | 2025 | down 52.4% | volatile |
| 131 | Congo | 0.255 | 2025 | down 36.7% | falling |
| 132 | Mauritania | 0.253 | 2025 | down 19.2% | rising |
| 133 | Uzbekistan | 0.248 | 2025 | up 427.7% | volatile |
| 134 | Yemen | 0.24 | 2025 | down 17.2% | volatile |
| 135 | Hong Kong | 0.237 | 2025 | down 56.5% | falling |
| 136 | Vietnam | 0.222 | 2025 | down 23.7% | rising |
| 137 | Cambodia | 0.216 | 2025 | down 41.6% | rising |
| 138 | Oman | 0.215 | 2025 | up 1.4% | rising |
| 139 | Cameroon | 0.207 | 2025 | down 41.4% | rising |
| 140 | Algeria | 0.206 | 2025 | down 34.6% | rising |
| 140 | Sudan | 0.206 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 142 | Syria | 0.201 | 2025 | up 443.2% | volatile |
| 143 | Bahrain | 0.199 | 2025 | up 255.4% | falling |
| 144 | Uganda | 0.196 | 2025 | down 57.9% | falling |
| 145 | United Arab Emirates | 0.195 | 2025 | up 40.3% | falling |
| 146 | Eswatini | 0.179 | 2025 | up 4.1% | rising |
| 147 | Russia | 0.176 | 2025 | down 53.3% | volatile |
| 148 | Jordan | 0.173 | 2025 | down 52.9% | rising |
| 149 | El Salvador | 0.165 | 2025 | down 79.6% | volatile |
| 150 | Zimbabwe | 0.157 | 2025 | up 12.1% | falling |
| 151 | Burundi | 0.144 | 2025 | up 5.1% | rising |
| 152 | India | 0.136 | 2025 | down 66.4% | volatile |
| 153 | Chad | 0.132 | 2025 | down 76.4% | rising |
| 154 | Venezuela | 0.129 | 2025 | down 57.0% | volatile |
| 155 | Laos | 0.122 | 2025 | up 139.2% | volatile |
| 156 | Equatorial Guinea | 0.108 | 2025 | up 68.8% | rising |
| 157 | Qatar | 0.1 | 2025 | down 42.5% | rising |
| 158 | Rwanda | 0.097 | 2025 | up 29.3% | falling |
| 159 | Azerbaijan | 0.092 | 2025 | down 6.1% | volatile |
| 160 | Turkey | 0.088 | 2025 | down 68.3% | volatile |
| 161 | Afghanistan | 0.086 | 2025 | down 83.2% | volatile |
| 162 | Cuba | 0.084 | 2025 | down 20.8% | volatile |
| 163 | Tajikistan | 0.082 | 2025 | up 2.5% | volatile |
| 164 | Egypt | 0.075 | 2025 | up 4.2% | falling |
| 165 | China | 0.071 | 2025 | down 39.8% | volatile |
| 166 | Saudi Arabia | 0.066 | 2025 | up 32.0% | rising |
| 167 | Turkmenistan | 0.064 | 2025 | up 255.6% | volatile |
| 168 | Belarus | 0.06 | 2025 | down 66.7% | volatile |
| 168 | Iran | 0.06 | 2025 | down 51.6% | volatile |
| 170 | South Sudan | 0.054 | 2025 | up 14.9% | rising |
| 171 | North Korea | 0.036 | 2025 | up 200.0% | volatile |
| 172 | Eritrea | 0.034 | 2025 | up 70.0% | falling |
| 173 | Myanmar | 0.023 | 2025 | down 93.5% | volatile |
| 174 | Nicaragua | 0.019 | 2025 | down 95.4% | volatile |
About this data
Central estimate of the extent to which academics can research, teach, publish, express opinions, and participate in academic bodies without interference, censorship, or institutional restrictions, and universities exercise institutional autonomy.