Academic Freedom Index in Eswatini
Eswatini: Academic Freedom Index was 0.179 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Academic Freedom Index in Eswatini, 1976–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Eswatini recorded 0.179 for academic freedom index in 2025. That is the highest value across all 50 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 8.5% on the previous year and up 4.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, academic freedom index in Eswatini peaked at 0.179 in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.122, in 2022.
That places Eswatini 146th out of 174 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 50 years of available data.
Academic Freedom Index in Eswatini, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 0.144 | — |
| 1977 | 0.144 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 0.144 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 0.144 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 0.144 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 0.144 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 0.144 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 0.144 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 0.144 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 0.144 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 0.144 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 0.154 | +6.9% |
| 1988 | 0.154 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 0.154 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 0.16 | +3.9% |
| 1991 | 0.16 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 0.16 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 0.16 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 0.16 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 0.16 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.16 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 0.16 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.16 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 0.16 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.155 | -3.1% |
| 2001 | 0.155 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 0.155 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 0.155 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 0.155 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 0.155 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 0.155 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 0.155 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 0.169 | +9.0% |
| 2009 | 0.169 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 0.169 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 0.169 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 0.169 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 0.172 | +1.8% |
| 2014 | 0.172 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 0.172 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 0.172 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 0.172 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 0.169 | -1.7% |
| 2019 | 0.163 | -3.6% |
| 2020 | 0.165 | +1.2% |
| 2021 | 0.138 | -16.4% |
| 2022 | 0.122 | -11.6% |
| 2023 | 0.167 | +36.9% |
| 2024 | 0.165 | -1.2% |
| 2025 | 0.179 | +8.5% |
Eswatini compared with similar countries
- Eswatini's 0.179 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.515, 35% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Eswatini's 0.179 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.519, 34% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.144 | 0.144 | 0.144 | 4 |
| 1980s | 0.147 | 0.144 | 0.154 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.16 | 0.16 | 0.16 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.1578 | 0.155 | 0.169 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.1699 | 0.163 | 0.172 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.156 | 0.122 | 0.179 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Eswatini
More social development data for Eswatini
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,414 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 220 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 7 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 7 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0002 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 220 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0011 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is academic freedom index in Eswatini?
- Academic freedom index in Eswatini was 0.179 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest academic freedom index recorded in Eswatini?
- The highest recorded value was 0.179 in 2025.
- What is the lowest academic freedom index recorded in Eswatini?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.122 in 2022.
- How does Eswatini rank for academic freedom index?
- Eswatini ranks 146th out of 174 countries with data for 2025.
- Is academic freedom index rising or falling in Eswatini?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Eswatini data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Academic Freedom Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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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.