Academic Freedom Index in Gabon
Gabon: Academic Freedom Index was 0.428 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Academic Freedom Index in Gabon, 1959–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for academic freedom index in Gabon is 0.428, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 4.4% on the previous year and down 48.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, academic freedom index in Gabon peaked at 0.841 in 2017 and was at its lowest, 0.41, in 2024.
That places Gabon 110th out of 174 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 67 years of available data.
Academic Freedom Index in Gabon, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1959 | 0.572 | — |
| 1960 | 0.6 | +4.9% |
| 1961 | 0.603 | +0.5% |
| 1962 | 0.603 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 0.603 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 0.603 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 0.603 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 0.603 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 0.603 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 0.603 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 0.603 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 0.603 | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 0.603 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 0.603 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 0.603 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 0.603 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 0.603 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 0.603 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 0.603 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 0.603 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 0.603 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 0.585 | -3.0% |
| 1981 | 0.585 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 0.585 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 0.585 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 0.585 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 0.585 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 0.585 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 0.585 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 0.585 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 0.585 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 0.684 | +16.9% |
| 1991 | 0.7 | +2.3% |
| 1992 | 0.73 | +4.3% |
| 1993 | 0.73 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 0.73 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 0.73 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.73 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 0.73 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.73 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 0.73 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.73 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 0.73 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 0.73 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 0.73 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 0.73 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 0.73 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 0.73 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 0.73 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 0.73 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 0.771 | +5.6% |
| 2010 | 0.822 | +6.6% |
| 2011 | 0.822 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 0.816 | -0.7% |
| 2013 | 0.837 | +2.6% |
| 2014 | 0.837 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 0.837 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 0.827 | -1.2% |
| 2017 | 0.841 | +1.7% |
| 2018 | 0.838 | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 0.839 | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 0.825 | -1.7% |
| 2021 | 0.825 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 0.812 | -1.6% |
| 2023 | 0.429 | -47.2% |
| 2024 | 0.41 | -4.4% |
| 2025 | 0.428 | +4.4% |
Gabon compared with similar countries
- Gabon's 0.428 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.5905, 72% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
- Gabon's 0.428 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.519, 82% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 0.572 | 0.572 | 0.572 | 1 |
| 1960s | 0.6027 | 0.6 | 0.603 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.603 | 0.603 | 0.603 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.585 | 0.585 | 0.585 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.7224 | 0.684 | 0.73 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.7341 | 0.73 | 0.771 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.8316 | 0.816 | 0.841 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.6215 | 0.41 | 0.825 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Gabon
More social development data for Gabon
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 166 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 984 (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 0.0004 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 984 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0001 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 Gabon?
- Academic freedom index in Gabon was 0.428 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest academic freedom index recorded in Gabon?
- The highest recorded value was 0.841 in 2017.
- What is the lowest academic freedom index recorded in Gabon?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.41 in 2024.
- How does Gabon rank for academic freedom index?
- Gabon ranks 110th out of 174 countries with data for 2025.
- Is academic freedom index rising or falling in Gabon?
- Over the last ten years it is down 48.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Gabon 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 67 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
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.