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Academic Freedom Index in Iraq

Iraq: Academic Freedom Index was 0.604 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)
0.604
Change on year
up 46.6%
World rank
90th
of 174 countries
All-time high
0.604
in 2025
All-time low
0.027
in 1991
Years of data
89
1900–2025

Academic Freedom Index in Iraq, 1900–2025

00.20.40.6190019622025

Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

In 2025, academic freedom index in Iraq stood at 0.604. That is the highest value across all 89 years on record.

That represents a change of up 46.6% on the previous year and up 42.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, academic freedom index in Iraq peaked at 0.604 in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.027, in 1991.

Iraq ranks 90th of 174 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Academic Freedom Index in Iraq, year by year

Year Value Change
1900 0.045 —
1901 0.045 +0.0%
1902 0.045 +0.0%
1903 0.045 +0.0%
1904 0.045 +0.0%
1905 0.045 +0.0%
1906 0.045 +0.0%
1907 0.046 +2.2%
1908 0.102 +121.7%
1909 0.119 +16.7%
1910 0.119 +0.0%
1911 0.112 -5.9%
1912 0.112 +0.0%
1913 0.044 -60.7%
1914 0.044 +0.0%
1915 0.044 +0.0%
1916 0.044 +0.0%
1917 0.044 +0.0%
1918 0.049 +11.4%
1919 0.049 +0.0%
1957 0.33 +573.5%
1958 0.313 -5.2%
1959 0.333 +6.4%
1960 0.325 -2.4%
1961 0.325 +0.0%
1962 0.325 +0.0%
1963 0.131 -59.7%
1964 0.164 +25.2%
1965 0.201 +22.6%
1966 0.213 +6.0%
1967 0.213 +0.0%
1968 0.179 -16.0%
1969 0.116 -35.2%
1970 0.112 -3.4%
1971 0.112 +0.0%
1972 0.112 +0.0%
1973 0.115 +2.7%
1974 0.115 +0.0%
1975 0.115 +0.0%
1976 0.115 +0.0%
1977 0.115 +0.0%
1978 0.115 +0.0%
1979 0.104 -9.6%
1980 0.04 -61.5%
1981 0.03 -25.0%
1982 0.03 +0.0%
1983 0.03 +0.0%
1984 0.03 +0.0%
1985 0.03 +0.0%
1986 0.03 +0.0%
1987 0.03 +0.0%
1988 0.03 +0.0%
1989 0.03 +0.0%
1990 0.032 +6.7%
1991 0.027 -15.6%
1992 0.029 +7.4%
1993 0.036 +24.1%
1994 0.036 +0.0%
1995 0.036 +0.0%
1996 0.036 +0.0%
1997 0.036 +0.0%
1998 0.036 +0.0%
1999 0.036 +0.0%
2000 0.108 +200.0%
2001 0.108 +0.0%
2002 0.108 +0.0%
2003 0.33 +205.6%
2004 0.465 +40.9%
2005 0.454 -2.4%
2006 0.454 +0.0%
2007 0.454 +0.0%
2008 0.472 +4.0%
2009 0.465 -1.5%
2010 0.455 -2.2%
2011 0.455 +0.0%
2012 0.455 +0.0%
2013 0.443 -2.6%
2014 0.436 -1.6%
2015 0.425 -2.5%
2016 0.422 -0.7%
2017 0.43 +1.9%
2018 0.421 -2.1%
2019 0.405 -3.8%
2020 0.401 -1.0%
2021 0.419 +4.5%
2022 0.39 -6.9%
2023 0.426 +9.2%
2024 0.412 -3.3%
2025 0.604 +46.6%

Iraq compared with similar countries

  • Iraq's 0.604 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.5905, 1.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
  • Iraq's 0.604 is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 0.2275, 2.7× the median. (22 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Academic Freedom Index in Iraq changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
1957 +573.5% 0.049 0.33
2003 +205.6% 0.108 0.33
2000 +200.0% 0.036 0.108
1908 +121.7% 0.046 0.102
1980 -61.5% 0.104 0.04
1913 -60.7% 0.112 0.044

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1900s 0.0582 0.045 0.119 10
1910s 0.0661 0.044 0.119 10
1950s 0.3253 0.313 0.333 3
1960s 0.2192 0.116 0.325 10
1970s 0.113 0.104 0.115 10
1980s 0.031 0.03 0.04 10
1990s 0.034 0.027 0.036 10
2000s 0.3418 0.108 0.472 10
2010s 0.4347 0.405 0.455 10
2020s 0.442 0.39 0.604 6

Countries ranked near Iraq

  1. 87 Lebanon 0.618 compare
  2. 88 Liberia 0.609 compare
  3. 88 Togo 0.609 compare
  4. 91 Colombia 0.599 compare
  5. 92 Serbia 0.598 compare
  6. 93 Mauritius 0.592 compare

See the full ranking of 174 places →

More social development data for Iraq

All data for Iraq →

Frequently asked questions

What is academic freedom index in Iraq?
Academic freedom index in Iraq was 0.604 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest academic freedom index recorded in Iraq?
The highest recorded value was 0.604 in 2025.
What is the lowest academic freedom index recorded in Iraq?
The lowest recorded value was 0.027 in 1991.
How does Iraq rank for academic freedom index?
Iraq ranks 90th out of 174 countries with data for 2025.
Is academic freedom index rising or falling in Iraq?
Over the last ten years it is up 42.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Iraq 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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Academic Freedom Index in Iraq. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 23 September 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/stat/academic-freedom-index/iraq/

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About this data

Indicator
Academic Freedom Index
Source
V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
174 places, 16,942 data points, 1900–2025
Last refreshed

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.