Academic Freedom Index in Pakistan

Pakistan: Academic Freedom Index was 0.268 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)
0.268
Change on year
down 22.1%
World rank
130th
of 174 countries
All-time high
0.677
in 1947
All-time low
0.158
in 1941
Years of data
126
1900–2025

Academic Freedom Index in Pakistan, 1900–2025

0.20.40.6190019622025

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

Analysis

Pakistan recorded 0.268 for academic freedom index in 2025.

That represents a change of down 22.1% on the previous year and down 52.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, academic freedom index in Pakistan peaked at 0.677 in 1947 and was at its lowest, 0.158, in 1941.

Pakistan ranks 130th 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.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1900s 0.164 0.164 0.164 10
1910s 0.164 0.164 0.164 10
1920s 0.164 0.164 0.164 10
1930s 0.164 0.164 0.164 10
1940s 0.3167 0.158 0.677 10
1950s 0.6269 0.504 0.677 10
1960s 0.4878 0.475 0.499 10
1970s 0.5061 0.34 0.575 10
1980s 0.3526 0.312 0.636 10
1990s 0.636 0.636 0.636 10
2000s 0.6494 0.643 0.66 10
2010s 0.5803 0.542 0.617 10
2020s 0.4528 0.268 0.563 6

Countries ranked near Pakistan

  1. 127 Libya 0.282 compare
  2. 128 Mali 0.281 compare
  3. 128 Ukraine 0.281 compare
  4. 131 Congo 0.255 compare
  5. 132 Mauritania 0.253 compare
  6. 133 Uzbekistan 0.248 compare

See the full ranking of 174 places →

More social development data for Pakistan

All data for Pakistan →

Frequently asked questions

What is academic freedom index in Pakistan?
Academic freedom index in Pakistan was 0.268 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest academic freedom index recorded in Pakistan?
The highest recorded value was 0.677 in 1947.
What is the lowest academic freedom index recorded in Pakistan?
The lowest recorded value was 0.158 in 1941.
How does Pakistan rank for academic freedom index?
Pakistan ranks 130th out of 174 countries with data for 2025.
Is academic freedom index rising or falling in Pakistan?
Over the last ten years it is down 52.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Pakistan 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 — 126 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

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.