What is academic freedom index in Spain?

Academic freedom index in Spain was 0.869 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest academic freedom index recorded in Spain?

The highest recorded value was 0.956 in 2001.

What is the lowest academic freedom index recorded in Spain?

The lowest recorded value was 0.023 in 1940.

How does Spain rank for academic freedom index?

Spain ranks 26th out of 174 countries with data for 2025.

Is academic freedom index rising or falling in Spain?

Over the last ten years it is down 8.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.

Where does this Spain 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.

Academic Freedom Index in Spain

Name: Academic Freedom Index in Spain
Creator: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

Spain: Academic Freedom Index was 0.869 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)

0.869

Change on year

down 0.9%

World rank

26th

of 174 countries

All-time high

0.956

in 2001

All-time low

0.023

in 1940

Years of data

126

1900–2025

Academic Freedom Index in Spain, 1900–2025

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

Analysis

Spain recorded 0.869 for academic freedom index in 2025.

That represents a change of down 0.9% on the previous year and down 8.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, academic freedom index in Spain peaked at 0.956 in 2001 and was at its lowest, 0.023, in 1940.

That places Spain 26th out of 174 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.

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

Academic Freedom Index in Spain, year by year

Annual values for Academic Freedom Index in Spain, 1900 to 2025.
Year	Value	Change
1900	0.449	—
1901	0.449	+0.0%
1902	0.449	+0.0%
1903	0.449	+0.0%
1904	0.449	+0.0%
1905	0.449	+0.0%
1906	0.449	+0.0%
1907	0.449	+0.0%
1908	0.449	+0.0%
1909	0.449	+0.0%
1910	0.449	+0.0%
1911	0.449	+0.0%
1912	0.449	+0.0%
1913	0.449	+0.0%
1914	0.449	+0.0%
1915	0.449	+0.0%
1916	0.449	+0.0%
1917	0.449	+0.0%
1918	0.449	+0.0%
1919	0.449	+0.0%
1920	0.422	-6.0%
1921	0.422	+0.0%
1922	0.41	-2.8%
1923	0.281	-31.5%
1924	0.278	-1.1%
1925	0.278	+0.0%
1926	0.278	+0.0%
1927	0.278	+0.0%
1928	0.278	+0.0%
1929	0.278	+0.0%
1930	0.313	+12.6%
1931	0.819	+161.7%
1932	0.836	+2.1%
1933	0.836	+0.0%
1934	0.818	-2.2%
1935	0.818	+0.0%
1936	0.193	-76.4%
1937	0.158	-18.1%
1938	0.158	+0.0%
1939	0.158	+0.0%
1940	0.023	-85.4%
1941	0.023	+0.0%
1942	0.023	+0.0%
1943	0.023	+0.0%
1944	0.023	+0.0%
1945	0.023	+0.0%
1946	0.023	+0.0%
1947	0.023	+0.0%
1948	0.023	+0.0%
1949	0.023	+0.0%
1950	0.023	+0.0%
1951	0.027	+17.4%
1952	0.027	+0.0%
1953	0.027	+0.0%
1954	0.027	+0.0%
1955	0.033	+22.2%
1956	0.035	+6.1%
1957	0.035	+0.0%
1958	0.035	+0.0%
1959	0.035	+0.0%
1960	0.072	+105.7%
1961	0.072	+0.0%
1962	0.072	+0.0%
1963	0.072	+0.0%
1964	0.072	+0.0%
1965	0.09	+25.0%
1966	0.09	+0.0%
1967	0.111	+23.3%
1968	0.111	+0.0%
1969	0.111	+0.0%
1970	0.125	+12.6%
1971	0.125	+0.0%
1972	0.125	+0.0%
1973	0.125	+0.0%
1974	0.125	+0.0%
1975	0.129	+3.2%
1976	0.226	+75.2%
1977	0.646	+185.8%
1978	0.881	+36.4%
1979	0.927	+5.2%
1980	0.939	+1.3%
1981	0.939	+0.0%
1982	0.954	+1.6%
1983	0.954	+0.0%
1984	0.954	+0.0%
1985	0.954	+0.0%
1986	0.954	+0.0%
1987	0.954	+0.0%
1988	0.954	+0.0%
1989	0.954	+0.0%
1990	0.954	+0.0%
1991	0.954	+0.0%
1992	0.954	+0.0%
1993	0.954	+0.0%
1994	0.954	+0.0%
1995	0.954	+0.0%
1996	0.954	+0.0%
1997	0.954	+0.0%
1998	0.954	+0.0%
1999	0.954	+0.0%
2000	0.954	+0.0%
2001	0.956	+0.2%
2002	0.956	+0.0%
2003	0.956	+0.0%
2004	0.956	+0.0%
2005	0.956	+0.0%
2006	0.956	+0.0%
2007	0.956	+0.0%
2008	0.956	+0.0%
2009	0.956	+0.0%
2010	0.956	+0.0%
2011	0.956	+0.0%
2012	0.951	-0.5%
2013	0.955	+0.4%
2014	0.955	+0.0%
2015	0.95	-0.5%
2016	0.947	-0.3%
2017	0.947	+0.0%
2018	0.949	+0.2%
2019	0.946	-0.3%
2020	0.938	-0.8%
2021	0.938	+0.0%
2022	0.935	-0.3%
2023	0.874	-6.5%
2024	0.877	+0.3%
2025	0.869	-0.9%

Spain compared with similar countries

Spain's 0.869 is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.847, 1.0× the median. (55 countries reporting)
Spain's 0.869 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.7865, 1.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1900s	0.449	0.449	0.449	10
1910s	0.449	0.449	0.449	10
1920s	0.3203	0.278	0.422	10
1930s	0.5107	0.158	0.836	10
1940s	0.023	0.023	0.023	10
1950s	0.0304	0.023	0.035	10
1960s	0.0873	0.072	0.111	10
1970s	0.3434	0.125	0.927	10
1980s	0.951	0.939	0.954	10
1990s	0.954	0.954	0.954	10
2000s	0.9558	0.954	0.956	10
2010s	0.9512	0.946	0.956	10
2020s	0.9052	0.869	0.938	6

Countries ranked near Spain

23 Nigeria 0.876 compare
24 Denmark 0.875 compare
25 Malta 0.874 compare
27 Cape Verde 0.866 compare
27 Trinidad and Tobago 0.866 compare
29 Australia 0.864 compare
29 Kenya 0.864 compare
29 Poland 0.864 compare

See the full ranking of 174 places →

More social development data for Spain

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 511,079 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 186 (2025)
Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 1 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 186 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0104 units per person (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)

All data for Spain →

Frequently asked questions

What is academic freedom index in Spain?: Academic freedom index in Spain was 0.869 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest academic freedom index recorded in Spain?: The highest recorded value was 0.956 in 2001.
What is the lowest academic freedom index recorded in Spain?: The lowest recorded value was 0.023 in 1940.
How does Spain rank for academic freedom index?: Spain ranks 26th out of 174 countries with data for 2025.
Is academic freedom index rising or falling in Spain?: Over the last ten years it is down 8.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Spain 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 Spain. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 22 September 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/stat/academic-freedom-index/spain/

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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: 18 September 2026

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.