What is freedom of expression index in Afghanistan?

Freedom of expression index in Afghanistan was 0.022 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest freedom of expression index recorded in Afghanistan?

The highest recorded value was 0.725 in 2012.

What is the lowest freedom of expression index recorded in Afghanistan?

The lowest recorded value was 0.022 in 2025.

How does Afghanistan rank for freedom of expression index?

Afghanistan ranks 174th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.

Is freedom of expression index rising or falling in Afghanistan?

Over the last ten years it is down 96.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.

Where does this Afghanistan data come from?

The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Freedom of Expression Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Freedom of Expression Index in Afghanistan

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

Afghanistan: Freedom of Expression Index was 0.022 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)

0.022

Change on year

down 72.5%

World rank

174th

of 176 countries

All-time high

0.725

in 2012

All-time low

0.022

in 2025

Years of data

237

1789–2025

Freedom of Expression Index in Afghanistan, 1789–2025

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

Analysis

In 2025, freedom of expression index in Afghanistan stood at 0.022. That is the lowest value across all 237 years on record.

The figure is down 72.5% on the previous year and down 96.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, freedom of expression index in Afghanistan peaked at 0.725 in 2012 and was at its lowest, 0.022, in 2025.

Afghanistan ranks 174th of 176 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

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

Freedom of Expression Index in Afghanistan, year by year

Annual values for Freedom of Expression Index in Afghanistan, 1789 to 2025.
Year	Value	Change
1789	0.086	—
1790	0.086	+0.0%
1791	0.086	+0.0%
1792	0.086	+0.0%
1793	0.086	+0.0%
1794	0.086	+0.0%
1795	0.086	+0.0%
1796	0.086	+0.0%
1797	0.086	+0.0%
1798	0.086	+0.0%
1799	0.086	+0.0%
1800	0.086	+0.0%
1801	0.086	+0.0%
1802	0.086	+0.0%
1803	0.086	+0.0%
1804	0.086	+0.0%
1805	0.086	+0.0%
1806	0.086	+0.0%
1807	0.086	+0.0%
1808	0.086	+0.0%
1809	0.086	+0.0%
1810	0.086	+0.0%
1811	0.086	+0.0%
1812	0.086	+0.0%
1813	0.086	+0.0%
1814	0.086	+0.0%
1815	0.086	+0.0%
1816	0.086	+0.0%
1817	0.086	+0.0%
1818	0.086	+0.0%
1819	0.086	+0.0%
1820	0.086	+0.0%
1821	0.086	+0.0%
1822	0.086	+0.0%
1823	0.086	+0.0%
1824	0.086	+0.0%
1825	0.086	+0.0%
1826	0.086	+0.0%
1827	0.086	+0.0%
1828	0.086	+0.0%
1829	0.086	+0.0%
1830	0.086	+0.0%
1831	0.086	+0.0%
1832	0.086	+0.0%
1833	0.086	+0.0%
1834	0.086	+0.0%
1835	0.086	+0.0%
1836	0.086	+0.0%
1837	0.086	+0.0%
1838	0.086	+0.0%
1839	0.086	+0.0%
1840	0.086	+0.0%
1841	0.086	+0.0%
1842	0.086	+0.0%
1843	0.086	+0.0%
1844	0.086	+0.0%
1845	0.086	+0.0%
1846	0.086	+0.0%
1847	0.086	+0.0%
1848	0.086	+0.0%
1849	0.086	+0.0%
1850	0.086	+0.0%
1851	0.086	+0.0%
1852	0.086	+0.0%
1853	0.086	+0.0%
1854	0.086	+0.0%
1855	0.086	+0.0%
1856	0.086	+0.0%
1857	0.086	+0.0%
1858	0.086	+0.0%
1859	0.086	+0.0%
1860	0.086	+0.0%
1861	0.086	+0.0%
1862	0.086	+0.0%
1863	0.086	+0.0%
1864	0.086	+0.0%
1865	0.086	+0.0%
1866	0.086	+0.0%
1867	0.086	+0.0%
1868	0.086	+0.0%
1869	0.086	+0.0%
1870	0.086	+0.0%
1871	0.086	+0.0%
1872	0.086	+0.0%
1873	0.086	+0.0%
1874	0.086	+0.0%
1875	0.086	+0.0%
1876	0.086	+0.0%
1877	0.086	+0.0%
1878	0.086	+0.0%
1879	0.086	+0.0%
1880	0.08	-7.0%
1881	0.08	+0.0%
1882	0.08	+0.0%
1883	0.08	+0.0%
1884	0.08	+0.0%
1885	0.08	+0.0%
1886	0.08	+0.0%
1887	0.08	+0.0%
1888	0.08	+0.0%
1889	0.08	+0.0%
1890	0.08	+0.0%
1891	0.08	+0.0%
1892	0.08	+0.0%
1893	0.08	+0.0%
1894	0.08	+0.0%
1895	0.08	+0.0%
1896	0.08	+0.0%
1897	0.08	+0.0%
1898	0.08	+0.0%
1899	0.08	+0.0%
1900	0.07	-12.5%
1901	0.07	+0.0%
1902	0.082	+17.1%
1903	0.082	+0.0%
1904	0.082	+0.0%
1905	0.082	+0.0%
1906	0.082	+0.0%
1907	0.082	+0.0%
1908	0.082	+0.0%
1909	0.082	+0.0%
1910	0.1	+22.0%
1911	0.1	+0.0%
1912	0.1	+0.0%
1913	0.1	+0.0%
1914	0.1	+0.0%
1915	0.1	+0.0%
1916	0.1	+0.0%
1917	0.1	+0.0%
1918	0.1	+0.0%
1919	0.122	+22.0%
1920	0.133	+9.0%
1921	0.146	+9.8%
1922	0.146	+0.0%
1923	0.152	+4.1%
1924	0.248	+63.2%
1925	0.248	+0.0%
1926	0.248	+0.0%
1927	0.248	+0.0%
1928	0.248	+0.0%
1929	0.204	-17.7%
1930	0.195	-4.4%
1931	0.198	+1.5%
1932	0.198	+0.0%
1933	0.198	+0.0%
1934	0.204	+3.0%
1935	0.204	+0.0%
1936	0.204	+0.0%
1937	0.204	+0.0%
1938	0.209	+2.5%
1939	0.209	+0.0%
1940	0.204	-2.4%
1941	0.204	+0.0%
1942	0.204	+0.0%
1943	0.204	+0.0%
1944	0.204	+0.0%
1945	0.204	+0.0%
1946	0.204	+0.0%
1947	0.21	+2.9%
1948	0.21	+0.0%
1949	0.21	+0.0%
1950	0.21	+0.0%
1951	0.21	+0.0%
1952	0.217	+3.3%
1953	0.201	-7.4%
1954	0.151	-24.9%
1955	0.15	-0.7%
1956	0.15	+0.0%
1957	0.15	+0.0%
1958	0.15	+0.0%
1959	0.15	+0.0%
1960	0.16	+6.7%
1961	0.168	+5.0%
1962	0.168	+0.0%
1963	0.176	+4.8%
1964	0.25	+42.0%
1965	0.283	+13.2%
1966	0.298	+5.3%
1967	0.298	+0.0%
1968	0.298	+0.0%
1969	0.298	+0.0%
1970	0.297	-0.3%
1971	0.297	+0.0%
1972	0.275	-7.4%
1973	0.251	-8.7%
1974	0.151	-39.8%
1975	0.156	+3.3%
1976	0.156	+0.0%
1977	0.161	+3.2%
1978	0.098	-39.1%
1979	0.098	+0.0%
1980	0.102	+4.1%
1981	0.107	+4.9%
1982	0.104	-2.8%
1983	0.107	+2.9%
1984	0.107	+0.0%
1985	0.107	+0.0%
1986	0.107	+0.0%
1987	0.104	-2.8%
1988	0.108	+3.8%
1989	0.108	+0.0%
1990	0.098	-9.3%
1991	0.094	-4.1%
1992	0.092	-2.1%
1993	0.077	-16.3%
1994	0.077	+0.0%
1995	0.077	+0.0%
1996	0.039	-49.4%
1997	0.037	-5.1%
1998	0.037	+0.0%
1999	0.037	+0.0%
2000	0.037	+0.0%
2001	0.084	+127.0%
2002	0.621	+639.3%
2003	0.669	+7.7%
2004	0.666	-0.4%
2005	0.682	+2.4%
2006	0.682	+0.0%
2007	0.68	-0.3%
2008	0.711	+4.6%
2009	0.713	+0.3%
2010	0.723	+1.4%
2011	0.723	+0.0%
2012	0.725	+0.3%
2013	0.711	-1.9%
2014	0.699	-1.7%
2015	0.69	-1.3%
2016	0.654	-5.2%
2017	0.68	+4.0%
2018	0.687	+1.0%
2019	0.674	-1.9%
2020	0.7	+3.9%
2021	0.141	-79.9%
2022	0.066	-53.2%
2023	0.048	-27.3%
2024	0.08	+66.7%
2025	0.022	-72.5%

Afghanistan compared with similar countries

Afghanistan's 0.022 is below the median for low income countries, which is 0.432, 5% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
Afghanistan's 0.022 is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 0.367, 6% of the median. (23 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1780s	0.086	0.086	0.086	1
1790s	0.086	0.086	0.086	10
1800s	0.086	0.086	0.086	10
1810s	0.086	0.086	0.086	10
1820s	0.086	0.086	0.086	10
1830s	0.086	0.086	0.086	10
1840s	0.086	0.086	0.086	10
1850s	0.086	0.086	0.086	10
1860s	0.086	0.086	0.086	10
1870s	0.086	0.086	0.086	10
1880s	0.08	0.08	0.08	10
1890s	0.08	0.08	0.08	10
1900s	0.0796	0.07	0.082	10
1910s	0.1022	0.1	0.122	10
1920s	0.2021	0.133	0.248	10
1930s	0.2023	0.195	0.209	10
1940s	0.2058	0.204	0.21	10
1950s	0.1739	0.15	0.217	10
1960s	0.2397	0.16	0.298	10
1970s	0.194	0.098	0.297	10
1980s	0.1061	0.102	0.108	10
1990s	0.0665	0.037	0.098	10
2000s	0.5545	0.037	0.713	10
2010s	0.6966	0.654	0.725	10
2020s	0.1762	0.022	0.7	6

Countries ranked near Afghanistan

171 Myanmar 0.026 compare
172 Belarus 0.025 compare
173 Eritrea 0.024 compare
175 Nicaragua 0.018 compare
176 North Korea 0.013 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More social development data for Afghanistan

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 20,869 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 2.67 million (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 0.0609 units per person (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 2.67 million (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0005 units per person (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)

All data for Afghanistan →

Frequently asked questions

What is freedom of expression index in Afghanistan?: Freedom of expression index in Afghanistan was 0.022 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest freedom of expression index recorded in Afghanistan?: The highest recorded value was 0.725 in 2012.
What is the lowest freedom of expression index recorded in Afghanistan?: The lowest recorded value was 0.022 in 2025.
How does Afghanistan rank for freedom of expression index?: Afghanistan ranks 174th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is freedom of expression index rising or falling in Afghanistan?: Over the last ten years it is down 96.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Afghanistan data come from?: The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Freedom of Expression Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Freedom of Expression Index in Afghanistan. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 07 November 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/stat/freedom-of-expression-index/afghanistan/

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About this data

Indicator: Freedom of Expression Index
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 176 places, 30,035 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 30 October 2026

Central estimate of the extent to which people can discuss political matters at home and in the public sphere, the press, and media are free and can present different political perspectives, and the freedom of academic and cultural expression.