What is freedom of expression index in Cuba?

Freedom of expression index in Cuba was 0.074 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

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

The highest recorded value was 0.79 in 1940.

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

The lowest recorded value was 0.03 in 1971.

How does Cuba rank for freedom of expression index?

Cuba ranks 164th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.

Is freedom of expression index rising or falling in Cuba?

Over the last ten years it is up 64.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.

Where does this Cuba 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 Cuba

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

Cuba: Freedom of Expression Index was 0.074 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)

0.074

Change on year

down 17.8%

World rank

164th

of 176 countries

All-time high

0.79

in 1940

All-time low

0.03

in 1971

Years of data

237

1789–2025

Freedom of Expression Index in Cuba, 1789–2025

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

Analysis

The most recent figure for freedom of expression index in Cuba is 0.074, measured in 2025.

The figure is down 17.8% on the previous year and up 64.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, freedom of expression index in Cuba peaked at 0.79 in 1940 and was at its lowest, 0.03, in 1971.

That places Cuba 164th out of 176 countries with data for 2025, putting it 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 Cuba, year by year

Annual values for Freedom of Expression Index in Cuba, 1789 to 2025.
Year	Value	Change
1789	0.21	—
1790	0.21	+0.0%
1791	0.21	+0.0%
1792	0.21	+0.0%
1793	0.21	+0.0%
1794	0.21	+0.0%
1795	0.21	+0.0%
1796	0.21	+0.0%
1797	0.21	+0.0%
1798	0.21	+0.0%
1799	0.21	+0.0%
1800	0.21	+0.0%
1801	0.21	+0.0%
1802	0.21	+0.0%
1803	0.21	+0.0%
1804	0.21	+0.0%
1805	0.21	+0.0%
1806	0.21	+0.0%
1807	0.21	+0.0%
1808	0.21	+0.0%
1809	0.21	+0.0%
1810	0.21	+0.0%
1811	0.21	+0.0%
1812	0.188	-10.5%
1813	0.214	+13.8%
1814	0.214	+0.0%
1815	0.214	+0.0%
1816	0.214	+0.0%
1817	0.214	+0.0%
1818	0.214	+0.0%
1819	0.214	+0.0%
1820	0.214	+0.0%
1821	0.214	+0.0%
1822	0.214	+0.0%
1823	0.214	+0.0%
1824	0.214	+0.0%
1825	0.214	+0.0%
1826	0.214	+0.0%
1827	0.214	+0.0%
1828	0.214	+0.0%
1829	0.214	+0.0%
1830	0.214	+0.0%
1831	0.214	+0.0%
1832	0.214	+0.0%
1833	0.214	+0.0%
1834	0.214	+0.0%
1835	0.214	+0.0%
1836	0.214	+0.0%
1837	0.214	+0.0%
1838	0.214	+0.0%
1839	0.214	+0.0%
1840	0.214	+0.0%
1841	0.214	+0.0%
1842	0.214	+0.0%
1843	0.214	+0.0%
1844	0.183	-14.5%
1845	0.213	+16.4%
1846	0.213	+0.0%
1847	0.213	+0.0%
1848	0.213	+0.0%
1849	0.213	+0.0%
1850	0.213	+0.0%
1851	0.213	+0.0%
1852	0.213	+0.0%
1853	0.213	+0.0%
1854	0.213	+0.0%
1855	0.213	+0.0%
1856	0.213	+0.0%
1857	0.213	+0.0%
1858	0.213	+0.0%
1859	0.213	+0.0%
1860	0.213	+0.0%
1861	0.213	+0.0%
1862	0.213	+0.0%
1863	0.213	+0.0%
1864	0.213	+0.0%
1865	0.213	+0.0%
1866	0.213	+0.0%
1867	0.213	+0.0%
1868	0.202	-5.2%
1869	0.202	+0.0%
1870	0.202	+0.0%
1871	0.202	+0.0%
1872	0.202	+0.0%
1873	0.202	+0.0%
1874	0.202	+0.0%
1875	0.202	+0.0%
1876	0.202	+0.0%
1877	0.202	+0.0%
1878	0.205	+1.5%
1879	0.216	+5.4%
1880	0.216	+0.0%
1881	0.216	+0.0%
1882	0.216	+0.0%
1883	0.216	+0.0%
1884	0.216	+0.0%
1885	0.216	+0.0%
1886	0.216	+0.0%
1887	0.216	+0.0%
1888	0.216	+0.0%
1889	0.298	+38.0%
1890	0.471	+58.1%
1891	0.471	+0.0%
1892	0.471	+0.0%
1893	0.471	+0.0%
1894	0.471	+0.0%
1895	0.453	-3.8%
1896	0.453	+0.0%
1897	0.453	+0.0%
1898	0.593	+30.9%
1899	0.688	+16.0%
1900	0.72	+4.7%
1901	0.72	+0.0%
1902	0.72	+0.0%
1903	0.714	-0.8%
1904	0.714	+0.0%
1905	0.714	+0.0%
1906	0.714	+0.0%
1907	0.714	+0.0%
1908	0.714	+0.0%
1909	0.714	+0.0%
1910	0.714	+0.0%
1911	0.714	+0.0%
1912	0.709	-0.7%
1913	0.714	+0.7%
1914	0.714	+0.0%
1915	0.714	+0.0%
1916	0.714	+0.0%
1917	0.714	+0.0%
1918	0.714	+0.0%
1919	0.714	+0.0%
1920	0.714	+0.0%
1921	0.714	+0.0%
1922	0.714	+0.0%
1923	0.714	+0.0%
1924	0.714	+0.0%
1925	0.714	+0.0%
1926	0.726	+1.7%
1927	0.726	+0.0%
1928	0.715	-1.5%
1929	0.668	-6.6%
1930	0.668	+0.0%
1931	0.658	-1.5%
1932	0.658	+0.0%
1933	0.703	+6.8%
1934	0.717	+2.0%
1935	0.717	+0.0%
1936	0.717	+0.0%
1937	0.717	+0.0%
1938	0.717	+0.0%
1939	0.717	+0.0%
1940	0.79	+10.2%
1941	0.79	+0.0%
1942	0.79	+0.0%
1943	0.79	+0.0%
1944	0.79	+0.0%
1945	0.79	+0.0%
1946	0.79	+0.0%
1947	0.79	+0.0%
1948	0.79	+0.0%
1949	0.79	+0.0%
1950	0.79	+0.0%
1951	0.774	-2.0%
1952	0.691	-10.7%
1953	0.591	-14.5%
1954	0.591	+0.0%
1955	0.591	+0.0%
1956	0.591	+0.0%
1957	0.591	+0.0%
1958	0.591	+0.0%
1959	0.366	-38.1%
1960	0.175	-52.2%
1961	0.032	-81.7%
1962	0.032	+0.0%
1963	0.032	+0.0%
1964	0.032	+0.0%
1965	0.032	+0.0%
1966	0.032	+0.0%
1967	0.032	+0.0%
1968	0.032	+0.0%
1969	0.032	+0.0%
1970	0.032	+0.0%
1971	0.03	-6.3%
1972	0.03	+0.0%
1973	0.03	+0.0%
1974	0.03	+0.0%
1975	0.03	+0.0%
1976	0.03	+0.0%
1977	0.03	+0.0%
1978	0.03	+0.0%
1979	0.03	+0.0%
1980	0.042	+40.0%
1981	0.042	+0.0%
1982	0.042	+0.0%
1983	0.042	+0.0%
1984	0.042	+0.0%
1985	0.042	+0.0%
1986	0.042	+0.0%
1987	0.042	+0.0%
1988	0.042	+0.0%
1989	0.042	+0.0%
1990	0.042	+0.0%
1991	0.042	+0.0%
1992	0.042	+0.0%
1993	0.046	+9.5%
1994	0.046	+0.0%
1995	0.046	+0.0%
1996	0.046	+0.0%
1997	0.046	+0.0%
1998	0.046	+0.0%
1999	0.046	+0.0%
2000	0.047	+2.2%
2001	0.047	+0.0%
2002	0.047	+0.0%
2003	0.047	+0.0%
2004	0.047	+0.0%
2005	0.046	-2.1%
2006	0.047	+2.2%
2007	0.045	-4.3%
2008	0.045	+0.0%
2009	0.045	+0.0%
2010	0.045	+0.0%
2011	0.045	+0.0%
2012	0.045	+0.0%
2013	0.045	+0.0%
2014	0.045	+0.0%
2015	0.045	+0.0%
2016	0.049	+8.9%
2017	0.047	-4.1%
2018	0.081	+72.3%
2019	0.101	+24.7%
2020	0.084	-16.8%
2021	0.084	+0.0%
2022	0.084	+0.0%
2023	0.068	-19.0%
2024	0.09	+32.4%
2025	0.074	-17.8%

Cuba compared with similar countries

Cuba's 0.074 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.6745, 11% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Cuba's 0.074 is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 0.81, 9% of the median. (25 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1780s	0.21	0.21	0.21	1
1790s	0.21	0.21	0.21	10
1800s	0.21	0.21	0.21	10
1810s	0.2106	0.188	0.214	10
1820s	0.214	0.214	0.214	10
1830s	0.214	0.214	0.214	10
1840s	0.2104	0.183	0.214	10
1850s	0.213	0.213	0.213	10
1860s	0.2108	0.202	0.213	10
1870s	0.2037	0.202	0.216	10
1880s	0.2242	0.216	0.298	10
1890s	0.4995	0.453	0.688	10
1900s	0.7158	0.714	0.72	10
1910s	0.7135	0.709	0.714	10
1920s	0.7119	0.668	0.726	10
1930s	0.6989	0.658	0.717	10
1940s	0.79	0.79	0.79	10
1950s	0.6167	0.366	0.79	10
1960s	0.0463	0.032	0.175	10
1970s	0.0302	0.03	0.032	10
1980s	0.042	0.042	0.042	10
1990s	0.0448	0.042	0.046	10
2000s	0.0463	0.045	0.047	10
2010s	0.0548	0.045	0.101	10
2020s	0.0807	0.068	0.09	6

Countries ranked near Cuba

161 Azerbaijan 0.092 compare
161 Saudi Arabia 0.092 compare
163 Russia 0.08 compare
165 United Arab Emirates 0.063 compare
166 Qatar 0.055 compare
167 China 0.045 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More social development data for Cuba

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 115 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 29,395 (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 0.0027 units per person (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 29,395 (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 0 units per US$ of GDP (2020)

All data for Cuba →

Frequently asked questions

What is freedom of expression index in Cuba?: Freedom of expression index in Cuba was 0.074 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest freedom of expression index recorded in Cuba?: The highest recorded value was 0.79 in 1940.
What is the lowest freedom of expression index recorded in Cuba?: The lowest recorded value was 0.03 in 1971.
How does Cuba rank for freedom of expression index?: Cuba ranks 164th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is freedom of expression index rising or falling in Cuba?: Over the last ten years it is up 64.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Cuba 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 Cuba. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 24 September 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/stat/freedom-of-expression-index/cuba/

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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: 18 September 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.