What is freedom of expression index in Poland?

Freedom of expression index in Poland was 0.917 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

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

The highest recorded value was 0.973 in 2008.

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

The lowest recorded value was 0.034 in 1863.

How does Poland rank for freedom of expression index?

Poland ranks 20th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.

Is freedom of expression index rising or falling in Poland?

Over the last ten years it is down 3.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.

Where does this Poland 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 Poland

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

Poland: Freedom of Expression Index was 0.917 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)

0.917

Change on year

up 0.7%

World rank

20th

of 176 countries

All-time high

0.973

in 2008

All-time low

0.034

in 1863

Years of data

171

1789–2025

Freedom of Expression Index in Poland, 1789–2025

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

Analysis

Poland recorded 0.917 for freedom of expression index in 2025.

That represents a change of up 0.7% on the previous year and down 3.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, freedom of expression index in Poland peaked at 0.973 in 2008 and was at its lowest, 0.034, in 1863.

That places Poland 20th out of 176 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.

Freedom of Expression Index in Poland, year by year

Annual values for Freedom of Expression Index in Poland, 1789 to 2025.
Year	Value	Change
1789	0.765	—
1790	0.765	+0.0%
1791	0.765	+0.0%
1792	0.765	+0.0%
1793	0.624	-18.4%
1794	0.633	+1.4%
1795	0.435	-31.3%
1807	0.442	+1.6%
1808	0.442	+0.0%
1809	0.442	+0.0%
1810	0.491	+11.1%
1811	0.491	+0.0%
1812	0.491	+0.0%
1813	0.166	-66.2%
1814	0.166	+0.0%
1815	0.335	+101.8%
1816	0.335	+0.0%
1817	0.335	+0.0%
1818	0.335	+0.0%
1819	0.204	-39.1%
1820	0.204	+0.0%
1821	0.125	-38.7%
1822	0.125	+0.0%
1823	0.125	+0.0%
1824	0.125	+0.0%
1825	0.125	+0.0%
1826	0.125	+0.0%
1827	0.125	+0.0%
1828	0.125	+0.0%
1829	0.125	+0.0%
1830	0.346	+176.8%
1831	0.813	+135.0%
1832	0.039	-95.2%
1833	0.039	+0.0%
1834	0.039	+0.0%
1835	0.039	+0.0%
1836	0.039	+0.0%
1837	0.039	+0.0%
1838	0.039	+0.0%
1839	0.039	+0.0%
1840	0.039	+0.0%
1841	0.039	+0.0%
1842	0.039	+0.0%
1843	0.039	+0.0%
1844	0.039	+0.0%
1845	0.039	+0.0%
1846	0.039	+0.0%
1847	0.039	+0.0%
1848	0.039	+0.0%
1849	0.039	+0.0%
1850	0.039	+0.0%
1851	0.039	+0.0%
1852	0.039	+0.0%
1853	0.039	+0.0%
1854	0.039	+0.0%
1855	0.039	+0.0%
1856	0.076	+94.9%
1857	0.076	+0.0%
1858	0.076	+0.0%
1859	0.076	+0.0%
1860	0.076	+0.0%
1861	0.076	+0.0%
1862	0.076	+0.0%
1863	0.034	-55.3%
1864	0.034	+0.0%
1865	0.034	+0.0%
1866	0.034	+0.0%
1867	0.034	+0.0%
1918	0.839	+2367.6%
1919	0.842	+0.4%
1920	0.842	+0.0%
1921	0.842	+0.0%
1922	0.842	+0.0%
1923	0.842	+0.0%
1924	0.842	+0.0%
1925	0.842	+0.0%
1926	0.741	-12.0%
1927	0.649	-12.4%
1928	0.622	-4.2%
1929	0.622	+0.0%
1930	0.568	-8.7%
1931	0.588	+3.5%
1932	0.588	+0.0%
1933	0.588	+0.0%
1934	0.588	+0.0%
1935	0.54	-8.2%
1936	0.533	-1.3%
1937	0.533	+0.0%
1938	0.496	-6.9%
1944	0.164	-66.9%
1945	0.117	-28.7%
1946	0.134	+14.5%
1947	0.121	-9.7%
1948	0.108	-10.7%
1949	0.104	-3.7%
1950	0.09	-13.5%
1951	0.09	+0.0%
1952	0.09	+0.0%
1953	0.09	+0.0%
1954	0.09	+0.0%
1955	0.09	+0.0%
1956	0.096	+6.7%
1957	0.121	+26.0%
1958	0.121	+0.0%
1959	0.121	+0.0%
1960	0.121	+0.0%
1961	0.121	+0.0%
1962	0.121	+0.0%
1963	0.121	+0.0%
1964	0.121	+0.0%
1965	0.115	-5.0%
1966	0.122	+6.1%
1967	0.122	+0.0%
1968	0.122	+0.0%
1969	0.122	+0.0%
1970	0.122	+0.0%
1971	0.129	+5.7%
1972	0.129	+0.0%
1973	0.129	+0.0%
1974	0.129	+0.0%
1975	0.129	+0.0%
1976	0.126	-2.3%
1977	0.126	+0.0%
1978	0.126	+0.0%
1979	0.126	+0.0%
1980	0.22	+74.6%
1981	0.21	-4.5%
1982	0.112	-46.7%
1983	0.112	+0.0%
1984	0.144	+28.6%
1985	0.144	+0.0%
1986	0.144	+0.0%
1987	0.134	-6.9%
1988	0.173	+29.1%
1989	0.707	+308.7%
1990	0.936	+32.4%
1991	0.936	+0.0%
1992	0.959	+2.5%
1993	0.959	+0.0%
1994	0.964	+0.5%
1995	0.964	+0.0%
1996	0.964	+0.0%
1997	0.964	+0.0%
1998	0.964	+0.0%
1999	0.964	+0.0%
2000	0.964	+0.0%
2001	0.964	+0.0%
2002	0.964	+0.0%
2003	0.964	+0.0%
2004	0.964	+0.0%
2005	0.964	+0.0%
2006	0.95	-1.5%
2007	0.95	+0.0%
2008	0.973	+2.4%
2009	0.973	+0.0%
2010	0.971	-0.2%
2011	0.971	+0.0%
2012	0.971	+0.0%
2013	0.97	-0.1%
2014	0.97	+0.0%
2015	0.951	-2.0%
2016	0.722	-24.1%
2017	0.692	-4.2%
2018	0.692	+0.0%
2019	0.68	-1.7%
2020	0.68	+0.0%
2021	0.635	-6.6%
2022	0.606	-4.6%
2023	0.659	+8.7%
2024	0.911	+38.2%
2025	0.917	+0.7%

Poland compared with similar countries

Poland's 0.917 is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.874, 1.0× the median. (55 countries reporting)
Poland's 0.917 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.7935, 1.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1780s	0.765	0.765	0.765	1
1790s	0.6645	0.435	0.765	6
1800s	0.442	0.442	0.442	3
1810s	0.3349	0.166	0.491	10
1820s	0.1329	0.125	0.204	10
1830s	0.1471	0.039	0.813	10
1840s	0.039	0.039	0.039	10
1850s	0.0538	0.039	0.076	10
1860s	0.0498	0.034	0.076	8
1910s	0.8405	0.839	0.842	2
1920s	0.7686	0.622	0.842	10
1930s	0.558	0.496	0.588	9
1940s	0.1247	0.104	0.164	6
1950s	0.0999	0.09	0.121	10
1960s	0.1208	0.115	0.122	10
1970s	0.1271	0.122	0.129	10
1980s	0.21	0.112	0.707	10
1990s	0.9574	0.936	0.964	10
2000s	0.963	0.95	0.973	10
2010s	0.859	0.68	0.971	10
2020s	0.7347	0.606	0.917	6

Countries ranked near Poland

17 Chile 0.926 compare
18 Jamaica 0.919 compare
19 Austria 0.918 compare
20 Lithuania 0.917 compare
22 Australia 0.915 compare
22 Costa Rica 0.915 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More social development data for Poland

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 990,469 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,368 (2025)
Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 2 (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 1,368 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0272 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 Poland →

Frequently asked questions

What is freedom of expression index in Poland?: Freedom of expression index in Poland was 0.917 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest freedom of expression index recorded in Poland?: The highest recorded value was 0.973 in 2008.
What is the lowest freedom of expression index recorded in Poland?: The lowest recorded value was 0.034 in 1863.
How does Poland rank for freedom of expression index?: Poland ranks 20th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is freedom of expression index rising or falling in Poland?: Over the last ten years it is down 3.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Poland 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 Poland. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 22 September 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/stat/freedom-of-expression-index/poland/

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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.