What is freedom of expression index in Syria?

Freedom of expression index in Syria was 0.358 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

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

The highest recorded value was 0.717 in 1956.

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

The lowest recorded value was 0.018 in 1982.

How does Syria rank for freedom of expression index?

Syria ranks 137th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.

Is freedom of expression index rising or falling in Syria?

Over the last ten years it is up 1,054.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.

Where does this Syria 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 Syria

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

Syria: Freedom of Expression Index was 0.358 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)

0.358

Change on year

up 411.4%

World rank

137th

of 176 countries

All-time high

0.717

in 1956

All-time low

0.018

in 1982

Years of data

235

1789–2025

Freedom of Expression Index in Syria, 1789–2025

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

Analysis

In 2025, freedom of expression index in Syria stood at 0.358.

That represents a change of up 411.4% on the previous year and up 1,054.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, freedom of expression index in Syria peaked at 0.717 in 1956 and was at its lowest, 0.018, in 1982.

That places Syria 137th 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 Syria, year by year

Annual values for Freedom of Expression Index in Syria, 1789 to 2025.
Year	Value	Change
1789	0.08	—
1790	0.08	+0.0%
1791	0.08	+0.0%
1792	0.08	+0.0%
1793	0.08	+0.0%
1794	0.08	+0.0%
1795	0.08	+0.0%
1796	0.08	+0.0%
1797	0.08	+0.0%
1798	0.08	+0.0%
1799	0.08	+0.0%
1800	0.08	+0.0%
1801	0.08	+0.0%
1802	0.08	+0.0%
1803	0.08	+0.0%
1804	0.08	+0.0%
1805	0.08	+0.0%
1806	0.08	+0.0%
1807	0.08	+0.0%
1808	0.075	-6.3%
1809	0.069	-8.0%
1810	0.069	+0.0%
1811	0.069	+0.0%
1812	0.069	+0.0%
1813	0.069	+0.0%
1814	0.069	+0.0%
1815	0.069	+0.0%
1816	0.069	+0.0%
1817	0.069	+0.0%
1818	0.069	+0.0%
1819	0.069	+0.0%
1820	0.069	+0.0%
1821	0.069	+0.0%
1822	0.069	+0.0%
1823	0.069	+0.0%
1824	0.069	+0.0%
1825	0.069	+0.0%
1826	0.069	+0.0%
1827	0.069	+0.0%
1828	0.069	+0.0%
1829	0.069	+0.0%
1830	0.069	+0.0%
1831	0.088	+27.5%
1832	0.088	+0.0%
1833	0.088	+0.0%
1834	0.088	+0.0%
1835	0.088	+0.0%
1836	0.088	+0.0%
1837	0.088	+0.0%
1838	0.088	+0.0%
1839	0.088	+0.0%
1840	0.071	-19.3%
1841	0.071	+0.0%
1842	0.071	+0.0%
1843	0.071	+0.0%
1844	0.071	+0.0%
1845	0.071	+0.0%
1846	0.071	+0.0%
1847	0.071	+0.0%
1848	0.071	+0.0%
1849	0.071	+0.0%
1850	0.071	+0.0%
1851	0.071	+0.0%
1852	0.071	+0.0%
1853	0.071	+0.0%
1854	0.071	+0.0%
1855	0.071	+0.0%
1856	0.071	+0.0%
1857	0.071	+0.0%
1858	0.071	+0.0%
1859	0.071	+0.0%
1860	0.167	+135.2%
1861	0.2	+19.8%
1862	0.2	+0.0%
1863	0.2	+0.0%
1864	0.2	+0.0%
1865	0.2	+0.0%
1866	0.2	+0.0%
1867	0.217	+8.5%
1868	0.217	+0.0%
1869	0.217	+0.0%
1870	0.217	+0.0%
1871	0.217	+0.0%
1872	0.217	+0.0%
1873	0.217	+0.0%
1874	0.217	+0.0%
1875	0.217	+0.0%
1876	0.217	+0.0%
1877	0.071	-67.3%
1878	0.044	-38.0%
1879	0.044	+0.0%
1880	0.044	+0.0%
1881	0.044	+0.0%
1882	0.044	+0.0%
1883	0.044	+0.0%
1884	0.044	+0.0%
1885	0.044	+0.0%
1886	0.044	+0.0%
1887	0.044	+0.0%
1888	0.044	+0.0%
1889	0.044	+0.0%
1890	0.027	-38.6%
1891	0.027	+0.0%
1892	0.027	+0.0%
1893	0.027	+0.0%
1894	0.027	+0.0%
1895	0.027	+0.0%
1896	0.027	+0.0%
1897	0.027	+0.0%
1898	0.027	+0.0%
1899	0.027	+0.0%
1900	0.032	+18.5%
1901	0.032	+0.0%
1902	0.032	+0.0%
1903	0.032	+0.0%
1904	0.032	+0.0%
1905	0.032	+0.0%
1906	0.032	+0.0%
1907	0.032	+0.0%
1908	0.099	+209.4%
1909	0.379	+282.8%
1910	0.373	-1.6%
1911	0.35	-6.2%
1912	0.279	-20.3%
1913	0.145	-48.0%
1914	0.123	-15.2%
1915	0.117	-4.9%
1916	0.117	+0.0%
1917	0.117	+0.0%
1918	0.628	+436.8%
1919	0.625	-0.5%
1922	0.311	-50.2%
1923	0.311	+0.0%
1924	0.311	+0.0%
1925	0.311	+0.0%
1926	0.311	+0.0%
1927	0.311	+0.0%
1928	0.311	+0.0%
1929	0.311	+0.0%
1930	0.501	+61.1%
1931	0.514	+2.6%
1932	0.519	+1.0%
1933	0.519	+0.0%
1934	0.519	+0.0%
1935	0.519	+0.0%
1936	0.525	+1.2%
1937	0.525	+0.0%
1938	0.525	+0.0%
1939	0.366	-30.3%
1940	0.362	-1.1%
1941	0.368	+1.7%
1942	0.357	-3.0%
1943	0.357	+0.0%
1944	0.357	+0.0%
1945	0.363	+1.7%
1946	0.588	+62.0%
1947	0.656	+11.6%
1948	0.656	+0.0%
1949	0.481	-26.7%
1950	0.368	-23.5%
1951	0.368	+0.0%
1952	0.367	-0.3%
1953	0.367	+0.0%
1954	0.574	+56.4%
1955	0.706	+23.0%
1956	0.717	+1.6%
1957	0.717	+0.0%
1958	0.383	-46.6%
1959	0.239	-37.6%
1960	0.202	-15.5%
1961	0.206	+2.0%
1962	0.444	+115.5%
1963	0.16	-64.0%
1964	0.165	+3.1%
1965	0.165	+0.0%
1966	0.165	+0.0%
1967	0.165	+0.0%
1968	0.165	+0.0%
1969	0.165	+0.0%
1970	0.036	-78.2%
1971	0.031	-13.9%
1972	0.03	-3.2%
1973	0.022	-26.7%
1974	0.022	+0.0%
1975	0.022	+0.0%
1976	0.022	+0.0%
1977	0.022	+0.0%
1978	0.021	-4.5%
1979	0.021	+0.0%
1980	0.021	+0.0%
1981	0.021	+0.0%
1982	0.018	-14.3%
1983	0.019	+5.6%
1984	0.019	+0.0%
1985	0.019	+0.0%
1986	0.019	+0.0%
1987	0.019	+0.0%
1988	0.019	+0.0%
1989	0.019	+0.0%
1990	0.022	+15.8%
1991	0.022	+0.0%
1992	0.024	+9.1%
1993	0.024	+0.0%
1994	0.024	+0.0%
1995	0.024	+0.0%
1996	0.024	+0.0%
1997	0.024	+0.0%
1998	0.024	+0.0%
1999	0.024	+0.0%
2000	0.053	+120.8%
2001	0.068	+28.3%
2002	0.051	-25.0%
2003	0.058	+13.7%
2004	0.058	+0.0%
2005	0.042	-27.6%
2006	0.043	+2.4%
2007	0.043	+0.0%
2008	0.043	+0.0%
2009	0.043	+0.0%
2010	0.04	-7.0%
2011	0.046	+15.0%
2012	0.046	+0.0%
2013	0.029	-37.0%
2014	0.034	+17.2%
2015	0.031	-8.8%
2016	0.033	+6.5%
2017	0.037	+12.1%
2018	0.03	-18.9%
2019	0.037	+23.3%
2020	0.042	+13.5%
2021	0.037	-11.9%
2022	0.033	-10.8%
2023	0.079	+139.4%
2024	0.07	-11.4%
2025	0.358	+411.4%

Syria compared with similar countries

Syria's 0.358 is below the median for low income countries, which is 0.432, 83% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
Syria's 0.358 is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 0.367, 98% of the median. (23 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1780s	0.08	0.08	0.08	1
1790s	0.08	0.08	0.08	10
1800s	0.0784	0.069	0.08	10
1810s	0.069	0.069	0.069	10
1820s	0.069	0.069	0.069	10
1830s	0.0861	0.069	0.088	10
1840s	0.071	0.071	0.071	10
1850s	0.071	0.071	0.071	10
1860s	0.2018	0.167	0.217	10
1870s	0.1678	0.044	0.217	10
1880s	0.044	0.044	0.044	10
1890s	0.027	0.027	0.027	10
1900s	0.0734	0.032	0.379	10
1910s	0.2874	0.117	0.628	10
1920s	0.311	0.311	0.311	8
1930s	0.5032	0.366	0.525	10
1940s	0.4545	0.357	0.656	10
1950s	0.4806	0.239	0.717	10
1960s	0.2002	0.16	0.444	10
1970s	0.0249	0.021	0.036	10
1980s	0.0193	0.018	0.021	10
1990s	0.0236	0.022	0.024	10
2000s	0.0502	0.042	0.068	10
2010s	0.0363	0.029	0.046	10
2020s	0.1032	0.033	0.358	6

Countries ranked near Syria

134 Singapore 0.4 compare
135 Congo 0.373 compare
136 Algeria 0.367 compare
138 El Salvador 0.356 compare
139 Djibouti 0.336 compare
140 Kazakhstan 0.329 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More social development data for Syria

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 9,885 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 4.87 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 0.1899 units per person (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 4.87 million (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0004 units per person (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2022)

All data for Syria →

Frequently asked questions

What is freedom of expression index in Syria?: Freedom of expression index in Syria was 0.358 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest freedom of expression index recorded in Syria?: The highest recorded value was 0.717 in 1956.
What is the lowest freedom of expression index recorded in Syria?: The lowest recorded value was 0.018 in 1982.
How does Syria rank for freedom of expression index?: Syria ranks 137th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is freedom of expression index rising or falling in Syria?: Over the last ten years it is up 1,054.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Syria 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 Syria. 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/syrian-arab-republic/

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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.