Freedom of Expression Index in Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan: Freedom of Expression Index was 0.038 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
0.038
Change on year
down 9.5%
World rank
169th
of 176 countries
All-time high
0.369
in 1989
All-time low
0.012
in 1934
Years of data
130
1896–2025
Freedom of Expression Index in Turkmenistan, 1896–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Turkmenistan recorded 0.038 for freedom of expression index in 2025.
The figure is down 9.5% on the previous year and up 58.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, freedom of expression index in Turkmenistan peaked at 0.369 in 1989 and was at its lowest, 0.012, in 1934.
Turkmenistan ranks 169th 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 Turkmenistan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1896 | 0.19 | — |
| 1897 | 0.19 | +0.0% |
| 1898 | 0.19 | +0.0% |
| 1899 | 0.19 | +0.0% |
| 1900 | 0.201 | +5.8% |
| 1901 | 0.199 | -1.0% |
| 1902 | 0.199 | +0.0% |
| 1903 | 0.199 | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 0.199 | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 0.238 | +19.6% |
| 1906 | 0.242 | +1.7% |
| 1907 | 0.239 | -1.2% |
| 1908 | 0.236 | -1.3% |
| 1909 | 0.235 | -0.4% |
| 1910 | 0.231 | -1.7% |
| 1911 | 0.231 | +0.0% |
| 1912 | 0.236 | +2.2% |
| 1913 | 0.236 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 0.229 | -3.0% |
| 1915 | 0.221 | -3.5% |
| 1916 | 0.219 | -0.9% |
| 1917 | 0.146 | -33.3% |
| 1918 | 0.045 | -69.2% |
| 1919 | 0.031 | -31.1% |
| 1920 | 0.03 | -3.2% |
| 1921 | 0.032 | +6.7% |
| 1922 | 0.031 | -3.1% |
| 1923 | 0.027 | -12.9% |
| 1924 | 0.025 | -7.4% |
| 1925 | 0.022 | -12.0% |
| 1926 | 0.021 | -4.5% |
| 1927 | 0.019 | -9.5% |
| 1928 | 0.018 | -5.3% |
| 1929 | 0.018 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 0.015 | -16.7% |
| 1931 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 0.012 | -20.0% |
| 1935 | 0.012 | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 0.012 | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 0.012 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 0.012 | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 0.012 | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 0.012 | +0.0% |
| 1941 | 0.012 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 0.012 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 0.012 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 0.012 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 0.014 | +16.7% |
| 1946 | 0.015 | +7.1% |
| 1947 | 0.014 | -6.7% |
| 1948 | 0.012 | -14.3% |
| 1949 | 0.012 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 0.012 | +0.0% |
| 1951 | 0.012 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 0.012 | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 0.016 | +33.3% |
| 1954 | 0.023 | +43.7% |
| 1955 | 0.025 | +8.7% |
| 1956 | 0.024 | -4.0% |
| 1957 | 0.029 | +20.8% |
| 1958 | 0.029 | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 0.03 | +3.4% |
| 1960 | 0.028 | -6.7% |
| 1961 | 0.028 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 0.029 | +3.6% |
| 1963 | 0.029 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 0.029 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 0.027 | -6.9% |
| 1966 | 0.027 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 0.027 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 0.027 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 0.025 | -7.4% |
| 1970 | 0.025 | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 0.026 | +4.0% |
| 1972 | 0.025 | -3.8% |
| 1973 | 0.025 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 0.024 | -4.0% |
| 1975 | 0.026 | +8.3% |
| 1976 | 0.026 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 0.025 | -3.8% |
| 1978 | 0.025 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 0.025 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 0.025 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 0.025 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 0.025 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 0.025 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 0.025 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 0.038 | +52.0% |
| 1986 | 0.087 | +128.9% |
| 1987 | 0.286 | +228.7% |
| 1988 | 0.291 | +1.7% |
| 1989 | 0.369 | +26.8% |
| 1990 | 0.156 | -57.7% |
| 1991 | 0.144 | -7.7% |
| 1992 | 0.096 | -33.3% |
| 1993 | 0.057 | -40.6% |
| 1994 | 0.051 | -10.5% |
| 1995 | 0.042 | -17.6% |
| 1996 | 0.042 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 0.021 | -50.0% |
| 1998 | 0.021 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 0.021 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.021 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 0.021 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 0.021 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 0.021 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 0.021 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 0.021 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 0.021 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 0.024 | +14.3% |
| 2008 | 0.028 | +16.7% |
| 2009 | 0.028 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 0.029 | +3.6% |
| 2011 | 0.028 | -3.4% |
| 2012 | 0.024 | -14.3% |
| 2013 | 0.024 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 0.024 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 0.024 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 0.026 | +8.3% |
| 2017 | 0.034 | +30.8% |
| 2018 | 0.04 | +17.6% |
| 2019 | 0.042 | +5.0% |
| 2020 | 0.04 | -4.8% |
| 2021 | 0.04 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 0.04 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 0.04 | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 0.042 | +5.0% |
| 2025 | 0.038 | -9.5% |
Turkmenistan compared with similar countries
- Turkmenistan's 0.038 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.6745, 6% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
- Turkmenistan's 0.038 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.7935, 5% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Freedom of Expression Index in Turkmenistan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | +228.7% | 0.087 | 0.286 |
| 1986 | +128.9% | 0.038 | 0.087 |
| 1918 | -69.2% | 0.146 | 0.045 |
| 1990 | -57.7% | 0.369 | 0.156 |
| 1985 | +52.0% | 0.025 | 0.038 |
| 1997 | -50.0% | 0.042 | 0.021 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1890s | 0.19 | 0.19 | 0.19 | 4 |
| 1900s | 0.2187 | 0.199 | 0.242 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.1825 | 0.031 | 0.236 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.0243 | 0.018 | 0.032 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.0132 | 0.012 | 0.015 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.0127 | 0.012 | 0.015 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.0212 | 0.012 | 0.03 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.0276 | 0.025 | 0.029 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.0252 | 0.024 | 0.026 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.1196 | 0.025 | 0.369 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.0651 | 0.021 | 0.156 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.0227 | 0.021 | 0.028 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.0295 | 0.024 | 0.042 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.04 | 0.038 | 0.042 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Turkmenistan
More social development data for Turkmenistan
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 9 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,864 (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 0.0002 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,864 (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 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is freedom of expression index in Turkmenistan?
- Freedom of expression index in Turkmenistan was 0.038 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest freedom of expression index recorded in Turkmenistan?
- The highest recorded value was 0.369 in 1989.
- What is the lowest freedom of expression index recorded in Turkmenistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.012 in 1934.
- How does Turkmenistan rank for freedom of expression index?
- Turkmenistan ranks 169th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is freedom of expression index rising or falling in Turkmenistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 58.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Turkmenistan 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 130 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
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.