Freedom of Expression Index in Ukraine
Ukraine: Freedom of Expression Index was 0.418 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Freedom of Expression Index in Ukraine, 1946–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Ukraine recorded 0.418 for freedom of expression index in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.7% on the previous year and down 37.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, freedom of expression index in Ukraine peaked at 0.86 in 2008 and was at its lowest, 0.012, in 1948.
Ukraine ranks 131st of 176 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Freedom of Expression Index in Ukraine, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1946 | 0.015 | — |
| 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 | 0.696 | +88.6% |
| 1991 | 0.724 | +4.0% |
| 1992 | 0.799 | +10.4% |
| 1993 | 0.795 | -0.5% |
| 1994 | 0.805 | +1.3% |
| 1995 | 0.809 | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 0.788 | -2.6% |
| 1997 | 0.771 | -2.2% |
| 1998 | 0.697 | -9.6% |
| 1999 | 0.69 | -1.0% |
| 2000 | 0.612 | -11.3% |
| 2001 | 0.59 | -3.6% |
| 2002 | 0.566 | -4.1% |
| 2003 | 0.566 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 0.584 | +3.2% |
| 2005 | 0.808 | +38.4% |
| 2006 | 0.849 | +5.1% |
| 2007 | 0.851 | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 0.86 | +1.1% |
| 2009 | 0.855 | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 0.719 | -15.9% |
| 2011 | 0.717 | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 0.708 | -1.3% |
| 2013 | 0.699 | -1.3% |
| 2014 | 0.639 | -8.6% |
| 2015 | 0.666 | +4.2% |
| 2016 | 0.678 | +1.8% |
| 2017 | 0.684 | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 0.706 | +3.2% |
| 2019 | 0.762 | +7.9% |
| 2020 | 0.778 | +2.1% |
| 2021 | 0.757 | -2.7% |
| 2022 | 0.471 | -37.8% |
| 2023 | 0.441 | -6.4% |
| 2024 | 0.411 | -6.8% |
| 2025 | 0.418 | +1.7% |
Ukraine compared with similar countries
- Ukraine's 0.418 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.6745, 62% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
- Ukraine's 0.418 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.7935, 53% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Freedom of Expression Index in Ukraine 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 |
| 1990 | +88.6% | 0.369 | 0.696 |
| 1985 | +52.0% | 0.025 | 0.038 |
| 1954 | +43.7% | 0.016 | 0.023 |
| 2005 | +38.4% | 0.584 | 0.808 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 0.0132 | 0.012 | 0.015 | 4 |
| 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 | 0.7574 | 0.69 | 0.809 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.7141 | 0.566 | 0.86 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.6978 | 0.639 | 0.762 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.546 | 0.411 | 0.778 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ukraine
More social development data for Ukraine
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 2,370 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 5.22 million (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 4 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 4 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.134 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 5.22 million (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0001 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 Ukraine?
- Freedom of expression index in Ukraine was 0.418 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest freedom of expression index recorded in Ukraine?
- The highest recorded value was 0.86 in 2008.
- What is the lowest freedom of expression index recorded in Ukraine?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.012 in 1948.
- How does Ukraine rank for freedom of expression index?
- Ukraine ranks 131st out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is freedom of expression index rising or falling in Ukraine?
- Over the last ten years it is down 37.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ukraine 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
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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.