Freedom of Expression Index in United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates: Freedom of Expression Index was 0.063 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Freedom of Expression Index in United Arab Emirates, 1971–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for freedom of expression index in United Arab Emirates is 0.063, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 1.6% on the previous year and down 47.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, freedom of expression index in United Arab Emirates peaked at 0.174 in 1998 and was at its lowest, 0.052, in 2021.
That places United Arab Emirates 165th out of 176 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 55 years of available data.
Freedom of Expression Index in United Arab Emirates, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 0.083 | — |
| 1972 | 0.083 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 0.069 | -16.9% |
| 1974 | 0.086 | +24.6% |
| 1975 | 0.086 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 0.093 | +8.1% |
| 1977 | 0.107 | +15.1% |
| 1978 | 0.107 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 0.107 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 0.092 | -14.0% |
| 1981 | 0.092 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 0.092 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 0.092 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 0.108 | +17.4% |
| 1985 | 0.119 | +10.2% |
| 1986 | 0.119 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 0.128 | +7.6% |
| 1988 | 0.128 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 0.128 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 0.128 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 0.13 | +1.6% |
| 1992 | 0.144 | +10.8% |
| 1993 | 0.132 | -8.3% |
| 1994 | 0.146 | +10.6% |
| 1995 | 0.163 | +11.6% |
| 1996 | 0.163 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 0.163 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.174 | +6.7% |
| 1999 | 0.174 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.174 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 0.174 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 0.147 | -15.5% |
| 2003 | 0.147 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 0.111 | -24.5% |
| 2005 | 0.126 | +13.5% |
| 2006 | 0.129 | +2.4% |
| 2007 | 0.129 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 0.131 | +1.6% |
| 2009 | 0.131 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 0.139 | +6.1% |
| 2011 | 0.127 | -8.6% |
| 2012 | 0.133 | +4.7% |
| 2013 | 0.14 | +5.3% |
| 2014 | 0.121 | -13.6% |
| 2015 | 0.121 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 0.108 | -10.7% |
| 2017 | 0.068 | -37.0% |
| 2018 | 0.069 | +1.5% |
| 2019 | 0.066 | -4.3% |
| 2020 | 0.069 | +4.5% |
| 2021 | 0.052 | -24.6% |
| 2022 | 0.063 | +21.2% |
| 2023 | 0.062 | -1.6% |
| 2024 | 0.062 | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 0.063 | +1.6% |
United Arab Emirates compared with similar countries
- United Arab Emirates's 0.063 is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.874, 7% of the median. (55 countries reporting)
- United Arab Emirates's 0.063 is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 0.367, 17% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Freedom of Expression Index in United Arab Emirates 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | -37.0% | 0.108 | 0.068 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.0912 | 0.069 | 0.107 | 9 |
| 1980s | 0.1098 | 0.092 | 0.128 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.1517 | 0.128 | 0.174 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.1399 | 0.111 | 0.174 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.1092 | 0.066 | 0.14 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0618 | 0.052 | 0.069 | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Arab Emirates
More social development data for United Arab Emirates
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,377 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 252 (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 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 252 (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 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is freedom of expression index in United Arab Emirates?
- Freedom of expression index in United Arab Emirates was 0.063 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest freedom of expression index recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The highest recorded value was 0.174 in 1998.
- What is the lowest freedom of expression index recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.052 in 2021.
- How does United Arab Emirates rank for freedom of expression index?
- United Arab Emirates ranks 165th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is freedom of expression index rising or falling in United Arab Emirates?
- Over the last ten years it is down 47.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Arab Emirates 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 — 55 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.