Freedom of Expression Score in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Freedom of Expression Score was 1 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Freedom of Expression Score in Afghanistan, 2005–2025
Source: Bertelsmann Transformation Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for freedom of expression score in Afghanistan is 1, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 11 years on record.
That represents a change of down 50.0% on the previous year and down 75.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, freedom of expression score in Afghanistan peaked at 4 in 2005 and was at its lowest, 1, in 2025.
That places Afghanistan 116th out of 128 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 11 years of available data.
Freedom of Expression Score in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 4 | — |
| 2007 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 2 | -50.0% |
| 2025 | 1 | -50.0% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 1 is below the median for low income countries, which is 3, 33% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 1 is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 2, 50% of the median. (19 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| 2010s | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| 2020s | 2.33 | 1 | 4 | 3 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More social development data for Afghanistan
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 20,869 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 2.67 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 0.0609 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 2.67 million (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0005 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 score in Afghanistan?
- Freedom of expression score in Afghanistan was 1 in 2025, according to Bertelsmann Transformation Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest freedom of expression score recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 4 in 2005.
- What is the lowest freedom of expression score recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 1 in 2025.
- How does Afghanistan rank for freedom of expression score?
- Afghanistan ranks 116th out of 128 countries with data for 2025.
- Is freedom of expression score rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 75.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from Bertelsmann Transformation Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Freedom of Expression Score. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 11 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Indicates the extent to which individuals, groups, and the press can express their views free from government interference.