Freedom of Expression Score in Iraq
Iraq: Freedom of Expression Score was 5 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Freedom of Expression Score in Iraq, 2005–2025
Source: Bertelsmann Transformation Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for freedom of expression score in Iraq is 5, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 11 years on record.
The figure is up 66.7% on the previous year and up 66.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, freedom of expression score in Iraq peaked at 5 in 2005 and was at its lowest, 3, in 2015.
Iraq ranks 49th of 128 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 11 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 |
| 2010s | 3.6 | 3 | 5 | 5 |
| 2020s | 3.67 | 3 | 5 | 3 |
Countries ranked near Iraq
More social development data for Iraq
- Political Rights Rating 5 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy 322,345 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 270,671 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Liberal democracy 1 (2025)
- Liberal Democracy Index 0.22 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Human Rights Index 0.521 (2025)
- Participatory Democracy Index 0.224 (2025)
- Key features of human rights 0.521 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is freedom of expression score in Iraq?
- Freedom of expression score in Iraq was 5 in 2025, according to Bertelsmann Transformation Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest freedom of expression score recorded in Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 5 in 2005.
- What is the lowest freedom of expression score recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was 3 in 2015.
- How does Iraq rank for freedom of expression score?
- Iraq ranks 49th out of 128 countries with data for 2025.
- Is freedom of expression score rising or falling in Iraq?
- Over the last ten years it is up 66.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Iraq 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.