Freedom of Expression Score in Lesotho
Lesotho: Freedom of Expression Score was 7 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Freedom of Expression Score in Lesotho, 2009–2025
Source: Bertelsmann Transformation Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Lesotho recorded 7 for freedom of expression score in 2025. That is the highest value across all 9 years on record.
The figure is up 16.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, freedom of expression score in Lesotho peaked at 7 in 2023 and was at its lowest, 4, in 2009.
That places Lesotho 19th out of 128 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 |
| 2010s | 5.4 | 4 | 6 | 5 |
| 2020s | 6.33 | 5 | 7 | 3 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 19 Albania 7 compare
- 19 Argentina 7 compare
- 19 Bhutan 7 compare
- 19 Bolivia 7 compare
- 19 Brazil 7 compare
- 19 Colombia 7 compare
- 19 Cote d'Ivoire 7 compare
- 19 Croatia 7 compare
- 19 Ecuador 7 compare
- 19 Liberia 7 compare
- 19 Malawi 7 compare
- 19 Montenegro 7 compare
- 19 Namibia 7 compare
- 19 North Macedonia 7 compare
- 19 Papua New Guinea 7 compare
- 19 Peru 7 compare
- 19 Romania 7 compare
- 19 Senegal 7 compare
- 19 South Africa 7 compare
- 19 Sri Lanka 7 compare
More social development data for Lesotho
- Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy 478 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 27 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Liberal democracy 2 (2025)
- Liberal Democracy Index 0.512 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 2 (2025)
- Human Rights Index 0.835 (2025)
- Participatory Democracy Index 0.404 (2025)
- Key features of human rights 0.835 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is freedom of expression score in Lesotho?
- Freedom of expression score in Lesotho was 7 in 2025, according to Bertelsmann Transformation Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest freedom of expression score recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 7 in 2023.
- What is the lowest freedom of expression score recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 4 in 2009.
- How does Lesotho rank for freedom of expression score?
- Lesotho ranks 19th out of 128 countries with data for 2025.
- Is freedom of expression score rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Lesotho 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 — 9 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.