Freedom of Expression Score in Malawi
Malawi: Freedom of Expression Score was 7 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Freedom of Expression Score in Malawi, 2005–2025
Source: Bertelsmann Transformation Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Malawi recorded 7 for freedom of expression score in 2025. That is the highest value across all 11 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, freedom of expression score in Malawi peaked at 7 in 2009 and was at its lowest, 6, in 2005.
That places Malawi 19th out of 128 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 11 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 6.33 | 6 | 7 | 3 |
| 2010s | 6.8 | 6 | 7 | 5 |
| 2020s | 7 | 7 | 7 | 3 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 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 Lesotho 7 compare
- 19 Liberia 7 compare
- 19 Montenegro 7 compare
- 19 Namibia 7 compare
- 19 North Macedonia 7 compare
- 19 Panama 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 Malawi
- Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy 35,241 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 551 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Liberal democracy 2 (2025)
- Liberal Democracy Index 0.462 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 2 (2025)
- Human Rights Index 0.806 (2025)
- Participatory Democracy Index 0.366 (2025)
- Key features of human rights 0.806 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is freedom of expression score in Malawi?
- Freedom of expression score in Malawi 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 Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 7 in 2009.
- What is the lowest freedom of expression score recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 6 in 2005.
- How does Malawi rank for freedom of expression score?
- Malawi ranks 19th out of 128 countries with data for 2025.
- Is freedom of expression score rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malawi 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.
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About this data
Indicates the extent to which individuals, groups, and the press can express their views free from government interference.