Freedom of Expression Score in Mauritania
Mauritania: Freedom of Expression Score was 5 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Freedom of Expression Score in Mauritania, 2007–2025
Source: Bertelsmann Transformation Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, freedom of expression score in Mauritania stood at 5. That is the lowest value across all 10 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 16.7% on the previous year and down 28.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, freedom of expression score in Mauritania peaked at 8 in 2007 and was at its lowest, 5, in 2025.
That places Mauritania 49th out of 128 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 10 years of available data.
Freedom of Expression Score in Mauritania, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 8 | — |
| 2009 | 6 | -25.0% |
| 2011 | 7 | +16.7% |
| 2013 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 6 | -14.3% |
| 2019 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 5 | -16.7% |
Mauritania compared with similar countries
- Mauritania's 5 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 4, 1.2× the median. (38 countries reporting)
- Mauritania's 5 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4, 1.2× the median. (39 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 7 | 6 | 8 | 2 |
| 2010s | 6.6 | 6 | 7 | 5 |
| 2020s | 5.67 | 5 | 6 | 3 |
Countries ranked near Mauritania
More social development data for Mauritania
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 301,490 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 43,906 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 5 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 5 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0083 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 43,906 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0567 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is freedom of expression score in Mauritania?
- Freedom of expression score in Mauritania 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 Mauritania?
- The highest recorded value was 8 in 2007.
- What is the lowest freedom of expression score recorded in Mauritania?
- The lowest recorded value was 5 in 2025.
- How does Mauritania rank for freedom of expression score?
- Mauritania ranks 49th out of 128 countries with data for 2025.
- Is freedom of expression score rising or falling in Mauritania?
- Over the last ten years it is down 28.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Mauritania 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 — 10 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.