Key media freedoms, annual growth rate in South Africa
South Africa: Key media freedoms, annual growth rate was 17.52 % change on previous year in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
17.52 % change on previous year
Change on year
up 211.4%
World rank
27th
of 175 countries
All-time high
995.75 % change on previous year
in 1994
All-time low
-706.93 % change on previous year
in 1948
Years of data
125
1901–2025
Key media freedoms, annual growth rate in South Africa, 1901–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in % change on previous year.
Analysis
In 2025, key media freedoms, annual growth rate in South Africa stood at 17.52 % change on previous year.
The figure is up 211.4% on the previous year and up 32.7% over five years.
Over the whole period, key media freedoms, annual growth rate in South Africa peaked at 995.75 % change on previous year in 1994 and was at its lowest, -706.93 % change on previous year, in 1948.
That places South Africa 27th out of 175 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Key media freedoms, annual growth rate in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % change on previous year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1901 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1902 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1903 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1904 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1905 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1906 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1907 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1908 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1909 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1910 | 151.27 % change on previous year | — |
| 1911 | 0 % change on previous year | -100.0% |
| 1912 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1913 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1914 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1915 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1916 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1917 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1918 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1919 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1920 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1921 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1922 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1923 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1924 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1925 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1926 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1927 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1928 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1929 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1930 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1931 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1932 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1933 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1934 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1935 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1936 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1937 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1938 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1939 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1940 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1941 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1942 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1943 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1944 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1945 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1946 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1947 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1948 | -706.93 % change on previous year | — |
| 1949 | -28.22 % change on previous year | -96.0% |
| 1950 | 0 % change on previous year | -100.0% |
| 1951 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1952 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1953 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1954 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1955 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1956 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1957 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1958 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1959 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1960 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1961 | -24.43 % change on previous year | — |
| 1962 | 0 % change on previous year | -100.0% |
| 1963 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1964 | -91 % change on previous year | — |
| 1965 | 0 % change on previous year | -100.0% |
| 1966 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1967 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1968 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1969 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1970 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1971 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1972 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1973 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1974 | -13.97 % change on previous year | — |
| 1975 | 0 % change on previous year | -100.0% |
| 1976 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1977 | -25.08 % change on previous year | — |
| 1978 | 0 % change on previous year | -100.0% |
| 1979 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1980 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1981 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1982 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1983 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1984 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1985 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1986 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1987 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1988 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1989 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1990 | 65 % change on previous year | — |
| 1991 | 52.15 % change on previous year | -19.8% |
| 1992 | 0 % change on previous year | -100.0% |
| 1993 | 131.61 % change on previous year | — |
| 1994 | 995.75 % change on previous year | +656.6% |
| 1995 | 0 % change on previous year | -100.0% |
| 1996 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1997 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1998 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 1999 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 2000 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 2001 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 2002 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 2003 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 2004 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 2005 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 2006 | 6.67 % change on previous year | — |
| 2007 | 0 % change on previous year | -100.0% |
| 2008 | -20.57 % change on previous year | — |
| 2009 | -4.97 % change on previous year | -75.9% |
| 2010 | 0 % change on previous year | -100.0% |
| 2011 | -11.41 % change on previous year | — |
| 2012 | 0 % change on previous year | -100.0% |
| 2013 | -2.72 % change on previous year | — |
| 2014 | 0 % change on previous year | -100.0% |
| 2015 | 0 % change on previous year | — |
| 2016 | -11.94 % change on previous year | — |
| 2017 | -48.31 % change on previous year | +304.6% |
| 2018 | 100 % change on previous year | -307.0% |
| 2019 | 4 % change on previous year | -96.0% |
| 2020 | 13.2 % change on previous year | +230.4% |
| 2021 | 9.83 % change on previous year | -25.5% |
| 2022 | 22.11 % change on previous year | +124.8% |
| 2023 | -12.33 % change on previous year | -155.8% |
| 2024 | 5.63 % change on previous year | -145.6% |
| 2025 | 17.52 % change on previous year | +211.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 0 % change on previous year | 0 % change on previous year | 0 % change on previous year | 9 |
| 1910s | 15.13 % change on previous year | 0 % change on previous year | 151.27 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1920s | 0 % change on previous year | 0 % change on previous year | 0 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1930s | 0 % change on previous year | 0 % change on previous year | 0 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1940s | -73.52 % change on previous year | -706.93 % change on previous year | 0 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1950s | 0 % change on previous year | 0 % change on previous year | 0 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1960s | -11.54 % change on previous year | -91 % change on previous year | 0 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1970s | -3.91 % change on previous year | -25.08 % change on previous year | 0 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1980s | 0 % change on previous year | 0 % change on previous year | 0 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1990s | 124.45 % change on previous year | 0 % change on previous year | 995.75 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2000s | -1.89 % change on previous year | -20.57 % change on previous year | 6.67 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.96 % change on previous year | -48.31 % change on previous year | 100 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.33 % change on previous year | -12.33 % change on previous year | 22.11 % change on previous year | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 24 Saudi Arabia 22.68 % change on previous year compare
- 25 Australia 22.63 % change on previous year compare
- 26 El Salvador 18.79 % change on previous year compare
- 28 Netherlands 8.77 % change on previous year compare
- 29 Haiti 8.71 % change on previous year compare
- 30 Slovakia 8.1 % change on previous year compare
More social development data for South Africa
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 55,177 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,319 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,319 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0009 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 key media freedoms, annual growth rate in South Africa?
- Key media freedoms, annual growth rate in South Africa was 17.52 % change on previous year in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest key media freedoms, annual growth rate recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 995.75 % change on previous year in 1994.
- What is the lowest key media freedoms, annual growth rate recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was -706.93 % change on previous year in 1948.
- How does South Africa rank for key media freedoms, annual growth rate?
- South Africa ranks 27th out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Key media freedoms, annual growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 125 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
The year-on-year percentage change in Key media freedoms. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.
Computed from
- Key media freedoms V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
The year-on-year percentage change in Key media freedoms. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.