Key media freedoms by country
Central estimate of the extent to which the government directly or indirectly attempts to censor political content in print and broadcast media, through formal restrictions or indirect pressures such as financial control, licensing, or access to distribution channels.
Countries reporting
172
Highest
3.49
Belgium
Lowest
-3.02
South Sudan
Median
0.5465
Years covered
237
1789–2025
Data points
21,793
What the numbers show
Key media freedoms is currently reported for 172 countries. The highest value is 3.49 in Belgium; the lowest is -3.02 in South Sudan.
The median across all reporting countries is 0.5465, and the mean is 0.3057.
Over the past decade 57 countries rose and 104 fell. The largest increase was in Ecuador (up 2,939.1%), and the largest decrease in Nicaragua (down 1,168.4%).
Key media freedoms: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Belgium | 3.49 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 2 | Denmark | 3.26 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 3 | Estonia | 3.2 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 4 | Portugal | 3.19 | 2025 | up 29.4% | volatile |
| 7 | Canada | 3.02 | 2025 | up 17.2% | rising |
| 8 | Brazil | 2.96 | 2025 | up 39.5% | volatile |
| 9 | New Zealand | 2.95 | 2025 | up 7.2% | rising |
| 10 | Iceland | 2.85 | 2025 | up 39.9% | rising |
| 11 | Sweden | 2.75 | 2025 | down 18.7% | rising |
| 12 | Finland | 2.74 | 2025 | up 30.3% | volatile |
| 13 | Chile | 2.65 | 2025 | up 5.1% | volatile |
| 14 | Norway | 2.6 | 2025 | down 21.3% | volatile |
| 15 | Austria | 2.51 | 2025 | down 3.4% | rising |
| 16 | Vanuatu | 2.45 | 2025 | up 18.0% | volatile |
| 17 | France | 2.31 | 2025 | up 5.7% | volatile |
| 18 | Australia | 2.22 | 2025 | down 17.1% | rising |
| 19 | Germany | 2.21 | 2025 | down 23.3% | volatile |
| 20 | Czechia | 2.16 | 2025 | up 19.9% | volatile |
| 21 | Jamaica | 2.16 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 22 | Poland | 2.14 | 2025 | down 19.6% | volatile |
| 23 | Suriname | 2.11 | 2025 | up 35.2% | rising |
| 24 | Barbados | 2.06 | 2025 | up 21.8% | volatile |
| 25 | Switzerland | 2.01 | 2025 | down 36.5% | rising |
| 26 | Sri Lanka | 1.96 | 2025 | up 771.6% | volatile |
| 27 | Uruguay | 1.9 | 2025 | down 36.7% | volatile |
| 28 | Montenegro | 1.9 | 2025 | up 92.6% | volatile |
| 29 | South Korea | 1.87 | 2025 | up 200.2% | volatile |
| 29 | Sierra Leone | 1.87 | 2025 | up 23.4% | volatile |
| 31 | Trinidad and Tobago | 1.85 | 2025 | down 4.2% | volatile |
| 32 | Dominican Republic | 1.84 | 2025 | up 93.0% | volatile |
| 33 | Botswana | 1.82 | 2025 | up 65.9% | volatile |
| 34 | Latvia | 1.73 | 2025 | down 44.5% | volatile |
| 35 | Guatemala | 1.73 | 2025 | up 62.5% | volatile |
| 36 | Kenya | 1.72 | 2025 | up 32.9% | volatile |
| 37 | South Africa | 1.68 | 2025 | up 56.4% | volatile |
| 38 | Mauritius | 1.67 | 2025 | up 42.4% | volatile |
| 39 | Honduras | 1.63 | 2025 | up 74.2% | volatile |
| 40 | Nepal | 1.56 | 2025 | down 14.5% | volatile |
| 41 | Paraguay | 1.55 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 42 | Solomon Islands | 1.52 | 2025 | down 8.4% | volatile |
| 43 | Ghana | 1.49 | 2025 | down 20.5% | volatile |
| 44 | Japan | 1.43 | 2025 | down 14.2% | volatile |
| 45 | Cape Verde | 1.37 | 2025 | down 36.1% | volatile |
| 47 | Gambia | 1.36 | 2025 | up 149.5% | volatile |
| 48 | Haiti | 1.33 | 2025 | up 27.9% | volatile |
| 49 | Mongolia | 1.32 | 2025 | down 17.9% | volatile |
| 50 | Namibia | 1.31 | 2025 | up 28.7% | volatile |
| 51 | Lithuania | 1.28 | 2025 | down 42.1% | volatile |
| 52 | United Kingdom | 1.28 | 2025 | down 48.3% | rising |
| 53 | Guinea | 1.26 | 2025 | down 15.7% | volatile |
| 54 | Netherlands | 1.25 | 2025 | down 54.6% | volatile |
| 55 | Colombia | 1.25 | 2025 | down 32.8% | volatile |
| 56 | Romania | 1.25 | 2025 | down 25.6% | volatile |
| 57 | Bhutan | 1.24 | 2025 | down 19.7% | volatile |
| 58 | Maldives | 1.21 | 2025 | up 262.8% | volatile |
| 59 | East Timor | 1.19 | 2025 | up 26.3% | volatile |
| 60 | Spain | 1.17 | 2025 | down 43.2% | volatile |
| 61 | Taiwan | 1.12 | 2025 | down 37.1% | volatile |
| 62 | Tunisia | 1.09 | 2025 | down 15.4% | volatile |
| 63 | Greece | 1.06 | 2025 | down 40.2% | volatile |
| 64 | Lesotho | 1.05 | 2025 | up 118.0% | volatile |
| 65 | Papua New Guinea | 1.02 | 2025 | down 7.7% | rising |
| 66 | Sao Tome and Principe | 1.02 | 2025 | down 31.8% | volatile |
| 67 | Costa Rica | 0.934 | 2025 | down 49.0% | volatile |
| 68 | Benin | 0.932 | 2025 | down 35.7% | volatile |
| 69 | Nigeria | 0.916 | 2025 | down 42.2% | volatile |
| 70 | Peru | 0.909 | 2025 | down 58.5% | volatile |
| 71 | Slovakia | 0.881 | 2025 | down 57.6% | volatile |
| 72 | United States | 0.875 | 2025 | down 68.8% | rising |
| 73 | Panama | 0.827 | 2025 | down 50.1% | volatile |
| 74 | Niger | 0.79 | 2025 | down 42.1% | volatile |
| 75 | Georgia | 0.789 | 2025 | down 51.0% | volatile |
| 75 | Guyana | 0.789 | 2025 | down 33.6% | volatile |
| 77 | Cyprus | 0.782 | 2025 | down 61.7% | volatile |
| 78 | Croatia | 0.722 | 2025 | down 59.9% | volatile |
| 79 | Philippines | 0.712 | 2025 | down 64.4% | volatile |
| 80 | Mauritania | 0.683 | 2025 | down 46.1% | volatile |
| 81 | Zambia | 0.665 | 2025 | up 160.7% | volatile |
| 82 | Ecuador | 0.653 | 2025 | up 2,939.1% | volatile |
| 83 | Bangladesh | 0.614 | 2025 | up 435.5% | volatile |
| 84 | Italy | 0.599 | 2025 | down 76.6% | volatile |
| 85 | Bolivia | 0.595 | 2025 | up 334.3% | volatile |
| 86 | Madagascar | 0.589 | 2025 | up 0.3% | volatile |
| 87 | Seychelles | 0.575 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 88 | Argentina | 0.554 | 2025 | down 44.2% | volatile |
| 89 | Fiji | 0.549 | 2025 | up 286.7% | volatile |
| 90 | Liberia | 0.544 | 2025 | down 37.5% | volatile |
| 91 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 0.51 | 2025 | down 13.1% | volatile |
| 92 | Israel | 0.46 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 93 | Kuwait | 0.431 | 2025 | down 30.0% | rising |
| 94 | Malawi | 0.426 | 2025 | down 59.7% | volatile |
| 95 | Senegal | 0.392 | 2025 | down 84.9% | volatile |
| 96 | Cote d'Ivoire | 0.293 | 2025 | up 109.3% | volatile |
| 97 | Lebanon | 0.291 | 2025 | down 35.6% | falling |
| 98 | Bulgaria | 0.288 | 2025 | down 70.1% | volatile |
| 99 | North Macedonia | 0.228 | 2025 | up 161.1% | volatile |
| 100 | Indonesia | 0.218 | 2025 | down 89.0% | volatile |
| 101 | Armenia | 0.2 | 2025 | up 173.8% | volatile |
| 102 | Rwanda | 0.176 | 2025 | down 69.0% | volatile |
| 103 | Syria | 0.164 | 2025 | up 105.4% | volatile |
| 104 | Gabon | 0.07 | 2025 | down 81.9% | volatile |
| 105 | Libya | 0.061 | 2025 | down 95.4% | volatile |
| 106 | Hungary | 0.043 | 2025 | down 91.1% | volatile |
| 107 | Malaysia | -0.017 | 2025 | up 97.7% | rising |
| 108 | Hong Kong | -0.024 | 2025 | down 101.4% | volatile |
| 109 | Cameroon | -0.087 | 2025 | down 148.6% | volatile |
| 110 | Comoros | -0.156 | 2025 | down 146.3% | volatile |
| 111 | Iraq | -0.159 | 2025 | down 136.8% | volatile |
| 112 | Pakistan | -0.164 | 2025 | down 122.3% | volatile |
| 113 | Singapore | -0.183 | 2025 | down 5.8% | volatile |
| 114 | India | -0.258 | 2025 | down 313.2% | volatile |
| 115 | Morocco | -0.275 | 2025 | up 55.2% | volatile |
| 116 | Central African Republic | -0.307 | 2025 | down 137.7% | volatile |
| 117 | Mali | -0.315 | 2025 | down 121.3% | volatile |
| 118 | Mozambique | -0.346 | 2025 | down 129.3% | volatile |
| 119 | Kyrgyzstan | -0.388 | 2025 | down 147.7% | volatile |
| 120 | Ethiopia | -0.394 | 2025 | up 66.9% | volatile |
| 121 | Democratic Republic of Congo | -0.42 | 2025 | down 14.1% | volatile |
| 122 | Moldova | -0.434 | 2025 | down 156.1% | volatile |
| 123 | Albania | -0.454 | 2025 | down 199.3% | volatile |
| 124 | Burkina Faso | -0.468 | 2025 | down 128.6% | volatile |
| 125 | Thailand | -0.505 | 2025 | up 80.7% | rising |
| 126 | Ukraine | -0.51 | 2025 | down 208.7% | volatile |
| 127 | Slovenia | -0.55 | 2025 | down 122.1% | volatile |
| 128 | Uganda | -0.579 | 2025 | up 10.9% | volatile |
| 129 | Mexico | -0.582 | 2025 | down 151.7% | volatile |
| 130 | Zimbabwe | -0.654 | 2025 | down 69.4% | volatile |
| 131 | Jordan | -0.74 | 2025 | up 13.7% | rising |
| 132 | Sudan | -0.755 | 2025 | up 63.1% | volatile |
| 133 | Togo | -0.762 | 2025 | down 166.7% | volatile |
| 134 | Uzbekistan | -0.914 | 2025 | up 58.1% | rising |
| 135 | Guinea-Bissau | -0.935 | 2025 | down 243.8% | volatile |
| 136 | Angola | -0.951 | 2025 | up 0.9% | rising |
| 137 | Yemen | -0.982 | 2025 | up 38.3% | rising |
| 138 | Djibouti | -0.99 | 2025 | up 36.0% | rising |
| 139 | Oman | -1.02 | 2025 | up 23.3% | rising |
| 140 | Qatar | -1.11 | 2025 | down 9.2% | rising |
| 141 | Kazakhstan | -1.12 | 2025 | down 70.3% | volatile |
| 142 | Tanzania | -1.16 | 2025 | down 87.5% | rising |
| 143 | Somalia | -1.2 | 2025 | down 31.1% | volatile |
| 144 | El Salvador | -1.23 | 2025 | down 250.2% | volatile |
| 145 | Saudi Arabia | -1.32 | 2025 | up 40.6% | rising |
| 146 | Algeria | -1.33 | 2025 | down 185.0% | rising |
| 147 | Vietnam | -1.48 | 2025 | down 43.7% | falling |
| 148 | Laos | -1.48 | 2025 | up 34.2% | volatile |
| 149 | Iran | -1.49 | 2025 | up 16.8% | volatile |
| 150 | United Arab Emirates | -1.69 | 2025 | down 54.9% | rising |
| 151 | Bahrain | -1.72 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 152 | Cambodia | -1.76 | 2025 | down 501.7% | volatile |
| 153 | Eswatini | -1.78 | 2025 | down 89.2% | volatile |
| 154 | Chad | -1.81 | 2025 | down 231.7% | rising |
| 155 | Equatorial Guinea | -1.89 | 2025 | down 34.9% | rising |
| 156 | Egypt | -1.94 | 2025 | up 15.2% | volatile |
| 157 | Serbia | -1.94 | 2025 | down 17.4% | volatile |
| 158 | Palestine | -1.96 | 1948 | unchanged | flat |
| 159 | Turkey | -2 | 2025 | down 266.7% | volatile |
| 160 | Venezuela | -2.04 | 2025 | down 12.7% | volatile |
| 161 | Cuba | -2.05 | 2025 | up 9.2% | volatile |
| 162 | Congo | -2.13 | 2025 | down 13.4% | volatile |
| 163 | Nicaragua | -2.21 | 2025 | down 1,168.4% | volatile |
| 164 | Tajikistan | -2.22 | 2025 | down 103.8% | rising |
| 165 | Russia | -2.22 | 2025 | down 63.9% | volatile |
| 166 | Burundi | -2.23 | 2025 | up 3.7% | volatile |
| 167 | Azerbaijan | -2.27 | 2025 | down 23.1% | flat |
| 168 | China | -2.42 | 2025 | down 44.4% | volatile |
| 169 | Afghanistan | -2.55 | 2025 | down 435.6% | volatile |
| 170 | Turkmenistan | -2.72 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 171 | North Korea | -2.77 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 172 | Belarus | -2.82 | 2025 | down 75.5% | flat |
| 173 | Myanmar | -2.95 | 2025 | down 578.8% | volatile |
| 174 | Eritrea | -2.98 | 2025 | down 10.5% | falling |
| 175 | South Sudan | -3.02 | 2025 | down 15.5% | volatile |
About this data
Central estimate of the extent to which the government directly or indirectly attempts to censor political content in print and broadcast media, through formal restrictions or indirect pressures such as financial control, licensing, or access to distribution channels.