Key media freedoms in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Key media freedoms was -2.55 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
-2.55
Change on year
down 69.7%
World rank
169th
of 175 countries
All-time high
0.831
in 2020
All-time low
-2.87
in 1997
Years of data
125
1900–2025
Key media freedoms in Afghanistan, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Afghanistan recorded -2.55 for key media freedoms in 2025.
The figure is down 69.7% on the previous year and down 435.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, key media freedoms in Afghanistan peaked at 0.831 in 2020 and was at its lowest, -2.87, in 1997.
That places Afghanistan 169th out of 175 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Key media freedoms in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | -2.22 | — |
| 1901 | -2.22 | -0.0% |
| 1902 | -2.22 | -0.0% |
| 1903 | -2.22 | -0.0% |
| 1904 | -2.22 | -0.0% |
| 1905 | -2.22 | -0.0% |
| 1906 | -2.22 | -0.0% |
| 1907 | -2.22 | -0.0% |
| 1908 | -2.22 | -0.0% |
| 1909 | -2.22 | -0.0% |
| 1910 | -2.22 | -0.0% |
| 1911 | -2.22 | -0.0% |
| 1912 | -2.22 | -0.0% |
| 1913 | -2.22 | -0.0% |
| 1914 | -2.22 | -0.0% |
| 1915 | -2.22 | -0.0% |
| 1916 | -2.22 | -0.0% |
| 1917 | -2.22 | -0.0% |
| 1918 | -2.22 | -0.0% |
| 1919 | -2.22 | -0.0% |
| 1920 | -2.22 | -0.0% |
| 1921 | -2.22 | -0.0% |
| 1922 | -2.22 | -0.0% |
| 1923 | -2.22 | -0.0% |
| 1924 | -2.22 | -0.0% |
| 1925 | -2.22 | -0.0% |
| 1926 | -2.22 | -0.0% |
| 1927 | -2.22 | -0.0% |
| 1928 | -2.22 | -0.0% |
| 1929 | -2.22 | -0.0% |
| 1931 | -1.16 | -47.6% |
| 1932 | -1.16 | -0.0% |
| 1933 | -1.16 | -0.0% |
| 1934 | -1.16 | -0.0% |
| 1935 | -1.16 | -0.0% |
| 1936 | -1.16 | -0.0% |
| 1937 | -1.16 | -0.0% |
| 1938 | -1.16 | -0.0% |
| 1939 | -1.16 | -0.0% |
| 1940 | -1.16 | -0.0% |
| 1941 | -1.16 | -0.0% |
| 1942 | -1.16 | -0.0% |
| 1943 | -1.16 | -0.0% |
| 1944 | -1.16 | -0.0% |
| 1945 | -1.16 | -0.0% |
| 1946 | -1.16 | -0.0% |
| 1947 | -1.16 | -0.0% |
| 1948 | -1.16 | -0.0% |
| 1949 | -1.16 | -0.0% |
| 1950 | -1.16 | -0.0% |
| 1951 | -1.16 | -0.0% |
| 1952 | -0.944 | -18.7% |
| 1953 | -1.72 | +82.1% |
| 1954 | -1.72 | -0.0% |
| 1955 | -1.72 | -0.0% |
| 1956 | -1.72 | -0.0% |
| 1957 | -1.72 | -0.0% |
| 1958 | -1.72 | -0.0% |
| 1959 | -1.72 | -0.0% |
| 1960 | -1.72 | -0.0% |
| 1961 | -1.72 | -0.0% |
| 1962 | -1.72 | -0.0% |
| 1963 | -1.72 | -0.0% |
| 1964 | -1.18 | -31.5% |
| 1965 | -0.531 | -54.9% |
| 1966 | -0.531 | -0.0% |
| 1967 | -0.531 | -0.0% |
| 1968 | -0.531 | -0.0% |
| 1969 | -0.531 | -0.0% |
| 1970 | -0.531 | -0.0% |
| 1971 | -0.531 | -0.0% |
| 1972 | -0.531 | -0.0% |
| 1973 | -1.14 | +114.5% |
| 1974 | -2.03 | +78.6% |
| 1975 | -1.7 | -16.5% |
| 1976 | -1.7 | -0.0% |
| 1977 | -1.7 | -0.0% |
| 1978 | -2.43 | +43.1% |
| 1979 | -2.43 | -0.0% |
| 1980 | -2.43 | -0.0% |
| 1981 | -2.43 | -0.0% |
| 1982 | -2.43 | -0.0% |
| 1983 | -2.43 | -0.0% |
| 1984 | -2.43 | -0.0% |
| 1985 | -2.43 | -0.0% |
| 1986 | -2.43 | -0.0% |
| 1987 | -2.49 | +2.4% |
| 1988 | -2.49 | -0.0% |
| 1989 | -2.49 | -0.0% |
| 1990 | -2.49 | -0.0% |
| 1991 | -2.49 | -0.0% |
| 1992 | -2.49 | -0.0% |
| 1993 | -1.82 | -26.9% |
| 1994 | -1.82 | -0.0% |
| 1995 | -1.82 | -0.0% |
| 1996 | -2.15 | +18.3% |
| 1997 | -2.87 | +33.1% |
| 1998 | -2.87 | -0.0% |
| 1999 | -2.87 | -0.0% |
| 2000 | -2.87 | -0.0% |
| 2001 | -2.44 | -14.7% |
| 2002 | 0.367 | -115.0% |
| 2003 | 0.518 | +41.1% |
| 2004 | 0.36 | -30.5% |
| 2005 | 0.764 | +112.2% |
| 2006 | 0.764 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 0.72 | -5.8% |
| 2008 | 0.72 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 0.767 | +6.5% |
| 2010 | 0.767 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 0.767 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 0.72 | -6.1% |
| 2013 | 0.759 | +5.4% |
| 2014 | 0.759 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 0.759 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 0.594 | -21.7% |
| 2017 | 0.788 | +32.7% |
| 2018 | 0.788 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 0.351 | -55.5% |
| 2020 | 0.831 | +136.8% |
| 2021 | -1.89 | -327.4% |
| 2022 | -2.63 | +39.0% |
| 2023 | -2.63 | -0.0% |
| 2024 | -1.5 | -42.9% |
| 2025 | -2.55 | +69.7% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's -2.55 is below the median for low income countries, which is -0.42, 6.1× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's -2.55 is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is -0.982, 2.6× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | -2.22 | -2.22 | -2.22 | 10 |
| 1910s | -2.22 | -2.22 | -2.22 | 10 |
| 1920s | -2.22 | -2.22 | -2.22 | 10 |
| 1930s | -1.16 | -1.16 | -1.16 | 9 |
| 1940s | -1.16 | -1.16 | -1.16 | 10 |
| 1950s | -1.53 | -1.72 | -0.944 | 10 |
| 1960s | -1.07 | -1.72 | -0.531 | 10 |
| 1970s | -1.47 | -2.43 | -0.531 | 10 |
| 1980s | -2.45 | -2.49 | -2.43 | 10 |
| 1990s | -2.37 | -2.87 | -1.82 | 10 |
| 2000s | -0.0328 | -2.87 | 0.767 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.7052 | 0.351 | 0.788 | 10 |
| 2020s | -1.73 | -2.63 | 0.831 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
- 166 Burundi -2.23 compare
- 167 Azerbaijan -2.27 compare
- 168 China -2.42 compare
- 170 Turkmenistan -2.72 compare
- 171 North Korea -2.77 compare
- 172 Belarus -2.82 compare
More social development data for Afghanistan
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 20,869 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 2.67 million (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 7 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 7 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0609 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 2.67 million (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0005 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is key media freedoms in Afghanistan?
- Key media freedoms in Afghanistan was -2.55 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key media freedoms recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 0.831 in 2020.
- What is the lowest key media freedoms recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.87 in 1997.
- How does Afghanistan rank for key media freedoms?
- Afghanistan ranks 169th out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key media freedoms rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 435.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Key media freedoms. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 125 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
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.