Key media freedoms in Bahrain
Bahrain: Key media freedoms was -1.72 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Key media freedoms in Bahrain, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Bahrain recorded -1.72 for key media freedoms in 2025.
The figure is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, key media freedoms in Bahrain peaked at -0.036 in 2002 and was at its lowest, -2.21, in 2012.
That places Bahrain 151st out of 175 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 126 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | -1.67 | -1.67 | -1.67 | 10 |
| 1910s | -1.67 | -1.67 | -1.67 | 10 |
| 1920s | -1.67 | -1.67 | -1.67 | 10 |
| 1930s | -1.67 | -1.67 | -1.67 | 10 |
| 1940s | -1.75 | -1.75 | -1.75 | 10 |
| 1950s | -1.75 | -1.75 | -1.75 | 10 |
| 1960s | -1.75 | -1.75 | -1.75 | 10 |
| 1970s | -1.4 | -1.75 | -0.881 | 10 |
| 1980s | -1.75 | -1.75 | -1.75 | 10 |
| 1990s | -2.09 | -2.09 | -2.09 | 10 |
| 2000s | -0.1854 | -1.17 | -0.036 | 10 |
| 2010s | -1.66 | -2.21 | -0.086 | 10 |
| 2020s | -1.72 | -1.72 | -1.72 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Bahrain
More social development data for Bahrain
- Political Rights Rating 7 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy 240 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 267 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Key features of democracy 0.139 (2025)
- Freedom of Expression Index 0.172 (2025)
- Freedom of Association Index 0.139 (2025)
- Electoral Democracy Index 0.139 (2025)
- Participatory Democracy Index 0.054 (2025)
- Liberal Democracy Index 0.062 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is key media freedoms in Bahrain?
- Key media freedoms in Bahrain was -1.72 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key media freedoms recorded in Bahrain?
- The highest recorded value was -0.036 in 2002.
- What is the lowest key media freedoms recorded in Bahrain?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.21 in 2012.
- How does Bahrain rank for key media freedoms?
- Bahrain ranks 151st out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key media freedoms rising or falling in Bahrain?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Bahrain 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 — 126 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.