Key media freedoms in Bahrain
Bahrain: Key media freedoms was -1.72 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
-1.72
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
151st
of 175 countries
All-time high
-0.036
in 2002
All-time low
-2.21
in 2012
Years of data
126
1900–2025
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.
Key media freedoms in Bahrain, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | -1.67 | — |
| 1901 | -1.67 | -0.0% |
| 1902 | -1.67 | -0.0% |
| 1903 | -1.67 | -0.0% |
| 1904 | -1.67 | -0.0% |
| 1905 | -1.67 | -0.0% |
| 1906 | -1.67 | -0.0% |
| 1907 | -1.67 | -0.0% |
| 1908 | -1.67 | -0.0% |
| 1909 | -1.67 | -0.0% |
| 1910 | -1.67 | -0.0% |
| 1911 | -1.67 | -0.0% |
| 1912 | -1.67 | -0.0% |
| 1913 | -1.67 | -0.0% |
| 1914 | -1.67 | -0.0% |
| 1915 | -1.67 | -0.0% |
| 1916 | -1.67 | -0.0% |
| 1917 | -1.67 | -0.0% |
| 1918 | -1.67 | -0.0% |
| 1919 | -1.67 | -0.0% |
| 1920 | -1.67 | -0.0% |
| 1921 | -1.67 | -0.0% |
| 1922 | -1.67 | -0.0% |
| 1923 | -1.67 | -0.0% |
| 1924 | -1.67 | -0.0% |
| 1925 | -1.67 | -0.0% |
| 1926 | -1.67 | -0.0% |
| 1927 | -1.67 | -0.0% |
| 1928 | -1.67 | -0.0% |
| 1929 | -1.67 | -0.0% |
| 1930 | -1.67 | -0.0% |
| 1931 | -1.67 | -0.0% |
| 1932 | -1.67 | -0.0% |
| 1933 | -1.67 | -0.0% |
| 1934 | -1.67 | -0.0% |
| 1935 | -1.67 | -0.0% |
| 1936 | -1.67 | -0.0% |
| 1937 | -1.67 | -0.0% |
| 1938 | -1.67 | -0.0% |
| 1939 | -1.67 | -0.0% |
| 1940 | -1.75 | +4.7% |
| 1941 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1942 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1943 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1944 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1945 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1946 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1947 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1948 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1949 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1950 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1951 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1952 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1953 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1954 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1955 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1956 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1957 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1958 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1959 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1960 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1961 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1962 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1963 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1964 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1965 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1966 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1967 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1968 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1969 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1970 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1971 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1972 | -0.881 | -49.6% |
| 1973 | -0.881 | -0.0% |
| 1974 | -0.881 | -0.0% |
| 1975 | -0.881 | -0.0% |
| 1976 | -1.75 | +98.2% |
| 1977 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1978 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1979 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1980 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1981 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1982 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1983 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1984 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1985 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1986 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1987 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1988 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1989 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1990 | -2.09 | +19.9% |
| 1991 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 1992 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 1993 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 1994 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 1995 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 1996 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 1997 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 1998 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 1999 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 2000 | -1.17 | -44.1% |
| 2001 | -0.395 | -66.3% |
| 2002 | -0.036 | -90.9% |
| 2003 | -0.036 | -0.0% |
| 2004 | -0.036 | -0.0% |
| 2005 | -0.036 | -0.0% |
| 2006 | -0.036 | -0.0% |
| 2007 | -0.036 | -0.0% |
| 2008 | -0.036 | -0.0% |
| 2009 | -0.036 | -0.0% |
| 2010 | -0.086 | +138.9% |
| 2011 | -1.3 | +1408.1% |
| 2012 | -2.21 | +70.3% |
| 2013 | -2.21 | -0.0% |
| 2014 | -2.21 | -0.0% |
| 2015 | -1.72 | -22.4% |
| 2016 | -1.72 | -0.0% |
| 2017 | -1.72 | -0.0% |
| 2018 | -1.72 | -0.0% |
| 2019 | -1.72 | -0.0% |
| 2020 | -1.72 | -0.0% |
| 2021 | -1.72 | -0.0% |
| 2022 | -1.72 | -0.0% |
| 2023 | -1.72 | -0.0% |
| 2024 | -1.72 | -0.0% |
| 2025 | -1.72 | -0.0% |
Bahrain compared with similar countries
- Bahrain's -1.72 is below the median for high income countries, which is 1.28. (55 countries reporting)
- Bahrain's -1.72 is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is -0.982, 1.7× the median. (23 countries reporting)
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
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 240 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 267 (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 0.0002 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 267 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0001 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 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.