What is key media freedoms in Barbados?

Key media freedoms in Barbados was 2.06 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest key media freedoms recorded in Barbados?

The highest recorded value was 2.06 in 2019.

What is the lowest key media freedoms recorded in Barbados?

The lowest recorded value was 0.295 in 1900.

How does Barbados rank for key media freedoms?

Barbados ranks 24th out of 175 countries with data for 2025.

Is key media freedoms rising or falling in Barbados?

Over the last ten years it is up 21.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.

Where does this Barbados 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.

Key media freedoms in Barbados

Name: Key media freedoms in Barbados
Creator: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

Barbados: Key media freedoms was 2.06 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)

2.06

Change on year

unchanged

World rank

24th

of 175 countries

All-time high

2.06

in 2019

All-time low

0.295

in 1900

Years of data

126

1900–2025

Key media freedoms in Barbados, 1900–2025

Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

The most recent figure for key media freedoms in Barbados is 2.06, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 126 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 21.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, key media freedoms in Barbados peaked at 2.06 in 2019 and was at its lowest, 0.295, in 1900.

Barbados ranks 24th of 175 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1900s	0.295	0.295	0.295	10
1910s	0.295	0.295	0.295	10
1920s	0.295	0.295	0.295	10
1930s	0.295	0.295	0.295	10
1940s	0.3278	0.295	0.623	10
1950s	0.623	0.623	0.623	10
1960s	0.8722	0.623	1.25	10
1970s	1.56	1.25	1.7	10
1980s	1.69	1.7	1.7	10
1990s	1.69	1.7	1.7	10
2000s	1.69	1.7	1.7	10
2010s	1.79	1.7	2.06	10
2020s	2.06	2.06	2.06	6

Countries ranked near Barbados

21 Jamaica 2.16 compare
22 Poland 2.14 compare
23 Suriname 2.11 compare
25 Switzerland 2.01 compare
26 Sri Lanka 1.96 compare
27 Uruguay 1.9 compare

See the full ranking of 175 places →

More social development data for Barbados

Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy 5 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 577 (2025)
Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
Key features of democracy 0.797 (2025)
Freedom of Expression Index 0.911 (2025)
Freedom of Association Index 0.879 (2025)
Electoral Democracy Index 0.797 (2025)
Participatory Democracy Index 0.347 (2025)
Liberal Democracy Index 0.679 (2025)

All data for Barbados →

Frequently asked questions

What is key media freedoms in Barbados?: Key media freedoms in Barbados was 2.06 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest key media freedoms recorded in Barbados?: The highest recorded value was 2.06 in 2019.
What is the lowest key media freedoms recorded in Barbados?: The lowest recorded value was 0.295 in 1900.
How does Barbados rank for key media freedoms?: Barbados ranks 24th out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
Is key media freedoms rising or falling in Barbados?: Over the last ten years it is up 21.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Barbados 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

Indicator: Key media freedoms
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 175 places, 21,793 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 07 August 2026

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.