Key media freedoms in Benin
Benin: Key media freedoms was 0.932 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Key media freedoms in Benin, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Benin recorded 0.932 for key media freedoms in 2025.
That represents a change of down 35.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, key media freedoms in Benin peaked at 2.37 in 2001 and was at its lowest, -1.51, in 1945.
Benin ranks 68th of 175 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
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 | -1.19 | -1.19 | -1.19 | 10 |
| 1910s | -1.19 | -1.19 | -1.19 | 10 |
| 1920s | -1.19 | -1.19 | -1.19 | 10 |
| 1930s | -1.19 | -1.19 | -1.19 | 10 |
| 1940s | -1.29 | -1.51 | -1.19 | 10 |
| 1950s | -1.3 | -1.3 | -1.3 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.074 | 0.074 | 0.074 | 10 |
| 1970s | -0.9765 | -1.4 | 0.155 | 10 |
| 1980s | -1.4 | -1.4 | -1.4 | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.26 | 1.83 | 2.31 | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.53 | 0.545 | 2.37 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.16 | 0.857 | 1.48 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.98 | 0.932 | 1.03 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Benin
- 65 Papua New Guinea 1.02 compare
- 66 Sao Tome and Principe 1.02 compare
- 67 Costa Rica 0.934 compare
- 69 Nigeria 0.916 compare
- 70 Peru 0.909 compare
- 71 Slovakia 0.881 compare
More social development data for Benin
- Political Rights Rating 4 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy 16,974 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 1,279 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Key features of democracy 0.493 (2025)
- Freedom of Expression Index 0.676 (2025)
- Freedom of Association Index 0.619 (2025)
- Electoral Democracy Index 0.493 (2025)
- Participatory Democracy Index 0.28 (2025)
- Liberal Democracy Index 0.323 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is key media freedoms in Benin?
- Key media freedoms in Benin was 0.932 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key media freedoms recorded in Benin?
- The highest recorded value was 2.37 in 2001.
- What is the lowest key media freedoms recorded in Benin?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.51 in 1945.
- How does Benin rank for key media freedoms?
- Benin ranks 68th out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key media freedoms rising or falling in Benin?
- Over the last ten years it is down 35.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Benin 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.