Key media freedoms in Bhutan
Bhutan: Key media freedoms was 1.24 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Key media freedoms in Bhutan, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Bhutan recorded 1.24 for key media freedoms in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 19.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, key media freedoms in Bhutan peaked at 1.55 in 2013 and was at its lowest, -0.802, in 1944.
That places Bhutan 57th out of 175 countries with data for 2025, putting it 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 | -0.778 | -0.778 | -0.778 | 10 |
| 1910s | -0.778 | -0.778 | -0.778 | 10 |
| 1920s | -0.778 | -0.778 | -0.778 | 10 |
| 1930s | -0.778 | -0.778 | -0.778 | 10 |
| 1940s | -0.6183 | -0.802 | 0.963 | 10 |
| 1950s | -0.802 | -0.802 | -0.802 | 10 |
| 1960s | -0.802 | -0.802 | -0.802 | 10 |
| 1970s | -0.7153 | -0.802 | -0.513 | 10 |
| 1980s | -0.474 | -0.513 | -0.383 | 10 |
| 1990s | -0.2254 | -0.383 | -0.186 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.6735 | -0.073 | 1.5 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.4 | 1.18 | 1.55 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.2 | 1.03 | 1.24 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Bhutan
More social development data for Bhutan
- Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 7,257 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Key features of democracy 0.566 (2025)
- Freedom of Expression Index 0.682 (2025)
- Freedom of Association Index 0.609 (2025)
- Electoral Democracy Index 0.566 (2025)
- Participatory Democracy Index 0.349 (2025)
- Liberal Democracy Index 0.457 (2025)
- Varieties of democracy 0.566 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is key media freedoms in Bhutan?
- Key media freedoms in Bhutan was 1.24 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key media freedoms recorded in Bhutan?
- The highest recorded value was 1.55 in 2013.
- What is the lowest key media freedoms recorded in Bhutan?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.802 in 1944.
- How does Bhutan rank for key media freedoms?
- Bhutan ranks 57th out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key media freedoms rising or falling in Bhutan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Bhutan 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.