Key media freedoms in Botswana
Botswana: Key media freedoms was 1.82 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Key media freedoms in Botswana, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Botswana recorded 1.82 for key media freedoms in 2025. That is the highest value across all 126 years on record.
That represents a change of up 65.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, key media freedoms in Botswana peaked at 1.82 in 2022 and was at its lowest, -1.12, in 1943.
That places Botswana 33rd out of 175 countries with data for 2025, putting it 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 | -0.766 | -0.766 | -0.766 | 10 |
| 1910s | -0.766 | -0.766 | -0.766 | 10 |
| 1920s | -0.766 | -0.766 | -0.766 | 10 |
| 1930s | -0.766 | -0.766 | -0.766 | 10 |
| 1940s | -1.02 | -1.12 | -0.766 | 10 |
| 1950s | -1.12 | -1.12 | -1.12 | 10 |
| 1960s | -0.5134 | -1.12 | 0.404 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.404 | 0.404 | 0.404 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.4772 | 0.404 | 0.526 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.526 | 0.526 | 0.526 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.8414 | 0.526 | 1.15 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.11 | 0.929 | 1.56 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.75 | 1.56 | 1.82 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
- 31 Trinidad and Tobago 1.85 compare
- 32 Dominican Republic 1.84 compare
- 34 Latvia 1.73 compare
- 35 Guatemala 1.73 compare
- 36 Kenya 1.72 compare
More social development data for Botswana
- Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy 847 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 384 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Key features of democracy 0.665 (2025)
- Freedom of Expression Index 0.798 (2025)
- Freedom of Association Index 0.85 (2025)
- Electoral Democracy Index 0.665 (2025)
- Participatory Democracy Index 0.369 (2025)
- Liberal Democracy Index 0.52 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is key media freedoms in Botswana?
- Key media freedoms in Botswana was 1.82 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key media freedoms recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 1.82 in 2022.
- What is the lowest key media freedoms recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.12 in 1943.
- How does Botswana rank for key media freedoms?
- Botswana ranks 33rd out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key media freedoms rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 65.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Botswana 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.