Key media freedoms in Colombia
Colombia: Key media freedoms was 1.25 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
1.25
Change on year
down 19.8%
World rank
55th
of 175 countries
All-time high
1.96
in 1983
All-time low
-2.15
in 1953
Years of data
126
1900–2025
Key media freedoms in Colombia, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for key media freedoms in Colombia is 1.25, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 19.8% on the previous year and down 32.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, key media freedoms in Colombia peaked at 1.96 in 1983 and was at its lowest, -2.15, in 1953.
That places Colombia 55th 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.
Key media freedoms in Colombia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | -1.15 | — |
| 1901 | -1.15 | -0.0% |
| 1902 | -1.15 | -0.0% |
| 1903 | -0.703 | -38.6% |
| 1904 | -0.703 | -0.0% |
| 1905 | -0.703 | -0.0% |
| 1906 | -0.703 | -0.0% |
| 1907 | -0.703 | -0.0% |
| 1908 | -0.703 | -0.0% |
| 1909 | -0.703 | -0.0% |
| 1910 | -0.951 | +35.3% |
| 1911 | -0.951 | -0.0% |
| 1912 | -0.951 | -0.0% |
| 1913 | -0.951 | -0.0% |
| 1914 | -0.951 | -0.0% |
| 1915 | -0.951 | -0.0% |
| 1916 | -0.951 | -0.0% |
| 1917 | -0.951 | -0.0% |
| 1918 | -0.951 | -0.0% |
| 1919 | -0.951 | -0.0% |
| 1920 | -0.951 | -0.0% |
| 1921 | -0.951 | -0.0% |
| 1922 | -0.951 | -0.0% |
| 1923 | -0.951 | -0.0% |
| 1924 | -0.951 | -0.0% |
| 1925 | -0.951 | -0.0% |
| 1926 | -0.951 | -0.0% |
| 1927 | -0.951 | -0.0% |
| 1928 | -0.951 | -0.0% |
| 1929 | -0.951 | -0.0% |
| 1930 | -0.951 | -0.0% |
| 1931 | -0.432 | -54.6% |
| 1932 | -0.432 | -0.0% |
| 1933 | -0.432 | -0.0% |
| 1934 | -0.432 | -0.0% |
| 1935 | -0.432 | -0.0% |
| 1936 | -0.432 | -0.0% |
| 1937 | -0.432 | -0.0% |
| 1938 | -0.432 | -0.0% |
| 1939 | -0.432 | -0.0% |
| 1940 | -0.432 | -0.0% |
| 1941 | -0.432 | -0.0% |
| 1942 | -0.432 | -0.0% |
| 1943 | -0.432 | -0.0% |
| 1944 | -0.432 | -0.0% |
| 1945 | 1.12 | -359.3% |
| 1946 | 1.32 | +17.8% |
| 1947 | 1.32 | +0.0% |
| 1948 | -1.76 | -233.7% |
| 1949 | -1.76 | -0.0% |
| 1950 | -1.76 | -0.0% |
| 1951 | -1.76 | -0.0% |
| 1952 | -1.76 | -0.0% |
| 1953 | -2.15 | +21.7% |
| 1954 | -2.15 | -0.0% |
| 1955 | -2.15 | -0.0% |
| 1956 | -2.15 | -0.0% |
| 1957 | -2.15 | -0.0% |
| 1958 | 1.32 | -161.6% |
| 1959 | 1.32 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 1.49 | +12.7% |
| 1961 | 1.49 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 1.49 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 1.49 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 1.49 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 1.49 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 1.49 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 1.49 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 1.49 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 1.49 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 1.49 | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 1.73 | +16.0% |
| 1972 | 1.73 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 1.73 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 1.73 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 1.73 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 1.73 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 1.73 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 1.35 | -21.9% |
| 1979 | 0.371 | -72.5% |
| 1980 | 0.371 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 0.371 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 0.371 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 1.96 | +428.8% |
| 1984 | 1.96 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 1.96 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 1.96 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 1.96 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 1.96 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 1.96 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 1.53 | -22.0% |
| 1991 | 1.53 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 1.53 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 1.53 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 1.53 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 1.74 | +13.7% |
| 1996 | 1.74 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 1.74 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 1.74 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 1.54 | -11.8% |
| 2000 | 1.54 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 1.54 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 1.07 | -30.1% |
| 2003 | 0.162 | -84.9% |
| 2004 | 0.553 | +241.4% |
| 2005 | 0.899 | +62.6% |
| 2006 | 0.899 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 0.899 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 0.899 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 0.899 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 1.07 | +18.9% |
| 2011 | 1.81 | +69.1% |
| 2012 | 1.86 | +3.0% |
| 2013 | 1.86 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 1.86 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 1.86 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 1.61 | -13.4% |
| 2017 | 1.91 | +18.3% |
| 2018 | 1.59 | -16.5% |
| 2019 | 1.38 | -13.2% |
| 2020 | 1.23 | -11.4% |
| 2021 | 1.26 | +3.0% |
| 2022 | 1.67 | +31.8% |
| 2023 | 1.39 | -16.6% |
| 2024 | 1.56 | +12.5% |
| 2025 | 1.25 | -19.8% |
Colombia compared with similar countries
- Colombia's 1.25 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.209, 6.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
- Colombia's 1.25 is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 1.25, 1.0× the median. (25 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | -0.8356 | -1.15 | -0.703 | 10 |
| 1910s | -0.951 | -0.951 | -0.951 | 10 |
| 1920s | -0.951 | -0.951 | -0.951 | 10 |
| 1930s | -0.4839 | -0.951 | -0.432 | 10 |
| 1940s | -0.1928 | -1.76 | 1.32 | 10 |
| 1950s | -1.34 | -2.15 | 1.32 | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.49 | 1.49 | 1.49 | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.53 | 0.371 | 1.73 | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.48 | 0.371 | 1.96 | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.62 | 1.53 | 1.74 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.9355 | 0.162 | 1.54 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.68 | 1.07 | 1.91 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.39 | 1.23 | 1.67 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Colombia
More social development data for Colombia
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,464 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 79,669 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0015 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 79,669 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 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 Colombia?
- Key media freedoms in Colombia was 1.25 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key media freedoms recorded in Colombia?
- The highest recorded value was 1.96 in 1983.
- What is the lowest key media freedoms recorded in Colombia?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.15 in 1953.
- How does Colombia rank for key media freedoms?
- Colombia ranks 55th out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key media freedoms rising or falling in Colombia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 32.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Colombia 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.