Key media freedoms in Ecuador

Ecuador: Key media freedoms was 0.653 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)
0.653
Change on year
down 18.0%
World rank
82nd
of 175 countries
All-time high
1.69
in 2021
All-time low
-1.87
in 1830
Years of data
196
1830–2025

Key media freedoms in Ecuador, 1830–2025

-2-1012183019272025

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

Analysis

The most recent figure for key media freedoms in Ecuador is 0.653, measured in 2025.

The figure is down 18.0% on the previous year and up 2,939.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, key media freedoms in Ecuador peaked at 1.69 in 2021 and was at its lowest, -1.87, in 1830.

That places Ecuador 82nd 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

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1830s -1.87 -1.87 -1.87 10
1840s -1.87 -1.87 -1.87 10
1850s -1.87 -1.87 -1.87 10
1860s -1.87 -1.87 -1.87 10
1870s -1.87 -1.87 -1.87 10
1880s -1.87 -1.87 -1.87 10
1890s -0.64 -1.87 0.594 10
1900s 0.3405 0.087 0.594 10
1910s 0.0602 0.02 0.087 10
1920s 0.02 0.02 0.02 10
1930s -0.0892 -0.253 0.02 10
1940s 0.0424 -0.345 1.07 10
1950s 0.1251 -0.503 1.07 10
1960s 0.0936 -0.508 0.522 10
1970s 0.3198 -0.508 1.29 10
1980s 1.23 0.713 1.29 10
1990s 0.6584 0.635 0.713 10
2000s 0.692 0.635 0.907 10
2010s 0.4293 -0.106 1.51 10
2020s 1.19 0.653 1.69 6

Countries ranked near Ecuador

  1. 79 Philippines 0.712 compare
  2. 80 Mauritania 0.683 compare
  3. 81 Zambia 0.665 compare
  4. 83 Bangladesh 0.614 compare
  5. 84 Italy 0.599 compare
  6. 85 Bolivia 0.595 compare

See the full ranking of 175 places →

More social development data for Ecuador

All data for Ecuador →

Frequently asked questions

What is key media freedoms in Ecuador?
Key media freedoms in Ecuador was 0.653 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest key media freedoms recorded in Ecuador?
The highest recorded value was 1.69 in 2021.
What is the lowest key media freedoms recorded in Ecuador?
The lowest recorded value was -1.87 in 1830.
How does Ecuador rank for key media freedoms?
Ecuador ranks 82nd out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
Is key media freedoms rising or falling in Ecuador?
Over the last ten years it is up 2,939.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Ecuador 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 — 196 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

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.