Key media freedoms in El Salvador
El Salvador: Key media freedoms was -1.23 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
-1.23
Change on year
up 18.8%
World rank
144th
of 175 countries
All-time high
0.82
in 2010
All-time low
-2.85
in 1955
Years of data
126
1900–2025
Key media freedoms in El Salvador, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, key media freedoms in El Salvador stood at -1.23.
That represents a change of up 18.8% on the previous year and down 250.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, key media freedoms in El Salvador peaked at 0.82 in 2010 and was at its lowest, -2.85, in 1955.
El Salvador ranks 144th of 175 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Key media freedoms in El Salvador, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | -1.26 | — |
| 1901 | -1.26 | -0.0% |
| 1902 | -1.26 | -0.0% |
| 1903 | -1.26 | -0.0% |
| 1904 | -1.26 | -0.0% |
| 1905 | -1.26 | -0.0% |
| 1906 | -1.26 | -0.0% |
| 1907 | -1.26 | -0.0% |
| 1908 | -1.26 | -0.0% |
| 1909 | -1.26 | -0.0% |
| 1910 | -1.26 | -0.0% |
| 1911 | -1.26 | -0.0% |
| 1912 | -1.26 | -0.0% |
| 1913 | -1.26 | -0.0% |
| 1914 | -1.26 | -0.0% |
| 1915 | -1.26 | -0.0% |
| 1916 | -1.26 | -0.0% |
| 1917 | -1.26 | -0.0% |
| 1918 | -1.26 | -0.0% |
| 1919 | -1.26 | -0.0% |
| 1920 | -1.26 | -0.0% |
| 1921 | -1.26 | -0.0% |
| 1922 | -1.26 | -0.0% |
| 1923 | -1.26 | -0.0% |
| 1924 | -1.26 | -0.0% |
| 1925 | -1.26 | -0.0% |
| 1926 | -1.26 | -0.0% |
| 1927 | -1.26 | -0.0% |
| 1928 | -1.26 | -0.0% |
| 1929 | -1.26 | -0.0% |
| 1930 | -1.26 | -0.0% |
| 1931 | -1.26 | -0.0% |
| 1932 | -1.57 | +25.0% |
| 1933 | -1.57 | -0.0% |
| 1934 | -1.57 | -0.0% |
| 1935 | -1.57 | -0.0% |
| 1936 | -1.57 | -0.0% |
| 1937 | -1.57 | -0.0% |
| 1938 | -1.57 | -0.0% |
| 1939 | -1.57 | -0.0% |
| 1940 | -1.57 | -0.0% |
| 1941 | -1.57 | -0.0% |
| 1942 | -1.57 | -0.0% |
| 1943 | -1.57 | -0.0% |
| 1944 | -1.57 | -0.0% |
| 1945 | -1.57 | -0.0% |
| 1946 | -1.57 | -0.0% |
| 1947 | -1.57 | -0.0% |
| 1948 | -1.57 | -0.0% |
| 1949 | -1.57 | -0.0% |
| 1950 | -1.57 | -0.0% |
| 1951 | -1.57 | -0.0% |
| 1952 | -1.57 | -0.0% |
| 1953 | -1.57 | -0.0% |
| 1954 | -1.57 | -0.0% |
| 1955 | -2.85 | +81.3% |
| 1956 | -2.85 | -0.0% |
| 1957 | -2.85 | -0.0% |
| 1958 | -2.85 | -0.0% |
| 1959 | -2.85 | -0.0% |
| 1960 | -2.85 | -0.0% |
| 1961 | -2.85 | -0.0% |
| 1962 | -2.85 | -0.0% |
| 1963 | -2.85 | -0.0% |
| 1964 | -2.85 | -0.0% |
| 1965 | -2.85 | -0.0% |
| 1966 | -2.85 | -0.0% |
| 1967 | -2.85 | -0.0% |
| 1968 | -2.85 | -0.0% |
| 1969 | -2.85 | -0.0% |
| 1970 | -2.85 | -0.0% |
| 1971 | -2.85 | -0.0% |
| 1972 | -2.85 | -0.0% |
| 1973 | -2.85 | -0.0% |
| 1974 | -2.85 | -0.0% |
| 1975 | -2.85 | -0.0% |
| 1976 | -2.85 | -0.0% |
| 1977 | -2.85 | -0.0% |
| 1978 | -2.85 | -0.0% |
| 1979 | -2.85 | -0.0% |
| 1980 | -2.19 | -23.2% |
| 1981 | -2.19 | -0.0% |
| 1982 | -2.19 | -0.0% |
| 1983 | -1.32 | -39.7% |
| 1984 | -1.32 | -0.0% |
| 1985 | -1.09 | -17.5% |
| 1986 | -1.09 | -0.0% |
| 1987 | -1.09 | -0.0% |
| 1988 | -1.09 | -0.0% |
| 1989 | -1.09 | -0.0% |
| 1990 | -1.09 | -0.0% |
| 1991 | -1.09 | -0.0% |
| 1992 | -0.745 | -31.5% |
| 1993 | 0.555 | -174.5% |
| 1994 | 0.555 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 0.555 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.555 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 0.555 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.555 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 0.555 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.555 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 0.555 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 0.555 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 0.555 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 0.555 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 0.555 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 0.555 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 0.555 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 0.555 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 0.555 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 0.82 | +47.7% |
| 2011 | 0.82 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 0.82 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 0.82 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 0.82 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 0.82 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 0.82 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 0.82 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 0.82 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | -0.173 | -121.1% |
| 2020 | -0.975 | +463.6% |
| 2021 | -1.51 | +54.8% |
| 2022 | -2.07 | +37.3% |
| 2023 | -2.07 | -0.0% |
| 2024 | -1.52 | -26.8% |
| 2025 | -1.23 | -18.8% |
El Salvador compared with similar countries
- El Salvador's -1.23 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.209. (48 countries reporting)
- El Salvador's -1.23 is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 1.25. (25 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | -1.26 | -1.26 | -1.26 | 10 |
| 1910s | -1.26 | -1.26 | -1.26 | 10 |
| 1920s | -1.26 | -1.26 | -1.26 | 10 |
| 1930s | -1.51 | -1.57 | -1.26 | 10 |
| 1940s | -1.57 | -1.57 | -1.57 | 10 |
| 1950s | -2.21 | -2.85 | -1.57 | 10 |
| 1960s | -2.85 | -2.85 | -2.85 | 10 |
| 1970s | -2.85 | -2.85 | -2.85 | 10 |
| 1980s | -1.46 | -2.19 | -1.09 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.0966 | -1.09 | 0.555 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.555 | 0.555 | 0.555 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.7207 | -0.173 | 0.82 | 10 |
| 2020s | -1.56 | -2.07 | -0.975 | 6 |
Countries ranked near El Salvador
More social development data for El Salvador
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 182 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 68,182 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 5 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 5 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0107 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 68,182 (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 El Salvador?
- Key media freedoms in El Salvador was -1.23 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key media freedoms recorded in El Salvador?
- The highest recorded value was 0.82 in 2010.
- What is the lowest key media freedoms recorded in El Salvador?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.85 in 1955.
- How does El Salvador rank for key media freedoms?
- El Salvador ranks 144th out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key media freedoms rising or falling in El Salvador?
- Over the last ten years it is down 250.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this El Salvador 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.