Key media freedoms in Estonia
Estonia: Key media freedoms was 3.2 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
3.2
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
3rd
of 175 countries
All-time high
3.2
in 2010
All-time low
-2.55
in 1940
Years of data
126
1900–2025
Key media freedoms in Estonia, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Estonia recorded 3.2 for key media freedoms in 2025. That is the highest value across all 126 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, key media freedoms in Estonia peaked at 3.2 in 2010 and was at its lowest, -2.55, in 1940.
Estonia ranks 3rd of 175 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Key media freedoms in Estonia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | -0.912 | — |
| 1901 | -0.912 | -0.0% |
| 1902 | -0.912 | -0.0% |
| 1903 | -0.912 | -0.0% |
| 1904 | -0.912 | -0.0% |
| 1905 | -0.912 | -0.0% |
| 1906 | -0.912 | -0.0% |
| 1907 | -0.912 | -0.0% |
| 1908 | -0.912 | -0.0% |
| 1909 | -0.912 | -0.0% |
| 1910 | -0.912 | -0.0% |
| 1911 | -0.912 | -0.0% |
| 1912 | -0.912 | -0.0% |
| 1913 | -0.912 | -0.0% |
| 1914 | -0.912 | -0.0% |
| 1915 | -0.912 | -0.0% |
| 1916 | -0.912 | -0.0% |
| 1917 | -1.58 | +73.2% |
| 1918 | -0.459 | -70.9% |
| 1919 | -0.728 | +58.6% |
| 1920 | 0.675 | -192.7% |
| 1921 | 1.32 | +95.3% |
| 1922 | 1.32 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 1.32 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 1.32 | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 1.32 | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 2.02 | +53.0% |
| 1927 | 2.02 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 2.02 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 2.02 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 2.02 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 2.02 | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 1.49 | -25.9% |
| 1933 | 1 | -32.8% |
| 1934 | -0.603 | -160.1% |
| 1935 | -0.603 | -0.0% |
| 1936 | -0.603 | -0.0% |
| 1937 | -0.603 | -0.0% |
| 1938 | -0.591 | -2.0% |
| 1939 | -0.591 | -0.0% |
| 1940 | -2.55 | +331.8% |
| 1941 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1942 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1943 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1944 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1945 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1946 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1947 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1948 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1949 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1950 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1951 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1952 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1953 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1954 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1955 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1956 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1957 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1958 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1959 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1960 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1961 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1962 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1963 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1964 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1965 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1966 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1967 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1968 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1969 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1970 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1971 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1972 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1973 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1974 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1975 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1976 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1977 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1978 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1979 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1980 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1981 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1982 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1983 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1984 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1985 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1986 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1987 | -1.42 | -44.4% |
| 1988 | -1.42 | -0.0% |
| 1989 | -1.19 | -15.9% |
| 1990 | 1.65 | -238.2% |
| 1991 | 2.18 | +32.5% |
| 1992 | 2.86 | +31.0% |
| 1993 | 2.86 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 2.86 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 2.86 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 2.86 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 2.86 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 2.86 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 2.86 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 2.86 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 2.86 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 2.86 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 2.86 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 2.86 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 2.86 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 2.86 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 2.86 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 2.36 | -17.4% |
| 2009 | 2.86 | +21.3% |
| 2010 | 3.2 | +11.8% |
| 2011 | 3.2 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 3.2 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 3.2 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 3.2 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 3.2 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 3.2 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 3.2 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 3.2 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 3.2 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 3.2 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 3.2 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 3.2 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 3.2 | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 3.2 | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 3.2 | +0.0% |
Estonia compared with similar countries
- Estonia's 3.2 is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.28, 2.5× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Estonia's 3.2 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.973, 3.3× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | -0.912 | -0.912 | -0.912 | 10 |
| 1910s | -0.9151 | -1.58 | -0.459 | 10 |
| 1920s | 1.53 | 0.675 | 2.02 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.2938 | -0.603 | 2.02 | 10 |
| 1940s | -2.55 | -2.55 | -2.55 | 10 |
| 1950s | -2.55 | -2.55 | -2.55 | 10 |
| 1960s | -2.55 | -2.55 | -2.55 | 10 |
| 1970s | -2.55 | -2.55 | -2.55 | 10 |
| 1980s | -2.19 | -2.55 | -1.19 | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.67 | 1.65 | 2.86 | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.81 | 2.36 | 2.86 | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.2 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.2 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Estonia
More social development data for Estonia
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 41,299 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 86 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0001 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 86 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0302 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 Estonia?
- Key media freedoms in Estonia was 3.2 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key media freedoms recorded in Estonia?
- The highest recorded value was 3.2 in 2010.
- What is the lowest key media freedoms recorded in Estonia?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.55 in 1940.
- How does Estonia rank for key media freedoms?
- Estonia ranks 3rd out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key media freedoms rising or falling in Estonia?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Estonia 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.