Key media freedoms in Finland
Finland: Key media freedoms was 2.74 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
2.74
Change on year
up 63.6%
World rank
12th
of 175 countries
All-time high
3.25
in 1990
All-time low
-2.43
in 1914
Years of data
126
1900–2025
Key media freedoms in Finland, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Finland recorded 2.74 for key media freedoms in 2025.
That represents a change of up 63.6% on the previous year and up 30.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, key media freedoms in Finland peaked at 3.25 in 1990 and was at its lowest, -2.43, in 1914.
That places Finland 12th out of 175 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Key media freedoms in Finland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | -0.767 | — |
| 1901 | -0.767 | -0.0% |
| 1902 | -0.767 | -0.0% |
| 1903 | -0.767 | -0.0% |
| 1904 | -0.767 | -0.0% |
| 1905 | -0.767 | -0.0% |
| 1906 | -0.306 | -60.1% |
| 1907 | -0.306 | -0.0% |
| 1908 | -0.893 | +191.8% |
| 1909 | -0.893 | -0.0% |
| 1910 | -0.893 | -0.0% |
| 1911 | -0.893 | -0.0% |
| 1912 | -0.893 | -0.0% |
| 1913 | -0.893 | -0.0% |
| 1914 | -2.43 | +171.8% |
| 1915 | -2.43 | -0.0% |
| 1916 | -2.43 | -0.0% |
| 1917 | -2.43 | -0.0% |
| 1918 | -1.11 | -54.2% |
| 1919 | 0.727 | -165.4% |
| 1920 | 0.727 | +0.0% |
| 1921 | 0.727 | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 0.727 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 0.727 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 0.727 | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 0.727 | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 0.727 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 0.727 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 0.727 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 0.727 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 0.367 | -49.5% |
| 1931 | 0.367 | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 0.367 | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 0.367 | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 0.367 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 0.367 | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 0.367 | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 0.367 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 0.367 | +0.0% |
| 1939 | -0.801 | -318.3% |
| 1940 | -0.801 | -0.0% |
| 1941 | -0.801 | -0.0% |
| 1942 | -0.801 | -0.0% |
| 1943 | -0.801 | -0.0% |
| 1944 | -0.801 | -0.0% |
| 1945 | -0.288 | -64.0% |
| 1946 | -0.004 | -98.6% |
| 1947 | -0.004 | -0.0% |
| 1948 | -0.004 | -0.0% |
| 1949 | 1.36 | -34150.0% |
| 1950 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1951 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 1.36 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 1.78 | +30.6% |
| 1982 | 1.78 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 2.29 | +28.4% |
| 1984 | 2.29 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 2.29 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 2.29 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 2.29 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 2.29 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 2.29 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 3.25 | +42.5% |
| 1991 | 3.25 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 3.25 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 3.25 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 3.25 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 3.25 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 3.25 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 3.25 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 3.25 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 3.25 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 3.25 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 3.25 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 3.25 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 3.25 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 3.25 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 3.25 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 3.25 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 3.25 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 3.25 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 3.25 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 3.25 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 3.25 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 3.25 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 3.25 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 3.25 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 2.1 | -35.4% |
| 2016 | 2.1 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 1.86 | -11.4% |
| 2018 | 2.94 | +57.8% |
| 2019 | 2.94 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 2.94 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 1.68 | -42.8% |
| 2022 | 2.83 | +68.4% |
| 2023 | 1.7 | -39.8% |
| 2024 | 1.68 | -1.6% |
| 2025 | 2.74 | +63.6% |
Finland compared with similar countries
- Finland's 2.74 is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.28, 2.1× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Finland's 2.74 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.973, 2.8× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | -0.7 | -0.893 | -0.306 | 10 |
| 1910s | -1.37 | -2.43 | 0.727 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.727 | 0.727 | 0.727 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.2502 | -0.801 | 0.367 | 10 |
| 1940s | -0.2943 | -0.801 | 1.36 | 10 |
| 1950s | 1.36 | 1.36 | 1.36 | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.36 | 1.36 | 1.36 | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.36 | 1.36 | 1.36 | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.09 | 1.36 | 2.29 | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.25 | 3.25 | 3.25 | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.25 | 3.25 | 3.25 | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.82 | 1.86 | 3.25 | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.26 | 1.68 | 2.94 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Finland
More social development data for Finland
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 102,544 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 5 (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 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 5 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0182 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 Finland?
- Key media freedoms in Finland was 2.74 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key media freedoms recorded in Finland?
- The highest recorded value was 3.25 in 1990.
- What is the lowest key media freedoms recorded in Finland?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.43 in 1914.
- How does Finland rank for key media freedoms?
- Finland ranks 12th out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key media freedoms rising or falling in Finland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 30.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Finland 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.