Key media freedoms in Gambia
Gambia: Key media freedoms was 1.36 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
1.36
Change on year
down 2.0%
World rank
47th
of 175 countries
All-time high
1.53
in 2018
All-time low
-2.74
in 2013
Years of data
126
1900–2025
Key media freedoms in Gambia, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Gambia recorded 1.36 for key media freedoms in 2025.
That represents a change of down 2.0% on the previous year and up 149.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, key media freedoms in Gambia peaked at 1.53 in 2018 and was at its lowest, -2.74, in 2013.
Gambia ranks 47th of 175 countries on this measure, 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 Gambia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | -0.439 | — |
| 1901 | -0.439 | -0.0% |
| 1902 | -0.439 | -0.0% |
| 1903 | -0.439 | -0.0% |
| 1904 | -0.439 | -0.0% |
| 1905 | -0.439 | -0.0% |
| 1906 | -0.439 | -0.0% |
| 1907 | -0.439 | -0.0% |
| 1908 | -0.439 | -0.0% |
| 1909 | -0.439 | -0.0% |
| 1910 | -0.439 | -0.0% |
| 1911 | -0.439 | -0.0% |
| 1912 | -0.439 | -0.0% |
| 1913 | -0.439 | -0.0% |
| 1914 | -0.439 | -0.0% |
| 1915 | -0.439 | -0.0% |
| 1916 | -0.439 | -0.0% |
| 1917 | -0.439 | -0.0% |
| 1918 | -0.439 | -0.0% |
| 1919 | -0.439 | -0.0% |
| 1920 | -0.439 | -0.0% |
| 1921 | -0.439 | -0.0% |
| 1922 | -0.439 | -0.0% |
| 1923 | -0.439 | -0.0% |
| 1924 | -0.439 | -0.0% |
| 1925 | -0.649 | +47.8% |
| 1926 | -0.428 | -34.1% |
| 1927 | -0.428 | -0.0% |
| 1928 | -0.428 | -0.0% |
| 1929 | -0.428 | -0.0% |
| 1930 | -0.428 | -0.0% |
| 1931 | -0.428 | -0.0% |
| 1932 | -0.428 | -0.0% |
| 1933 | -0.428 | -0.0% |
| 1934 | -0.428 | -0.0% |
| 1935 | -0.428 | -0.0% |
| 1936 | -0.428 | -0.0% |
| 1937 | -0.428 | -0.0% |
| 1938 | -0.428 | -0.0% |
| 1939 | -0.644 | +50.5% |
| 1940 | -0.644 | -0.0% |
| 1941 | -0.644 | -0.0% |
| 1942 | -0.644 | -0.0% |
| 1943 | -0.644 | -0.0% |
| 1944 | -0.644 | -0.0% |
| 1945 | -0.644 | -0.0% |
| 1946 | -0.417 | -35.2% |
| 1947 | -0.417 | -0.0% |
| 1948 | -0.417 | -0.0% |
| 1949 | -0.417 | -0.0% |
| 1950 | -0.417 | -0.0% |
| 1951 | -0.417 | -0.0% |
| 1952 | -0.417 | -0.0% |
| 1953 | -0.417 | -0.0% |
| 1954 | -0.417 | -0.0% |
| 1955 | -0.417 | -0.0% |
| 1956 | -0.417 | -0.0% |
| 1957 | -0.417 | -0.0% |
| 1958 | -0.417 | -0.0% |
| 1959 | -0.417 | -0.0% |
| 1960 | -0.417 | -0.0% |
| 1961 | -0.417 | -0.0% |
| 1962 | -0.417 | -0.0% |
| 1963 | -0.417 | -0.0% |
| 1964 | -0.417 | -0.0% |
| 1965 | -0.196 | -53.0% |
| 1966 | 0.123 | -162.8% |
| 1967 | 0.123 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 0.123 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 0.123 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 0.588 | +378.0% |
| 1971 | 0.588 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 0.588 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 0.588 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 0.588 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 0.588 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 0.588 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 0.588 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 0.588 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 0.588 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 0.588 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 0.588 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 0.588 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 0.588 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 0.588 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 0.588 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 0.588 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 0.588 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 0.588 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 0.588 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 0.588 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 0.588 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 0.588 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 0.588 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | -0.858 | -245.9% |
| 1995 | -1.71 | +99.4% |
| 1996 | -1.71 | -0.0% |
| 1997 | -1.71 | -0.0% |
| 1998 | -1.71 | -0.0% |
| 1999 | -1.71 | -0.0% |
| 2000 | -1.71 | -0.0% |
| 2001 | -1.71 | -0.0% |
| 2002 | -1.71 | -0.0% |
| 2003 | -1.71 | -0.0% |
| 2004 | -1.71 | -0.0% |
| 2005 | -1.71 | -0.0% |
| 2006 | -1.71 | -0.0% |
| 2007 | -1.71 | -0.0% |
| 2008 | -1.71 | -0.0% |
| 2009 | -1.71 | -0.0% |
| 2010 | -1.71 | -0.0% |
| 2011 | -1.71 | -0.0% |
| 2012 | -1.71 | -0.0% |
| 2013 | -2.74 | +60.2% |
| 2014 | -2.74 | -0.0% |
| 2015 | -2.74 | -0.0% |
| 2016 | -2.74 | -0.0% |
| 2017 | 1.26 | -145.9% |
| 2018 | 1.53 | +21.5% |
| 2019 | 1.18 | -22.7% |
| 2020 | 1.18 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 1.38 | +17.2% |
| 2022 | 1.38 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 1.38 | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 1.38 | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 1.36 | -2.0% |
Gambia compared with similar countries
- Gambia's 1.36 is above the median for low income countries, which is -0.42. (25 countries reporting)
- Gambia's 1.36 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.123, 11.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | -0.439 | -0.439 | -0.439 | 10 |
| 1910s | -0.439 | -0.439 | -0.439 | 10 |
| 1920s | -0.4556 | -0.649 | -0.428 | 10 |
| 1930s | -0.4496 | -0.644 | -0.428 | 10 |
| 1940s | -0.5532 | -0.644 | -0.417 | 10 |
| 1950s | -0.417 | -0.417 | -0.417 | 10 |
| 1960s | -0.1789 | -0.417 | 0.123 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.588 | 0.588 | 0.588 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.588 | 0.588 | 0.588 | 10 |
| 1990s | -0.7061 | -1.71 | 0.588 | 10 |
| 2000s | -1.71 | -1.71 | -1.71 | 10 |
| 2010s | -1.21 | -2.74 | 1.53 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.35 | 1.18 | 1.38 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Gambia
More social development data for Gambia
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 4,108 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 6,728 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 4 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 4 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0024 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 6,728 (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 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is key media freedoms in Gambia?
- Key media freedoms in Gambia was 1.36 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key media freedoms recorded in Gambia?
- The highest recorded value was 1.53 in 2018.
- What is the lowest key media freedoms recorded in Gambia?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.74 in 2013.
- How does Gambia rank for key media freedoms?
- Gambia ranks 47th out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key media freedoms rising or falling in Gambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 149.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Gambia 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.