What is key media freedoms in Iceland?

Key media freedoms in Iceland was 2.85 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest key media freedoms recorded in Iceland?

The highest recorded value was 2.85 in 2017.

What is the lowest key media freedoms recorded in Iceland?

The lowest recorded value was 0.687 in 1940.

How does Iceland rank for key media freedoms?

Iceland ranks 10th out of 175 countries with data for 2025.

Is key media freedoms rising or falling in Iceland?

Over the last ten years it is up 39.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.

Where does this Iceland 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.

Key media freedoms in Iceland

Name: Key media freedoms in Iceland
Creator: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

Iceland: Key media freedoms was 2.85 in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)

2.85

Change on year

unchanged

World rank

10th

of 175 countries

All-time high

2.85

in 2017

All-time low

0.687

in 1940

Years of data

126

1900–2025

Key media freedoms in Iceland, 1900–2025

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

Analysis

In 2025, key media freedoms in Iceland stood at 2.85. That is the highest value across all 126 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 39.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, key media freedoms in Iceland peaked at 2.85 in 2017 and was at its lowest, 0.687, in 1940.

Iceland ranks 10th of 175 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 126 years of available data.

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1900s	1.39	1.39	1.39	10
1910s	1.39	1.39	1.39	10
1920s	1.39	1.39	1.39	10
1930s	1.39	1.39	1.39	10
1940s	1.1	0.687	1.38	10
1950s	1.38	1.38	1.38	10
1960s	1.48	1.38	1.64	10
1970s	1.64	1.64	1.64	10
1980s	1.82	1.64	2.25	10
1990s	2.25	2.25	2.25	10
2000s	2.29	2.25	2.48	10
2010s	2.37	2.04	2.85	10
2020s	2.85	2.85	2.85	6

Countries ranked near Iceland

7 Canada 3.02 compare
8 Brazil 2.96 compare
9 New Zealand 2.95 compare
11 Sweden 2.75 compare
12 Finland 2.74 compare
13 Chile 2.65 compare

See the full ranking of 175 places →

More social development data for Iceland

Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy 8,459 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 0 (2025)
Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
Key features of democracy 0.807 (2025)
Freedom of Expression Index 0.846 (2025)
Freedom of Association Index 0.917 (2025)
Electoral Democracy Index 0.807 (2025)
Participatory Democracy Index 0.565 (2025)
Liberal Democracy Index 0.72 (2025)

All data for Iceland →

Frequently asked questions

What is key media freedoms in Iceland?: Key media freedoms in Iceland was 2.85 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest key media freedoms recorded in Iceland?: The highest recorded value was 2.85 in 2017.
What is the lowest key media freedoms recorded in Iceland?: The lowest recorded value was 0.687 in 1940.
How does Iceland rank for key media freedoms?: Iceland ranks 10th out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
Is key media freedoms rising or falling in Iceland?: Over the last ten years it is up 39.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Iceland 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

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: 07 August 2026

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.