Key media freedoms in Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan: Key media freedoms was -1.12 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
-1.12
Change on year
down 19.0%
World rank
141st
of 175 countries
All-time high
0.48
in 1990
All-time low
-2.55
in 1918
Years of data
126
1900–2025
Key media freedoms in Kazakhstan, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, key media freedoms in Kazakhstan stood at -1.12.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 19.0% on the previous year and down 70.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, key media freedoms in Kazakhstan peaked at 0.48 in 1990 and was at its lowest, -2.55, in 1918.
That places Kazakhstan 141st out of 175 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Key media freedoms in Kazakhstan, 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 | -2.55 | +61.5% |
| 1919 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1920 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1921 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1922 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1923 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1924 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1925 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1926 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1927 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1928 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1929 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1930 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1931 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1932 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1933 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1934 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1935 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1936 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1937 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1938 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1939 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 1940 | -2.55 | -0.0% |
| 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 | 0.48 | -140.3% |
| 1991 | 0.48 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | -0.032 | -106.7% |
| 1993 | -0.032 | -0.0% |
| 1994 | -0.032 | -0.0% |
| 1995 | -0.32 | +900.0% |
| 1996 | -0.803 | +150.9% |
| 1997 | -0.803 | -0.0% |
| 1998 | -0.803 | -0.0% |
| 1999 | -0.803 | -0.0% |
| 2000 | -0.803 | -0.0% |
| 2001 | -0.803 | -0.0% |
| 2002 | -0.803 | -0.0% |
| 2003 | -0.803 | -0.0% |
| 2004 | -0.803 | -0.0% |
| 2005 | -0.803 | -0.0% |
| 2006 | -0.764 | -4.9% |
| 2007 | -0.764 | -0.0% |
| 2008 | -0.764 | -0.0% |
| 2009 | -0.764 | -0.0% |
| 2010 | -0.764 | -0.0% |
| 2011 | -0.792 | +3.7% |
| 2012 | -0.792 | -0.0% |
| 2013 | -0.657 | -17.0% |
| 2014 | -0.657 | -0.0% |
| 2015 | -0.657 | -0.0% |
| 2016 | -0.657 | -0.0% |
| 2017 | -0.942 | +43.4% |
| 2018 | -1.28 | +36.2% |
| 2019 | -1.5 | +16.8% |
| 2020 | -1.36 | -9.1% |
| 2021 | -1.36 | -0.0% |
| 2022 | -0.862 | -36.7% |
| 2023 | -0.94 | +9.0% |
| 2024 | -0.94 | -0.0% |
| 2025 | -1.12 | +19.0% |
Kazakhstan compared with similar countries
- Kazakhstan's -1.12 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.209. (48 countries reporting)
- Kazakhstan's -1.12 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.973. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | -0.912 | -0.912 | -0.912 | 10 |
| 1910s | -1.31 | -2.55 | -0.912 | 10 |
| 1920s | -2.55 | -2.55 | -2.55 | 10 |
| 1930s | -2.55 | -2.55 | -2.55 | 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 | -0.2668 | -0.803 | 0.48 | 10 |
| 2000s | -0.7874 | -0.803 | -0.764 | 10 |
| 2010s | -0.87 | -1.5 | -0.657 | 10 |
| 2020s | -1.1 | -1.36 | -0.862 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Kazakhstan
More social development data for Kazakhstan
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 4,377 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 4,144 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 7 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 7 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0002 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 4,144 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0002 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 Kazakhstan?
- Key media freedoms in Kazakhstan was -1.12 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key media freedoms recorded in Kazakhstan?
- The highest recorded value was 0.48 in 1990.
- What is the lowest key media freedoms recorded in Kazakhstan?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.55 in 1918.
- How does Kazakhstan rank for key media freedoms?
- Kazakhstan ranks 141st out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key media freedoms rising or falling in Kazakhstan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 70.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kazakhstan 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.