Key media freedoms in Maldives
Maldives: Key media freedoms was 1.21 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
1.21
Change on year
up 8.0%
World rank
58th
of 175 countries
All-time high
1.99
in 2009
All-time low
-1.78
in 1991
Years of data
126
1900–2025
Key media freedoms in Maldives, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, key media freedoms in Maldives stood at 1.21.
That represents a change of up 8.0% on the previous year and up 262.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, key media freedoms in Maldives peaked at 1.99 in 2009 and was at its lowest, -1.78, in 1991.
That places Maldives 58th out of 175 countries with data for 2025, putting it 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 Maldives, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | -0.264 | — |
| 1901 | -0.264 | -0.0% |
| 1902 | -0.264 | -0.0% |
| 1903 | -0.264 | -0.0% |
| 1904 | -0.264 | -0.0% |
| 1905 | -0.264 | -0.0% |
| 1906 | -0.264 | -0.0% |
| 1907 | -0.264 | -0.0% |
| 1908 | -0.264 | -0.0% |
| 1909 | -0.264 | -0.0% |
| 1910 | -0.264 | -0.0% |
| 1911 | -0.264 | -0.0% |
| 1912 | -0.264 | -0.0% |
| 1913 | -0.264 | -0.0% |
| 1914 | -0.264 | -0.0% |
| 1915 | -0.264 | -0.0% |
| 1916 | -0.264 | -0.0% |
| 1917 | -0.264 | -0.0% |
| 1918 | -0.264 | -0.0% |
| 1919 | -0.264 | -0.0% |
| 1920 | -0.264 | -0.0% |
| 1921 | -0.264 | -0.0% |
| 1922 | -0.264 | -0.0% |
| 1923 | -0.264 | -0.0% |
| 1924 | -0.264 | -0.0% |
| 1925 | -0.264 | -0.0% |
| 1926 | -0.264 | -0.0% |
| 1927 | -0.264 | -0.0% |
| 1928 | -0.264 | -0.0% |
| 1929 | -0.264 | -0.0% |
| 1930 | -0.264 | -0.0% |
| 1931 | -0.264 | -0.0% |
| 1932 | -0.264 | -0.0% |
| 1933 | -0.264 | -0.0% |
| 1934 | -0.414 | +56.8% |
| 1935 | -0.414 | -0.0% |
| 1936 | -0.414 | -0.0% |
| 1937 | -0.414 | -0.0% |
| 1938 | -0.414 | -0.0% |
| 1939 | -0.414 | -0.0% |
| 1940 | -0.414 | -0.0% |
| 1941 | -0.414 | -0.0% |
| 1942 | -0.414 | -0.0% |
| 1943 | -0.414 | -0.0% |
| 1944 | -0.414 | -0.0% |
| 1945 | -0.414 | -0.0% |
| 1946 | -0.414 | -0.0% |
| 1947 | -0.414 | -0.0% |
| 1948 | -0.414 | -0.0% |
| 1949 | -0.414 | -0.0% |
| 1950 | -0.414 | -0.0% |
| 1951 | -0.414 | -0.0% |
| 1952 | -0.414 | -0.0% |
| 1953 | -0.414 | -0.0% |
| 1954 | -0.414 | -0.0% |
| 1955 | -0.414 | -0.0% |
| 1956 | -0.414 | -0.0% |
| 1957 | -0.414 | -0.0% |
| 1958 | -0.414 | -0.0% |
| 1959 | -0.414 | -0.0% |
| 1960 | -0.414 | -0.0% |
| 1961 | -0.414 | -0.0% |
| 1962 | -0.414 | -0.0% |
| 1963 | -0.414 | -0.0% |
| 1964 | -0.414 | -0.0% |
| 1965 | -0.414 | -0.0% |
| 1966 | -0.414 | -0.0% |
| 1967 | -0.414 | -0.0% |
| 1968 | -0.414 | -0.0% |
| 1969 | -0.414 | -0.0% |
| 1970 | -0.414 | -0.0% |
| 1971 | -0.414 | -0.0% |
| 1972 | -0.414 | -0.0% |
| 1973 | -0.414 | -0.0% |
| 1974 | -0.414 | -0.0% |
| 1975 | -0.414 | -0.0% |
| 1976 | -0.414 | -0.0% |
| 1977 | -0.414 | -0.0% |
| 1978 | -1.78 | +329.5% |
| 1979 | -1.78 | -0.0% |
| 1980 | -1.78 | -0.0% |
| 1981 | -1.78 | -0.0% |
| 1982 | -1.78 | -0.0% |
| 1983 | -1.78 | -0.0% |
| 1984 | -1.78 | -0.0% |
| 1985 | -1.78 | -0.0% |
| 1986 | -1.78 | -0.0% |
| 1987 | -1.78 | -0.0% |
| 1988 | -1.78 | -0.0% |
| 1989 | -1.78 | -0.0% |
| 1990 | -0.948 | -46.7% |
| 1991 | -1.78 | +87.9% |
| 1992 | -1.78 | -0.0% |
| 1993 | -1.78 | -0.0% |
| 1994 | -1.78 | -0.0% |
| 1995 | -1.78 | -0.0% |
| 1996 | -1.78 | -0.0% |
| 1997 | -1.78 | -0.0% |
| 1998 | -1.78 | -0.0% |
| 1999 | -1.78 | -0.0% |
| 2000 | -1.78 | -0.0% |
| 2001 | -1.78 | -0.0% |
| 2002 | -1.78 | -0.0% |
| 2003 | -1.59 | -10.4% |
| 2004 | -1.59 | -0.0% |
| 2005 | -0.263 | -83.5% |
| 2006 | -0.263 | -0.0% |
| 2007 | -0.263 | -0.0% |
| 2008 | 0.456 | -273.4% |
| 2009 | 1.99 | +337.3% |
| 2010 | 1.99 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 1.99 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 0.817 | -59.0% |
| 2013 | -0.406 | -149.7% |
| 2014 | -0.406 | -0.0% |
| 2015 | -0.745 | +83.5% |
| 2016 | -0.824 | +10.6% |
| 2017 | -0.911 | +10.6% |
| 2018 | -0.565 | -38.0% |
| 2019 | 1.06 | -286.9% |
| 2020 | 1.06 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 1.06 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 1.06 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 1.06 | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 1.12 | +6.3% |
| 2025 | 1.21 | +8.0% |
Maldives compared with similar countries
- Maldives's 1.21 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.209, 5.8× the median. (48 countries reporting)
- Maldives's 1.21 is below the median for South Asia, which is 1.23, 99% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | -0.264 | -0.264 | -0.264 | 10 |
| 1910s | -0.264 | -0.264 | -0.264 | 10 |
| 1920s | -0.264 | -0.264 | -0.264 | 10 |
| 1930s | -0.354 | -0.414 | -0.264 | 10 |
| 1940s | -0.414 | -0.414 | -0.414 | 10 |
| 1950s | -0.414 | -0.414 | -0.414 | 10 |
| 1960s | -0.414 | -0.414 | -0.414 | 10 |
| 1970s | -0.6868 | -1.78 | -0.414 | 10 |
| 1980s | -1.78 | -1.78 | -1.78 | 10 |
| 1990s | -1.7 | -1.78 | -0.948 | 10 |
| 2000s | -0.6872 | -1.78 | 1.99 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.2004 | -0.911 | 1.99 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.09 | 1.06 | 1.21 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Maldives
More social development data for Maldives
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 62 (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 0.0001 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 62 (2025)
- Sovereign state gleditsch ward, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of -18.42 % change on previous year (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 Maldives?
- Key media freedoms in Maldives was 1.21 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key media freedoms recorded in Maldives?
- The highest recorded value was 1.99 in 2009.
- What is the lowest key media freedoms recorded in Maldives?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.78 in 1991.
- How does Maldives rank for key media freedoms?
- Maldives ranks 58th out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key media freedoms rising or falling in Maldives?
- Over the last ten years it is up 262.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Maldives 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.