Key media freedoms in Nicaragua
Nicaragua: Key media freedoms was -2.21 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
-2.21
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
163rd
of 175 countries
All-time high
1.89
in 1994
All-time low
-2.51
in 1957
Years of data
188
1838–2025
Key media freedoms in Nicaragua, 1838–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Nicaragua recorded -2.21 for key media freedoms in 2025.
That represents a change of down 1,168.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, key media freedoms in Nicaragua peaked at 1.89 in 1994 and was at its lowest, -2.51, in 1957.
That places Nicaragua 163rd 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 Nicaragua, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1838 | -2.21 | — |
| 1839 | -2.21 | -0.0% |
| 1840 | -2.21 | -0.0% |
| 1841 | -2.21 | -0.0% |
| 1842 | -2.21 | -0.0% |
| 1843 | -2.21 | -0.0% |
| 1844 | -2.21 | -0.0% |
| 1845 | -2.21 | -0.0% |
| 1846 | -2.21 | -0.0% |
| 1847 | -2.21 | -0.0% |
| 1848 | -2.21 | -0.0% |
| 1849 | -2.21 | -0.0% |
| 1850 | -2.21 | -0.0% |
| 1851 | -2.21 | -0.0% |
| 1852 | -2.21 | -0.0% |
| 1853 | -2.21 | -0.0% |
| 1854 | -2.21 | -0.0% |
| 1855 | -2.21 | -0.0% |
| 1856 | -2.21 | -0.0% |
| 1857 | -2.21 | -0.0% |
| 1858 | -2.21 | -0.0% |
| 1859 | -2.21 | -0.0% |
| 1860 | 1.2 | -154.2% |
| 1861 | 1.2 | +0.0% |
| 1862 | 1.2 | +0.0% |
| 1863 | 1.2 | +0.0% |
| 1864 | 1.2 | +0.0% |
| 1865 | 1.2 | +0.0% |
| 1866 | 1.2 | +0.0% |
| 1867 | 1.2 | +0.0% |
| 1868 | 1.2 | +0.0% |
| 1869 | 1.2 | +0.0% |
| 1870 | 1.2 | +0.0% |
| 1871 | 1.2 | +0.0% |
| 1872 | 1.2 | +0.0% |
| 1873 | 1.2 | +0.0% |
| 1874 | 1.2 | +0.0% |
| 1875 | 1.2 | +0.0% |
| 1876 | 1.2 | +0.0% |
| 1877 | 1.2 | +0.0% |
| 1878 | 1.2 | +0.0% |
| 1879 | 1.2 | +0.0% |
| 1880 | 1.2 | +0.0% |
| 1881 | 1.2 | +0.0% |
| 1882 | 1.2 | +0.0% |
| 1883 | 1.2 | +0.0% |
| 1884 | 1.2 | +0.0% |
| 1885 | 1.2 | +0.0% |
| 1886 | 1.2 | +0.0% |
| 1887 | 1.2 | +0.0% |
| 1888 | 1.2 | +0.0% |
| 1889 | 1.2 | +0.0% |
| 1890 | 1.2 | +0.0% |
| 1891 | 1.2 | +0.0% |
| 1892 | -1.45 | -220.9% |
| 1893 | -1.45 | -0.0% |
| 1894 | -1.45 | -0.0% |
| 1895 | -1.45 | -0.0% |
| 1896 | -1.45 | -0.0% |
| 1897 | -1.45 | -0.0% |
| 1898 | -1.45 | -0.0% |
| 1899 | -1.45 | -0.0% |
| 1900 | -1.45 | -0.0% |
| 1901 | -1.45 | -0.0% |
| 1902 | -1.45 | -0.0% |
| 1903 | -1.45 | -0.0% |
| 1904 | -1.45 | -0.0% |
| 1905 | -1.45 | -0.0% |
| 1906 | -1.45 | -0.0% |
| 1907 | -1.45 | -0.0% |
| 1908 | -1.45 | -0.0% |
| 1909 | -1.45 | -0.0% |
| 1910 | -0.228 | -84.3% |
| 1911 | -0.228 | -0.0% |
| 1912 | -0.228 | -0.0% |
| 1913 | -0.31 | +36.0% |
| 1914 | -0.31 | -0.0% |
| 1915 | -0.31 | -0.0% |
| 1916 | -0.31 | -0.0% |
| 1917 | -0.469 | +51.3% |
| 1918 | -0.469 | -0.0% |
| 1919 | -0.469 | -0.0% |
| 1920 | -0.469 | -0.0% |
| 1921 | -0.469 | -0.0% |
| 1922 | -0.469 | -0.0% |
| 1923 | -0.469 | -0.0% |
| 1924 | -0.469 | -0.0% |
| 1925 | -0.469 | -0.0% |
| 1926 | -0.469 | -0.0% |
| 1927 | -0.469 | -0.0% |
| 1928 | -0.469 | -0.0% |
| 1929 | -0.469 | -0.0% |
| 1930 | -0.363 | -22.6% |
| 1931 | -0.363 | -0.0% |
| 1932 | -0.363 | -0.0% |
| 1933 | -0.724 | +99.4% |
| 1934 | -0.724 | -0.0% |
| 1935 | -1.2 | +65.7% |
| 1936 | -1.59 | +32.7% |
| 1937 | -1.59 | -0.0% |
| 1938 | -1.59 | -0.0% |
| 1939 | -1.59 | -0.0% |
| 1940 | -1.59 | -0.0% |
| 1941 | -1.59 | -0.0% |
| 1942 | -1.59 | -0.0% |
| 1943 | -1.59 | -0.0% |
| 1944 | -1.59 | -0.0% |
| 1945 | -1.59 | -0.0% |
| 1946 | -1.59 | -0.0% |
| 1947 | -1.59 | -0.0% |
| 1948 | -1.59 | -0.0% |
| 1949 | -1.97 | +23.4% |
| 1950 | -1.97 | -0.0% |
| 1951 | -1.97 | -0.0% |
| 1952 | -1.97 | -0.0% |
| 1953 | -1.97 | -0.0% |
| 1954 | -1.97 | -0.0% |
| 1955 | -1.97 | -0.0% |
| 1956 | -1.97 | -0.0% |
| 1957 | -2.51 | +27.5% |
| 1958 | -2.51 | -0.0% |
| 1959 | -2.51 | -0.0% |
| 1960 | -2.51 | -0.0% |
| 1961 | -2.51 | -0.0% |
| 1962 | -2.51 | -0.0% |
| 1963 | -2.51 | -0.0% |
| 1964 | -2.51 | -0.0% |
| 1965 | -2.51 | -0.0% |
| 1966 | -2.51 | -0.0% |
| 1967 | -2.51 | -0.0% |
| 1968 | -2.51 | -0.0% |
| 1969 | -2.51 | -0.0% |
| 1970 | -2.51 | -0.0% |
| 1971 | -2.51 | -0.0% |
| 1972 | -2.51 | -0.0% |
| 1973 | -2.51 | -0.0% |
| 1974 | -2.51 | -0.0% |
| 1975 | -2.51 | -0.0% |
| 1976 | -2.51 | -0.0% |
| 1977 | -2.51 | -0.0% |
| 1978 | -2.51 | -0.0% |
| 1979 | -2.51 | -0.0% |
| 1980 | -0.847 | -66.2% |
| 1981 | -0.847 | -0.0% |
| 1982 | -1.78 | +110.3% |
| 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 | -0.839 | -52.9% |
| 1989 | -0.839 | -0.0% |
| 1990 | 1.72 | -304.9% |
| 1991 | 1.72 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 1.72 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 1.72 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 1.89 | +10.2% |
| 1995 | 1.89 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 1.89 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 1.4 | -26.1% |
| 1998 | 1.4 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 1.4 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 1.4 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 1.4 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 1.73 | +23.4% |
| 2003 | 1.73 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 1.73 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 1.73 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 1.23 | -28.6% |
| 2007 | 0.224 | -81.8% |
| 2008 | -0.136 | -160.7% |
| 2009 | -0.136 | -0.0% |
| 2010 | -0.248 | +82.4% |
| 2011 | -0.248 | -0.0% |
| 2012 | -0.248 | -0.0% |
| 2013 | -0.174 | -29.8% |
| 2014 | -0.174 | -0.0% |
| 2015 | -0.174 | -0.0% |
| 2016 | -0.174 | -0.0% |
| 2017 | -0.464 | +166.7% |
| 2018 | -1.88 | +306.0% |
| 2019 | -1.81 | -4.1% |
| 2020 | -1.86 | +3.0% |
| 2021 | -2.21 | +18.6% |
| 2022 | -2.21 | -0.0% |
| 2023 | -2.21 | -0.0% |
| 2024 | -2.21 | -0.0% |
| 2025 | -2.21 | -0.0% |
Nicaragua compared with similar countries
- Nicaragua's -2.21 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.292. (46 countries reporting)
- Nicaragua's -2.21 is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 1.25. (25 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1830s | -2.21 | -2.21 | -2.21 | 2 |
| 1840s | -2.21 | -2.21 | -2.21 | 10 |
| 1850s | -2.21 | -2.21 | -2.21 | 10 |
| 1860s | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 10 |
| 1870s | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 10 |
| 1880s | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 10 |
| 1890s | -0.9208 | -1.45 | 1.2 | 10 |
| 1900s | -1.45 | -1.45 | -1.45 | 10 |
| 1910s | -0.3331 | -0.469 | -0.228 | 10 |
| 1920s | -0.469 | -0.469 | -0.469 | 10 |
| 1930s | -1.01 | -1.59 | -0.363 | 10 |
| 1940s | -1.63 | -1.97 | -1.59 | 10 |
| 1950s | -2.13 | -2.51 | -1.97 | 10 |
| 1960s | -2.51 | -2.51 | -2.51 | 10 |
| 1970s | -2.51 | -2.51 | -2.51 | 10 |
| 1980s | -1.41 | -1.78 | -0.839 | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.68 | 1.4 | 1.89 | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.09 | -0.136 | 1.73 | 10 |
| 2010s | -0.5594 | -1.88 | -0.174 | 10 |
| 2020s | -2.15 | -2.21 | -1.86 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Nicaragua
More social development data for Nicaragua
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 311 (2023)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 35,341 (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 0.005 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 35,341 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2023)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is key media freedoms in Nicaragua?
- Key media freedoms in Nicaragua was -2.21 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key media freedoms recorded in Nicaragua?
- The highest recorded value was 1.89 in 1994.
- What is the lowest key media freedoms recorded in Nicaragua?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.51 in 1957.
- How does Nicaragua rank for key media freedoms?
- Nicaragua ranks 163rd out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key media freedoms rising or falling in Nicaragua?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1,168.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nicaragua 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 — 188 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.