Key media freedoms in North Macedonia
North Macedonia: Key media freedoms was 0.228 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
0.228
Change on year
down 42.0%
World rank
99th
of 175 countries
All-time high
1.47
in 1994
All-time low
-2.62
in 1942
Years of data
126
1900–2025
Key media freedoms in North Macedonia, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
North Macedonia recorded 0.228 for key media freedoms in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 42.0% on the previous year and up 161.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, key media freedoms in North Macedonia peaked at 1.47 in 1994 and was at its lowest, -2.62, in 1942.
That places North Macedonia 99th 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 North Macedonia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | -1.89 | — |
| 1901 | -1.89 | -0.0% |
| 1902 | -1.89 | -0.0% |
| 1903 | -1.89 | -0.0% |
| 1904 | -1.89 | -0.0% |
| 1905 | -1.89 | -0.0% |
| 1906 | -1.89 | -0.0% |
| 1907 | -1.89 | -0.0% |
| 1908 | -1.18 | -37.4% |
| 1909 | -0.28 | -76.3% |
| 1910 | -0.28 | -0.0% |
| 1911 | -0.28 | -0.0% |
| 1912 | -0.28 | -0.0% |
| 1913 | -1.21 | +332.9% |
| 1914 | -1.15 | -5.0% |
| 1915 | -1.15 | -0.0% |
| 1916 | -1.15 | -0.0% |
| 1917 | -1.15 | -0.0% |
| 1918 | -1.48 | +28.6% |
| 1919 | -1.35 | -8.8% |
| 1920 | -1.35 | -0.0% |
| 1921 | -1.35 | -0.0% |
| 1922 | -1.35 | -0.0% |
| 1923 | -1.35 | -0.0% |
| 1924 | -1.35 | -0.0% |
| 1925 | -1.35 | -0.0% |
| 1926 | -1.35 | -0.0% |
| 1927 | -1.35 | -0.0% |
| 1928 | -1.53 | +13.3% |
| 1929 | -2.43 | +58.9% |
| 1930 | -2.43 | -0.0% |
| 1931 | -2.43 | -0.0% |
| 1932 | -1.9 | -21.8% |
| 1933 | -1.9 | -0.0% |
| 1934 | -1.9 | -0.0% |
| 1935 | -1.9 | -0.0% |
| 1936 | -1.9 | -0.0% |
| 1937 | -1.9 | -0.0% |
| 1938 | -1.9 | -0.0% |
| 1939 | -1.9 | -0.0% |
| 1940 | -1.9 | -0.0% |
| 1941 | -2.48 | +30.5% |
| 1942 | -2.62 | +5.4% |
| 1943 | -2.62 | -0.0% |
| 1944 | -2.62 | -0.0% |
| 1945 | -1.75 | -33.2% |
| 1946 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1947 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1948 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1949 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1950 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1951 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1952 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1953 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1954 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1955 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1956 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1957 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1958 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1959 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1960 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1961 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1962 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1963 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1964 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1965 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1966 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1967 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1968 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1969 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1970 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1971 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1972 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1973 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1974 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1975 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1976 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1977 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1978 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1979 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1980 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1981 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1982 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1983 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1984 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1985 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1986 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1987 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1988 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1989 | -1.75 | -0.0% |
| 1990 | -1.12 | -36.1% |
| 1991 | 0.968 | -186.7% |
| 1992 | 0.968 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 0.968 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 1.47 | +51.5% |
| 1995 | 1.47 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 1.47 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 1.47 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 1.47 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 1.47 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.859 | -41.4% |
| 2001 | 0.859 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 0.859 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 0.859 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 0.859 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 0.859 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 0.731 | -14.9% |
| 2007 | 0.611 | -16.4% |
| 2008 | 0.061 | -90.0% |
| 2009 | -0.194 | -418.0% |
| 2010 | -0.194 | -0.0% |
| 2011 | -0.311 | +60.3% |
| 2012 | -0.574 | +84.6% |
| 2013 | -0.373 | -35.0% |
| 2014 | -0.373 | -0.0% |
| 2015 | -0.373 | -0.0% |
| 2016 | -0.309 | -17.2% |
| 2017 | 0.794 | -357.0% |
| 2018 | 1.14 | +43.7% |
| 2019 | 1.14 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 1.14 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 1.14 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 1.14 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 0.916 | -19.7% |
| 2024 | 0.393 | -57.1% |
| 2025 | 0.228 | -42.0% |
North Macedonia compared with similar countries
- North Macedonia's 0.228 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.209, 1.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
- North Macedonia's 0.228 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.973, 23% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | -1.66 | -1.89 | -0.28 | 10 |
| 1910s | -0.9492 | -1.48 | -0.28 | 10 |
| 1920s | -1.48 | -2.43 | -1.35 | 10 |
| 1930s | -2.01 | -2.43 | -1.9 | 10 |
| 1940s | -2.1 | -2.62 | -1.75 | 10 |
| 1950s | -1.75 | -1.75 | -1.75 | 10 |
| 1960s | -1.75 | -1.75 | -1.75 | 10 |
| 1970s | -1.75 | -1.75 | -1.75 | 10 |
| 1980s | -1.75 | -1.75 | -1.75 | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.06 | -1.12 | 1.47 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.6363 | -0.194 | 0.859 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.0569 | -0.574 | 1.14 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.8267 | 0.228 | 1.14 | 6 |
Countries ranked near North Macedonia
More social development data for North Macedonia
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 20,822 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,886 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 3 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 3 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.001 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,886 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0114 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 North Macedonia?
- Key media freedoms in North Macedonia was 0.228 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key media freedoms recorded in North Macedonia?
- The highest recorded value was 1.47 in 1994.
- What is the lowest key media freedoms recorded in North Macedonia?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.62 in 1942.
- How does North Macedonia rank for key media freedoms?
- North Macedonia ranks 99th out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key media freedoms rising or falling in North Macedonia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 161.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this North Macedonia 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.