Key media freedoms in Norway
Norway: Key media freedoms was 2.6 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Key media freedoms in Norway, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for key media freedoms in Norway is 2.6, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 21.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, key media freedoms in Norway peaked at 3.3 in 2011 and was at its lowest, -2.57, in 1941.
Norway ranks 14th of 175 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Key media freedoms in Norway, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 0.813 | — |
| 1901 | 0.813 | +0.0% |
| 1902 | 0.813 | +0.0% |
| 1903 | 0.813 | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 0.813 | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 0.813 | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 0.955 | +17.5% |
| 1907 | 0.955 | +0.0% |
| 1908 | 0.955 | +0.0% |
| 1909 | 0.955 | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 0.955 | +0.0% |
| 1911 | 0.955 | +0.0% |
| 1912 | 0.955 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 0.955 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 0.744 | -22.1% |
| 1915 | 0.744 | +0.0% |
| 1916 | 0.744 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 0.744 | +0.0% |
| 1918 | 0.956 | +28.5% |
| 1919 | 0.956 | +0.0% |
| 1920 | 0.956 | +0.0% |
| 1921 | 0.956 | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 0.956 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 0.956 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 0.956 | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 0.956 | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 0.956 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 0.956 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 0.956 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 0.956 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 0.956 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 0.956 | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 0.956 | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 0.956 | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 0.956 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 0.956 | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 0.956 | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 0.956 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 0.956 | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 0.956 | +0.0% |
| 1940 | -2.23 | -333.1% |
| 1941 | -2.57 | +15.5% |
| 1942 | -2.57 | -0.0% |
| 1943 | -2.57 | -0.0% |
| 1944 | -2.57 | -0.0% |
| 1945 | -1.28 | -50.3% |
| 1946 | 1.61 | -226.1% |
| 1947 | 1.61 | +0.0% |
| 1948 | 1.61 | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 1.61 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 1.61 | +0.0% |
| 1951 | 1.61 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 1.61 | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 1.61 | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 2.11 | +30.9% |
| 1955 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 2.11 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 2.88 | +36.7% |
| 2001 | 2.88 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 2.88 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 2.88 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 2.88 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 2.88 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 2.88 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 2.88 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 2.88 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 2.88 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 2.88 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 3.3 | +14.5% |
| 2012 | 3.3 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 3.3 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 3.3 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 3.3 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 3.3 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 3.3 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 3.3 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 3.3 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 2.3 | -30.3% |
| 2021 | 2.6 | +12.8% |
| 2022 | 2.6 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 2.6 | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 2.6 | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 2.6 | +0.0% |
Norway compared with similar countries
- Norway's 2.6 is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.28, 2.0× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Norway's 2.6 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.973, 2.7× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 0.8698 | 0.813 | 0.955 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.8708 | 0.744 | 0.956 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.956 | 0.956 | 0.956 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.956 | 0.956 | 0.956 | 10 |
| 1940s | -0.7358 | -2.57 | 1.61 | 10 |
| 1950s | 1.91 | 1.61 | 2.11 | 10 |
| 1960s | 2.11 | 2.11 | 2.11 | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.11 | 2.11 | 2.11 | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.11 | 2.11 | 2.11 | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.11 | 2.11 | 2.11 | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.88 | 2.88 | 2.88 | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.26 | 2.88 | 3.3 | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.55 | 2.3 | 2.6 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Norway
More social development data for Norway
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 124,006 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 20 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 20 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0221 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 Norway?
- Key media freedoms in Norway was 2.6 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key media freedoms recorded in Norway?
- The highest recorded value was 3.3 in 2011.
- What is the lowest key media freedoms recorded in Norway?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.57 in 1941.
- How does Norway rank for key media freedoms?
- Norway ranks 14th out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key media freedoms rising or falling in Norway?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Norway 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
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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.