Key media freedoms in Qatar
Qatar: Key media freedoms was -1.11 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
-1.11
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
140th
of 175 countries
All-time high
-0.827
in 2000
All-time low
-2.18
in 1900
Years of data
126
1900–2025
Key media freedoms in Qatar, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Qatar recorded -1.11 for key media freedoms in 2025.
The figure is down 9.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, key media freedoms in Qatar peaked at -0.827 in 2000 and was at its lowest, -2.18, in 1900.
That places Qatar 140th out of 175 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 126 years of available data.
Key media freedoms in Qatar, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | -2.18 | — |
| 1901 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1902 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1903 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1904 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1905 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1906 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1907 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1908 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1909 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1910 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1911 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1912 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1913 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1914 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1915 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1916 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1917 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1918 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1919 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1920 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1921 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1922 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1923 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1924 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1925 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1926 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1927 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1928 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1929 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1930 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1931 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1932 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1933 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1934 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1935 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1936 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1937 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1938 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1939 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1940 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1941 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1942 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1943 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1944 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1945 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1946 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1947 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1948 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1949 | -2.18 | -0.0% |
| 1950 | -1.46 | -32.9% |
| 1951 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 1952 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 1953 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 1954 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 1955 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 1956 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 1957 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 1958 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 1959 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 1960 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 1961 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 1962 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 1963 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 1964 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 1965 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 1966 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 1967 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 1968 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 1969 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 1970 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 1971 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 1972 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 1973 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 1974 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 1975 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 1976 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 1977 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 1978 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 1979 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 1980 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 1981 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 1982 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 1983 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 1984 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 1985 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 1986 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 1987 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 1988 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 1989 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 1990 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 1991 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 1992 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 1993 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 1994 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 1995 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 1996 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 1997 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 1998 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 1999 | -1.46 | -0.0% |
| 2000 | -0.827 | -43.5% |
| 2001 | -0.827 | -0.0% |
| 2002 | -0.827 | -0.0% |
| 2003 | -0.827 | -0.0% |
| 2004 | -0.827 | -0.0% |
| 2005 | -0.827 | -0.0% |
| 2006 | -0.827 | -0.0% |
| 2007 | -0.827 | -0.0% |
| 2008 | -0.827 | -0.0% |
| 2009 | -0.827 | -0.0% |
| 2010 | -0.827 | -0.0% |
| 2011 | -0.827 | -0.0% |
| 2012 | -0.827 | -0.0% |
| 2013 | -0.859 | +3.9% |
| 2014 | -1.02 | +18.9% |
| 2015 | -1.02 | -0.0% |
| 2016 | -1.02 | -0.0% |
| 2017 | -1.02 | -0.0% |
| 2018 | -1.02 | -0.0% |
| 2019 | -1.02 | -0.0% |
| 2020 | -1.03 | +0.9% |
| 2021 | -1.03 | -0.0% |
| 2022 | -1.03 | -0.0% |
| 2023 | -1.03 | -0.0% |
| 2024 | -1.11 | +8.3% |
| 2025 | -1.11 | -0.0% |
Qatar compared with similar countries
- Qatar's -1.11 is below the median for high income countries, which is 1.28. (55 countries reporting)
- Qatar's -1.11 is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is -0.982, 1.1× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | -2.18 | -2.18 | -2.18 | 10 |
| 1910s | -2.18 | -2.18 | -2.18 | 10 |
| 1920s | -2.18 | -2.18 | -2.18 | 10 |
| 1930s | -2.18 | -2.18 | -2.18 | 10 |
| 1940s | -2.18 | -2.18 | -2.18 | 10 |
| 1950s | -1.46 | -1.46 | -1.46 | 10 |
| 1960s | -1.46 | -1.46 | -1.46 | 10 |
| 1970s | -1.46 | -1.46 | -1.46 | 10 |
| 1980s | -1.46 | -1.46 | -1.46 | 10 |
| 1990s | -1.46 | -1.46 | -1.46 | 10 |
| 2000s | -0.827 | -0.827 | -0.827 | 10 |
| 2010s | -0.9466 | -1.02 | -0.827 | 10 |
| 2020s | -1.06 | -1.11 | -1.03 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Qatar
More social development data for Qatar
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 195 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 73 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 6 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 6 (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 73 (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 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is key media freedoms in Qatar?
- Key media freedoms in Qatar was -1.11 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key media freedoms recorded in Qatar?
- The highest recorded value was -0.827 in 2000.
- What is the lowest key media freedoms recorded in Qatar?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.18 in 1900.
- How does Qatar rank for key media freedoms?
- Qatar ranks 140th out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key media freedoms rising or falling in Qatar?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Qatar 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.