Key media freedoms in South Sudan
South Sudan: Key media freedoms was -3.02 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
-3.02
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
175th
of 175 countries
All-time high
0.118
in 1965
All-time low
-3.02
in 2017
Years of data
126
1900–2025
Key media freedoms in South Sudan, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, key media freedoms in South Sudan stood at -3.02. That is the lowest value across all 126 years on record.
The figure is down 15.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, key media freedoms in South Sudan peaked at 0.118 in 1965 and was at its lowest, -3.02, in 2017.
South Sudan ranks 175th of 175 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Key media freedoms in South Sudan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | -0.668 | — |
| 1901 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1902 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1903 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1904 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1905 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1906 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1907 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1908 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1909 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1910 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1911 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1912 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1913 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1914 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1915 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1916 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1917 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1918 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1919 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1920 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1921 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1922 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1923 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1924 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1925 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1926 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1927 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1928 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1929 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1930 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1931 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1932 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1933 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1934 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1935 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1936 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1937 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1938 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1939 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1940 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1941 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1942 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1943 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1944 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1945 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1946 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1947 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1948 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1949 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1950 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1951 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1952 | -0.668 | -0.0% |
| 1953 | -0.423 | -36.7% |
| 1954 | -0.423 | -0.0% |
| 1955 | -0.423 | -0.0% |
| 1956 | -0.142 | -66.4% |
| 1957 | -0.142 | -0.0% |
| 1958 | -0.142 | -0.0% |
| 1959 | -1.52 | +967.6% |
| 1960 | -1.52 | -0.0% |
| 1961 | -1.52 | -0.0% |
| 1962 | -1.52 | -0.0% |
| 1963 | -1.52 | -0.0% |
| 1964 | -1.52 | -0.0% |
| 1965 | 0.118 | -107.8% |
| 1966 | 0.118 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 0.118 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 0.118 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | -1.52 | -1384.7% |
| 1970 | -1.52 | -0.0% |
| 1971 | -1.89 | +24.9% |
| 1972 | -1.89 | -0.0% |
| 1973 | -1.89 | -0.0% |
| 1974 | -1.89 | -0.0% |
| 1975 | -1.89 | -0.0% |
| 1976 | -1.89 | -0.0% |
| 1977 | -1.89 | -0.0% |
| 1978 | -1.52 | -19.9% |
| 1979 | -1.52 | -0.0% |
| 1980 | -1.52 | -0.0% |
| 1981 | -1.52 | -0.0% |
| 1982 | -1.52 | -0.0% |
| 1983 | -1.52 | -0.0% |
| 1984 | -1.52 | -0.0% |
| 1985 | -0.282 | -81.4% |
| 1986 | -0.06 | -78.7% |
| 1987 | -0.06 | -0.0% |
| 1988 | -0.06 | -0.0% |
| 1989 | -1.3 | +2073.3% |
| 1990 | -1.72 | +31.5% |
| 1991 | -1.72 | -0.0% |
| 1992 | -1.72 | -0.0% |
| 1993 | -1.72 | -0.0% |
| 1994 | -1.72 | -0.0% |
| 1995 | -1.72 | -0.0% |
| 1996 | -1.72 | -0.0% |
| 1997 | -1.72 | -0.0% |
| 1998 | -1.72 | -0.0% |
| 1999 | -1.72 | -0.0% |
| 2000 | -1.72 | -0.0% |
| 2001 | -1.49 | -12.9% |
| 2002 | -1.74 | +16.3% |
| 2003 | -1.74 | -0.0% |
| 2004 | -1.85 | +6.6% |
| 2005 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 2006 | -1.8 | -2.8% |
| 2007 | -2.04 | +13.2% |
| 2008 | -1.87 | -8.1% |
| 2009 | -1.87 | -0.0% |
| 2010 | -1.87 | -0.0% |
| 2011 | -0.553 | -70.5% |
| 2012 | -0.553 | -0.0% |
| 2013 | -2.4 | +334.5% |
| 2014 | -2.61 | +8.7% |
| 2015 | -2.61 | -0.0% |
| 2016 | -2.73 | +4.6% |
| 2017 | -3.02 | +10.4% |
| 2018 | -3.02 | -0.0% |
| 2019 | -3.02 | -0.0% |
| 2020 | -3.02 | -0.0% |
| 2021 | -3.02 | -0.0% |
| 2022 | -3.02 | -0.0% |
| 2023 | -3.02 | -0.0% |
| 2024 | -3.02 | -0.0% |
| 2025 | -3.02 | -0.0% |
South Sudan compared with similar countries
- South Sudan's -3.02 is below the median for low income countries, which is -0.42, 7.2× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- South Sudan's -3.02 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.123. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | -0.668 | -0.668 | -0.668 | 10 |
| 1910s | -0.668 | -0.668 | -0.668 | 10 |
| 1920s | -0.668 | -0.668 | -0.668 | 10 |
| 1930s | -0.668 | -0.668 | -0.668 | 10 |
| 1940s | -0.668 | -0.668 | -0.668 | 10 |
| 1950s | -0.5215 | -1.52 | -0.142 | 10 |
| 1960s | -0.8624 | -1.52 | 0.118 | 10 |
| 1970s | -1.78 | -1.89 | -1.52 | 10 |
| 1980s | -0.9356 | -1.52 | -0.06 | 10 |
| 1990s | -1.72 | -1.72 | -1.72 | 10 |
| 2000s | -1.8 | -2.04 | -1.49 | 10 |
| 2010s | -2.24 | -3.02 | -0.553 | 10 |
| 2020s | -3.02 | -3.02 | -3.02 | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Sudan
More social development data for South Sudan
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 601,818 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 2.39 million (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 0.1958 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 2.39 million (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0494 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2015)
Frequently asked questions
- What is key media freedoms in South Sudan?
- Key media freedoms in South Sudan was -3.02 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key media freedoms recorded in South Sudan?
- The highest recorded value was 0.118 in 1965.
- What is the lowest key media freedoms recorded in South Sudan?
- The lowest recorded value was -3.02 in 2017.
- How does South Sudan rank for key media freedoms?
- South Sudan ranks 175th out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key media freedoms rising or falling in South Sudan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Sudan 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.