Key media freedoms in Tanzania
Tanzania: Key media freedoms was -1.16 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
-1.16
Change on year
down 54.1%
World rank
142nd
of 175 countries
All-time high
-0.002
in 1992
All-time low
-1.57
in 1917
Years of data
112
1914–2025
Key media freedoms in Tanzania, 1914–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Tanzania recorded -1.16 for key media freedoms in 2025.
The figure is down 54.1% on the previous year and down 87.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, key media freedoms in Tanzania peaked at -0.002 in 1992 and was at its lowest, -1.57, in 1917.
Tanzania ranks 142nd of 175 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 112 years of available data.
Key media freedoms in Tanzania, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1914 | -0.987 | — |
| 1915 | -0.987 | -0.0% |
| 1916 | -0.987 | -0.0% |
| 1917 | -1.57 | +59.2% |
| 1918 | -1.57 | -0.0% |
| 1919 | -1.05 | -32.8% |
| 1920 | -1.05 | -0.0% |
| 1921 | -1.05 | -0.0% |
| 1922 | -1.05 | -0.0% |
| 1923 | -1.05 | -0.0% |
| 1924 | -1.05 | -0.0% |
| 1925 | -1.05 | -0.0% |
| 1926 | -1.05 | -0.0% |
| 1927 | -1.05 | -0.0% |
| 1928 | -1.19 | +13.2% |
| 1929 | -1.19 | -0.0% |
| 1930 | -1.19 | -0.0% |
| 1931 | -1.19 | -0.0% |
| 1932 | -1.19 | -0.0% |
| 1933 | -1.19 | -0.0% |
| 1934 | -1.19 | -0.0% |
| 1935 | -1.19 | -0.0% |
| 1936 | -1.19 | -0.0% |
| 1937 | -1.19 | -0.0% |
| 1938 | -1.19 | -0.0% |
| 1939 | -1.19 | -0.0% |
| 1940 | -1.19 | -0.0% |
| 1941 | -1.19 | -0.0% |
| 1942 | -1.19 | -0.0% |
| 1943 | -1.19 | -0.0% |
| 1944 | -1.19 | -0.0% |
| 1945 | -1.19 | -0.0% |
| 1946 | -1.19 | -0.0% |
| 1947 | -1.19 | -0.0% |
| 1948 | -1.19 | -0.0% |
| 1949 | -1.19 | -0.0% |
| 1950 | -1.19 | -0.0% |
| 1951 | -1.19 | -0.0% |
| 1952 | -1.19 | -0.0% |
| 1953 | -1.19 | -0.0% |
| 1954 | -1.19 | -0.0% |
| 1955 | -1.19 | -0.0% |
| 1956 | -1.19 | -0.0% |
| 1957 | -1.19 | -0.0% |
| 1958 | -1.19 | -0.0% |
| 1959 | -1.19 | -0.0% |
| 1960 | -1.19 | -0.0% |
| 1961 | -0.928 | -22.3% |
| 1962 | -0.685 | -26.2% |
| 1963 | -0.685 | -0.0% |
| 1964 | -0.685 | -0.0% |
| 1965 | -0.685 | -0.0% |
| 1966 | -0.685 | -0.0% |
| 1967 | -0.685 | -0.0% |
| 1968 | -0.685 | -0.0% |
| 1969 | -0.685 | -0.0% |
| 1970 | -0.902 | +31.7% |
| 1971 | -0.902 | -0.0% |
| 1972 | -0.902 | -0.0% |
| 1973 | -0.902 | -0.0% |
| 1974 | -0.902 | -0.0% |
| 1975 | -0.902 | -0.0% |
| 1976 | -0.902 | -0.0% |
| 1977 | -0.772 | -14.4% |
| 1978 | -0.772 | -0.0% |
| 1979 | -0.772 | -0.0% |
| 1980 | -0.772 | -0.0% |
| 1981 | -0.772 | -0.0% |
| 1982 | -0.772 | -0.0% |
| 1983 | -0.772 | -0.0% |
| 1984 | -0.772 | -0.0% |
| 1985 | -0.541 | -29.9% |
| 1986 | -0.541 | -0.0% |
| 1987 | -0.541 | -0.0% |
| 1988 | -0.541 | -0.0% |
| 1989 | -0.541 | -0.0% |
| 1990 | -0.541 | -0.0% |
| 1991 | -0.5 | -7.6% |
| 1992 | -0.002 | -99.6% |
| 1993 | -0.002 | -0.0% |
| 1994 | -0.002 | -0.0% |
| 1995 | -0.261 | +12950.0% |
| 1996 | -0.261 | -0.0% |
| 1997 | -0.261 | -0.0% |
| 1998 | -0.261 | -0.0% |
| 1999 | -0.261 | -0.0% |
| 2000 | -0.261 | -0.0% |
| 2001 | -0.261 | -0.0% |
| 2002 | -0.261 | -0.0% |
| 2003 | -0.261 | -0.0% |
| 2004 | -0.261 | -0.0% |
| 2005 | -0.261 | -0.0% |
| 2006 | -0.261 | -0.0% |
| 2007 | -0.261 | -0.0% |
| 2008 | -0.261 | -0.0% |
| 2009 | -0.261 | -0.0% |
| 2010 | -0.149 | -42.9% |
| 2011 | -0.173 | +16.1% |
| 2012 | -0.173 | -0.0% |
| 2013 | -0.173 | -0.0% |
| 2014 | -0.238 | +37.6% |
| 2015 | -0.617 | +159.2% |
| 2016 | -0.852 | +38.1% |
| 2017 | -0.872 | +2.3% |
| 2018 | -1.21 | +39.2% |
| 2019 | -1.21 | -0.0% |
| 2020 | -1.39 | +14.3% |
| 2021 | -1.28 | -7.9% |
| 2022 | -0.987 | -22.8% |
| 2023 | -0.466 | -52.8% |
| 2024 | -0.751 | +61.2% |
| 2025 | -1.16 | +54.1% |
Tanzania compared with similar countries
- Tanzania's -1.16 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.292. (46 countries reporting)
- Tanzania's -1.16 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.123. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1910s | -1.19 | -1.57 | -0.987 | 6 |
| 1920s | -1.08 | -1.19 | -1.05 | 10 |
| 1930s | -1.19 | -1.19 | -1.19 | 10 |
| 1940s | -1.19 | -1.19 | -1.19 | 10 |
| 1950s | -1.19 | -1.19 | -1.19 | 10 |
| 1960s | -0.7602 | -1.19 | -0.685 | 10 |
| 1970s | -0.863 | -0.902 | -0.772 | 10 |
| 1980s | -0.6565 | -0.772 | -0.541 | 10 |
| 1990s | -0.2352 | -0.541 | -0.002 | 10 |
| 2000s | -0.261 | -0.261 | -0.261 | 10 |
| 2010s | -0.5675 | -1.21 | -0.149 | 10 |
| 2020s | -1 | -1.39 | -0.466 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Tanzania
- 139 Oman -1.02 compare
- 140 Qatar -1.11 compare
- 141 Kazakhstan -1.12 compare
- 143 Somalia -1.2 compare
- 144 El Salvador -1.23 compare
- 145 Saudi Arabia -1.32 compare
More social development data for Tanzania
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 171,142 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,592 (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 1,592 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0024 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 Tanzania?
- Key media freedoms in Tanzania was -1.16 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key media freedoms recorded in Tanzania?
- The highest recorded value was -0.002 in 1992.
- What is the lowest key media freedoms recorded in Tanzania?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.57 in 1917.
- How does Tanzania rank for key media freedoms?
- Tanzania ranks 142nd out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key media freedoms rising or falling in Tanzania?
- Over the last ten years it is down 87.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Tanzania 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 — 112 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.