Key media freedoms in Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago: Key media freedoms was 1.85 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
1.85
Change on year
down 9.8%
World rank
31st
of 175 countries
All-time high
2.06
in 2021
All-time low
-1.41
in 1900
Years of data
126
1900–2025
Key media freedoms in Trinidad and Tobago, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Trinidad and Tobago recorded 1.85 for key media freedoms in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 9.8% on the previous year and down 4.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, key media freedoms in Trinidad and Tobago peaked at 2.06 in 2021 and was at its lowest, -1.41, in 1900.
Trinidad and Tobago ranks 31st of 175 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Key media freedoms in Trinidad and Tobago, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | -1.41 | — |
| 1901 | -1.41 | -0.0% |
| 1902 | -1.41 | -0.0% |
| 1903 | -1.41 | -0.0% |
| 1904 | -1.41 | -0.0% |
| 1905 | -1.41 | -0.0% |
| 1906 | -1.41 | -0.0% |
| 1907 | -1.41 | -0.0% |
| 1908 | -1.41 | -0.0% |
| 1909 | -1.41 | -0.0% |
| 1910 | -1.41 | -0.0% |
| 1911 | -1.41 | -0.0% |
| 1912 | -1.41 | -0.0% |
| 1913 | -1.41 | -0.0% |
| 1914 | -1.41 | -0.0% |
| 1915 | -1.41 | -0.0% |
| 1916 | -1.41 | -0.0% |
| 1917 | -1.41 | -0.0% |
| 1918 | -1.41 | -0.0% |
| 1919 | -1.41 | -0.0% |
| 1920 | -1.41 | -0.0% |
| 1921 | -1.41 | -0.0% |
| 1922 | -1.41 | -0.0% |
| 1923 | -1.41 | -0.0% |
| 1924 | -1.41 | -0.0% |
| 1925 | -1.41 | -0.0% |
| 1926 | -1.41 | -0.0% |
| 1927 | -1.41 | -0.0% |
| 1928 | -0.723 | -48.7% |
| 1929 | -0.723 | -0.0% |
| 1930 | -0.723 | -0.0% |
| 1931 | -0.723 | -0.0% |
| 1932 | -0.723 | -0.0% |
| 1933 | -0.723 | -0.0% |
| 1934 | -0.723 | -0.0% |
| 1935 | -0.723 | -0.0% |
| 1936 | -0.723 | -0.0% |
| 1937 | -0.723 | -0.0% |
| 1938 | -0.723 | -0.0% |
| 1939 | -0.723 | -0.0% |
| 1940 | -0.723 | -0.0% |
| 1941 | -0.723 | -0.0% |
| 1942 | -0.723 | -0.0% |
| 1943 | -0.723 | -0.0% |
| 1944 | -0.723 | -0.0% |
| 1945 | -0.723 | -0.0% |
| 1946 | -0.723 | -0.0% |
| 1947 | -0.723 | -0.0% |
| 1948 | -0.723 | -0.0% |
| 1949 | -0.723 | -0.0% |
| 1950 | -0.723 | -0.0% |
| 1951 | -0.723 | -0.0% |
| 1952 | -0.723 | -0.0% |
| 1953 | -0.723 | -0.0% |
| 1954 | -0.723 | -0.0% |
| 1955 | -0.723 | -0.0% |
| 1956 | -0.723 | -0.0% |
| 1957 | -0.723 | -0.0% |
| 1958 | -0.723 | -0.0% |
| 1959 | -0.723 | -0.0% |
| 1960 | -0.723 | -0.0% |
| 1961 | -0.723 | -0.0% |
| 1962 | 1.28 | -276.6% |
| 1963 | 1.13 | -11.3% |
| 1964 | 1.25 | +10.8% |
| 1965 | 1.25 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 1.25 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 1.25 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 1.03 | -18.2% |
| 1969 | 1.03 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 1.03 | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 1.03 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 1.03 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 1.23 | +19.9% |
| 1974 | 1.23 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 1.23 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 1.23 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 1.23 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 1.23 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 1.23 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 1.5 | +21.7% |
| 1981 | 1.5 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 0.668 | -55.4% |
| 1983 | 0.668 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 0.668 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 0.668 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 0.668 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 0.668 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 0.668 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 0.668 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 0.668 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 0.668 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 0.764 | +14.4% |
| 1993 | 0.764 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 0.764 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 0.454 | -40.6% |
| 1996 | 0.28 | -38.3% |
| 1997 | 0.28 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.28 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 0.28 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 1.24 | +341.4% |
| 2001 | 1.24 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 1.24 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 1.24 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 1.24 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 1.24 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 1.24 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 1.24 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 1.24 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 1.24 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 1.24 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 1.24 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 1.24 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 1.77 | +43.1% |
| 2014 | 1.77 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 1.94 | +9.4% |
| 2016 | 1.94 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 1.94 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 1.94 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 1.94 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 1.94 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 2.06 | +6.2% |
| 2022 | 2.06 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 2.06 | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 2.06 | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 1.85 | -9.8% |
Trinidad and Tobago compared with similar countries
- Trinidad and Tobago's 1.85 is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.28, 1.4× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Trinidad and Tobago's 1.85 is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 1.25, 1.5× the median. (25 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | -1.41 | -1.41 | -1.41 | 10 |
| 1910s | -1.41 | -1.41 | -1.41 | 10 |
| 1920s | -1.27 | -1.41 | -0.723 | 10 |
| 1930s | -0.723 | -0.723 | -0.723 | 10 |
| 1940s | -0.723 | -0.723 | -0.723 | 10 |
| 1950s | -0.723 | -0.723 | -0.723 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.8038 | -0.723 | 1.28 | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.17 | 1.03 | 1.23 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.834 | 0.668 | 1.5 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.5202 | 0.28 | 0.764 | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.24 | 1.24 | 1.24 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.69 | 1.24 | 1.94 | 10 |
| 2020s | 2 | 1.85 | 2.06 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Trinidad and Tobago
- 28 Montenegro 1.9 compare
- 29 Sierra Leone 1.87 compare
- 29 South Korea 1.87 compare
- 32 Dominican Republic 1.84 compare
- 33 Botswana 1.82 compare
- 34 Latvia 1.73 compare
More social development data for Trinidad and Tobago
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,877 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 576 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0004 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 576 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0014 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 Trinidad and Tobago?
- Key media freedoms in Trinidad and Tobago was 1.85 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key media freedoms recorded in Trinidad and Tobago?
- The highest recorded value was 2.06 in 2021.
- What is the lowest key media freedoms recorded in Trinidad and Tobago?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.41 in 1900.
- How does Trinidad and Tobago rank for key media freedoms?
- Trinidad and Tobago ranks 31st out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key media freedoms rising or falling in Trinidad and Tobago?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Trinidad and Tobago 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.