Key media freedoms in United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates: Key media freedoms was -1.69 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Key media freedoms in United Arab Emirates, 1971–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
United Arab Emirates recorded -1.69 for key media freedoms in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 54.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, key media freedoms in United Arab Emirates peaked at -0.6 in 2008 and was at its lowest, -2.56, in 1973.
United Arab Emirates ranks 150th of 175 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
Key media freedoms in United Arab Emirates, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | -1.67 | — |
| 1972 | -1.67 | -0.0% |
| 1973 | -2.56 | +53.6% |
| 1974 | -2.56 | -0.0% |
| 1975 | -2.56 | -0.0% |
| 1976 | -2.56 | -0.0% |
| 1977 | -2.56 | -0.0% |
| 1978 | -2.56 | -0.0% |
| 1979 | -2.56 | -0.0% |
| 1980 | -2.56 | -0.0% |
| 1981 | -2.56 | -0.0% |
| 1982 | -2.56 | -0.0% |
| 1983 | -2.56 | -0.0% |
| 1984 | -2.56 | -0.0% |
| 1985 | -2.56 | -0.0% |
| 1986 | -2.56 | -0.0% |
| 1987 | -2.56 | -0.0% |
| 1988 | -2.56 | -0.0% |
| 1989 | -2.56 | -0.0% |
| 1990 | -2.56 | -0.0% |
| 1991 | -2.56 | -0.0% |
| 1992 | -2.56 | -0.0% |
| 1993 | -2.56 | -0.0% |
| 1994 | -1.85 | -27.7% |
| 1995 | -1.06 | -43.0% |
| 1996 | -1.06 | -0.0% |
| 1997 | -1.06 | -0.0% |
| 1998 | -1.06 | -0.0% |
| 1999 | -1.06 | -0.0% |
| 2000 | -1.06 | -0.0% |
| 2001 | -1.06 | -0.0% |
| 2002 | -1.83 | +73.1% |
| 2003 | -1.83 | -0.0% |
| 2004 | -1.33 | -27.1% |
| 2005 | -0.757 | -43.2% |
| 2006 | -0.757 | -0.0% |
| 2007 | -0.757 | -0.0% |
| 2008 | -0.6 | -20.7% |
| 2009 | -0.6 | -0.0% |
| 2010 | -0.6 | -0.0% |
| 2011 | -1.21 | +101.0% |
| 2012 | -1.21 | -0.0% |
| 2013 | -1.21 | -0.0% |
| 2014 | -1.09 | -9.4% |
| 2015 | -1.09 | -0.0% |
| 2016 | -1.09 | -0.0% |
| 2017 | -1.52 | +39.5% |
| 2018 | -1.26 | -17.4% |
| 2019 | -1.54 | +22.5% |
| 2020 | -1.4 | -9.4% |
| 2021 | -1.69 | +21.2% |
| 2022 | -1.69 | -0.0% |
| 2023 | -1.69 | -0.0% |
| 2024 | -1.69 | -0.0% |
| 2025 | -1.69 | -0.0% |
United Arab Emirates compared with similar countries
- United Arab Emirates's -1.69 is below the median for high income countries, which is 1.28. (55 countries reporting)
- United Arab Emirates's -1.69 is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is -0.982, 1.7× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | -2.36 | -2.56 | -1.67 | 9 |
| 1980s | -2.56 | -2.56 | -2.56 | 10 |
| 1990s | -1.74 | -2.56 | -1.06 | 10 |
| 2000s | -1.06 | -1.83 | -0.6 | 10 |
| 2010s | -1.18 | -1.54 | -0.6 | 10 |
| 2020s | -1.64 | -1.69 | -1.4 | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Arab Emirates
More social development data for United Arab Emirates
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,377 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 252 (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 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 252 (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 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is key media freedoms in United Arab Emirates?
- Key media freedoms in United Arab Emirates was -1.69 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key media freedoms recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The highest recorded value was -0.6 in 2008.
- What is the lowest key media freedoms recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.56 in 1973.
- How does United Arab Emirates rank for key media freedoms?
- United Arab Emirates ranks 150th out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key media freedoms rising or falling in United Arab Emirates?
- Over the last ten years it is down 54.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Arab Emirates 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 — 55 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.