Key media freedoms in Yemen
Yemen: Key media freedoms was -0.982 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Key media freedoms in Yemen, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, key media freedoms in Yemen stood at -0.982.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 38.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, key media freedoms in Yemen peaked at -0.28 in 1909 and was at its lowest, -1.89, in 1900.
Yemen ranks 137th of 175 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 53 years of available data.
Key media freedoms in Yemen, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | -1.89 | — |
| 1901 | -1.89 | -0.0% |
| 1902 | -1.89 | -0.0% |
| 1903 | -1.89 | -0.0% |
| 1904 | -1.89 | -0.0% |
| 1905 | -1.89 | -0.0% |
| 1906 | -1.89 | -0.0% |
| 1907 | -1.89 | -0.0% |
| 1908 | -1.18 | -37.4% |
| 1909 | -0.28 | -76.3% |
| 1910 | -0.28 | -0.0% |
| 1911 | -0.28 | -0.0% |
| 1912 | -0.28 | -0.0% |
| 1913 | -1.21 | +332.9% |
| 1914 | -1.21 | -0.0% |
| 1915 | -1.21 | -0.0% |
| 1916 | -1.21 | -0.0% |
| 1917 | -1.21 | -0.0% |
| 1991 | -0.933 | -23.0% |
| 1992 | -0.933 | -0.0% |
| 1993 | -0.933 | -0.0% |
| 1994 | -0.933 | -0.0% |
| 1995 | -0.933 | -0.0% |
| 1996 | -0.933 | -0.0% |
| 1997 | -0.933 | -0.0% |
| 1998 | -0.933 | -0.0% |
| 1999 | -0.933 | -0.0% |
| 2000 | -0.933 | -0.0% |
| 2001 | -0.933 | -0.0% |
| 2002 | -0.933 | -0.0% |
| 2003 | -0.933 | -0.0% |
| 2004 | -0.933 | -0.0% |
| 2005 | -0.933 | -0.0% |
| 2006 | -0.933 | -0.0% |
| 2007 | -0.933 | -0.0% |
| 2008 | -0.933 | -0.0% |
| 2009 | -0.933 | -0.0% |
| 2010 | -0.933 | -0.0% |
| 2011 | -0.885 | -5.1% |
| 2012 | -0.409 | -53.8% |
| 2013 | -0.577 | +41.1% |
| 2014 | -0.577 | -0.0% |
| 2015 | -1.59 | +175.7% |
| 2016 | -1.59 | -0.0% |
| 2017 | -1.84 | +15.7% |
| 2018 | -1.84 | -0.0% |
| 2019 | -1.84 | -0.0% |
| 2020 | -1.84 | -0.0% |
| 2021 | -1.84 | -0.0% |
| 2022 | -1.3 | -29.2% |
| 2023 | -0.982 | -24.6% |
| 2024 | -0.982 | -0.0% |
| 2025 | -0.982 | -0.0% |
Yemen compared with similar countries
- Yemen's -0.982 is below the median for low income countries, which is -0.42, 2.3× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Yemen's -0.982 is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is -0.982, 1.0× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | -1.66 | -1.89 | -0.28 | 10 |
| 1910s | -0.8625 | -1.21 | -0.28 | 8 |
| 1990s | -0.933 | -0.933 | -0.933 | 9 |
| 2000s | -0.933 | -0.933 | -0.933 | 10 |
| 2010s | -1.21 | -1.84 | -0.409 | 10 |
| 2020s | -1.32 | -1.84 | -0.982 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Yemen
More social development data for Yemen
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 49,107 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 57,327 (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 0.0014 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 57,327 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0012 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2018)
Frequently asked questions
- What is key media freedoms in Yemen?
- Key media freedoms in Yemen was -0.982 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key media freedoms recorded in Yemen?
- The highest recorded value was -0.28 in 1909.
- What is the lowest key media freedoms recorded in Yemen?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.89 in 1900.
- How does Yemen rank for key media freedoms?
- Yemen ranks 137th out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key media freedoms rising or falling in Yemen?
- Over the last ten years it is up 38.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Yemen 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
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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.