Media Corruption Score in Eswatini
Eswatini: Media Corruption Score was -1.24 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
-1.24
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
155th
of 175 countries
All-time high
0.98
in 1909
All-time low
-1.24
in 2022
Years of data
126
1900–2025
Media Corruption Score in Eswatini, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for media corruption score in Eswatini is -1.24, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 126 years on record.
The figure is down 5,064.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, media corruption score in Eswatini peaked at 0.98 in 1909 and was at its lowest, -1.24, in 2022.
Eswatini ranks 155th 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.
Media Corruption Score in Eswatini, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 0.78 | — |
| 1901 | 0.78 | +0.0% |
| 1902 | 0.78 | +0.0% |
| 1903 | 0.78 | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 0.78 | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 0.78 | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 0.78 | +0.0% |
| 1907 | 0.78 | +0.0% |
| 1908 | 0.78 | +0.0% |
| 1909 | 0.98 | +25.6% |
| 1910 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1911 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1912 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1915 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1916 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1918 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1920 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1921 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1941 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1947 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1948 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1951 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 0.98 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 0.757 | -22.8% |
| 1968 | -1 | -232.6% |
| 1969 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 1970 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 1971 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 1972 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 1973 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 1974 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 1975 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 1976 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 1977 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 1978 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 1979 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 1980 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 1981 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 1982 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 1983 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 1984 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 1985 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 1986 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 1987 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 1988 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 1989 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 1990 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 1991 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 1992 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 1993 | -0.93 | -7.4% |
| 1994 | -0.93 | -0.0% |
| 1995 | -0.93 | -0.0% |
| 1996 | -0.93 | -0.0% |
| 1997 | -0.93 | -0.0% |
| 1998 | -0.93 | -0.0% |
| 1999 | -0.93 | -0.0% |
| 2000 | -0.93 | -0.0% |
| 2001 | -0.93 | -0.0% |
| 2002 | -0.93 | -0.0% |
| 2003 | -0.93 | -0.0% |
| 2004 | -0.93 | -0.0% |
| 2005 | -0.93 | -0.0% |
| 2006 | -0.93 | -0.0% |
| 2007 | -0.93 | -0.0% |
| 2008 | -0.168 | -81.9% |
| 2009 | -0.168 | -0.0% |
| 2010 | -0.168 | -0.0% |
| 2011 | -0.168 | -0.0% |
| 2012 | -0.168 | -0.0% |
| 2013 | 0.025 | -114.9% |
| 2014 | 0.025 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 0.025 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 0.025 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 0.038 | +52.0% |
| 2018 | -0.104 | -373.7% |
| 2019 | -0.962 | +825.0% |
| 2020 | -0.763 | -20.7% |
| 2021 | -0.763 | -0.0% |
| 2022 | -1.24 | +62.6% |
| 2023 | -1.24 | -0.0% |
| 2024 | -1.24 | -0.0% |
| 2025 | -1.24 | -0.0% |
Eswatini compared with similar countries
- Eswatini's -1.24 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.2205. (46 countries reporting)
- Eswatini's -1.24 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.2435. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 0.8 | 0.78 | 0.98 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.98 | 0.98 | 0.98 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.98 | 0.98 | 0.98 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.98 | 0.98 | 0.98 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.98 | 0.98 | 0.98 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.98 | 0.98 | 0.98 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.5609 | -1 | 0.98 | 10 |
| 1970s | -1 | -1 | -1 | 10 |
| 1980s | -1 | -1 | -1 | 10 |
| 1990s | -0.9522 | -1 | -0.93 | 10 |
| 2000s | -0.7776 | -0.93 | -0.168 | 10 |
| 2010s | -0.1432 | -0.962 | 0.038 | 10 |
| 2020s | -1.08 | -1.24 | -0.763 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Eswatini
More social development data for Eswatini
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,414 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 220 (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 0.0002 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 220 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0011 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 media corruption score in Eswatini?
- Media corruption score in Eswatini was -1.24 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest media corruption score recorded in Eswatini?
- The highest recorded value was 0.98 in 1909.
- What is the lowest media corruption score recorded in Eswatini?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.24 in 2022.
- How does Eswatini rank for media corruption score?
- Eswatini ranks 155th out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
- Is media corruption score rising or falling in Eswatini?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5,064.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Eswatini data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Media Corruption Score. 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
Gauges the frequency with which journalists, publishers, or broadcasters accept payments to modify news content, indicating the integrity (or corruption) of the media sphere.