What is press freedom index in Bhutan?

Press freedom index in Bhutan was 28.86 in 2021, according to Reporters sans Frontieres (2022) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest press freedom index recorded in Bhutan?

The highest recorded value was 32.65 in 2015.

What is the lowest press freedom index recorded in Bhutan?

The lowest recorded value was 28.42 in 2013.

How does Bhutan rank for press freedom index?

Bhutan ranks 114th out of 177 countries with data for 2021.

Is press freedom index rising or falling in Bhutan?

Over the last ten years it is up 1.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.

Where does this Bhutan data come from?

The figures come from Reporters sans Frontieres (2022) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Press Freedom Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Press Freedom Index in Bhutan

Name: Press Freedom Index in Bhutan
Creator: Reporters sans Frontieres (2022) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

Bhutan: Press Freedom Index was 28.86 in 2021. ▬ Flat

Latest (2021)

28.86

Change on year

down 0.1%

World rank

114th

of 177 countries

All-time high

32.65

in 2015

All-time low

28.42

in 2013

Years of data

2013–2021

Press Freedom Index in Bhutan, 2013–2021

Source: Reporters sans Frontieres (2022) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

Bhutan recorded 28.86 for press freedom index in 2021.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.1% on the previous year and up 1.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, press freedom index in Bhutan peaked at 32.65 in 2015 and was at its lowest, 28.42, in 2013.

That places Bhutan 114th out of 177 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
2010s	30.54	28.42	32.65	7
2020s	28.88	28.86	28.9	2

Countries ranked near Bhutan

111 Mongolia 28.97 compare
112 Japan 28.88 compare
113 Cote d'Ivoire 28.87 compare
115 Poland 28.84 compare
116 Armenia 28.83 compare
117 Malawi 28.8 compare

See the full ranking of 177 places →

More social development data for Bhutan

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 7,257 (2025)
Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
Freedom of Association Index 0.609 (2025)
Liberal Democracy Index 0.457 (2025)
Electoral democracy 2 (2025)
Human Rights Index 0.701 (2025)
Participatory Democracy Index 0.349 (2025)
Key features of human rights 0.701 (2025)
Key features of electoral democracy 0.566 (2025)

All data for Bhutan →

Frequently asked questions

What is press freedom index in Bhutan?: Press freedom index in Bhutan was 28.86 in 2021, according to Reporters sans Frontieres (2022) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest press freedom index recorded in Bhutan?: The highest recorded value was 32.65 in 2015.
What is the lowest press freedom index recorded in Bhutan?: The lowest recorded value was 28.42 in 2013.
How does Bhutan rank for press freedom index?: Bhutan ranks 114th out of 177 countries with data for 2021.
Is press freedom index rising or falling in Bhutan?: Over the last ten years it is up 1.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this Bhutan data come from?: The figures come from Reporters sans Frontieres (2022) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Press Freedom Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 9 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator: Press Freedom Index
Source: Reporters sans Frontieres (2022) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 177 places, 1,591 data points, 2013–2021
Last refreshed: 07 August 2026

The index combines expert estimates with data on violence against journalists. It ranges from 0-100 (no freedom).