Press Freedom Index in Botswana
Botswana: Press Freedom Index was 23.25 in 2021. ▲ Rising
Latest (2021)
23.25
Change on year
down 1.3%
World rank
140th
of 177 countries
All-time high
25.29
in 2018
All-time low
22.91
in 2013
Years of data
9
2013–2021
Press Freedom Index in Botswana, 2013–2021
Source: Reporters sans Frontieres (2022) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Botswana recorded 23.25 for press freedom index in 2021.
That represents a change of down 1.3% on the previous year and up 1.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, press freedom index in Botswana peaked at 25.29 in 2018 and was at its lowest, 22.91, in 2013.
Botswana ranks 140th of 177 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Press Freedom Index in Botswana, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 22.91 | — |
| 2014 | 22.91 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 22.91 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 22.91 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 24.93 | +8.8% |
| 2018 | 25.29 | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 25.09 | -0.8% |
| 2020 | 23.56 | -6.1% |
| 2021 | 23.25 | -1.3% |
Botswana compared with similar countries
- Botswana's 23.25 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 33.52, 69% of the median. (51 countries reporting)
- Botswana's 23.25 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 33.65, 69% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 23.85 | 22.91 | 25.29 | 7 |
| 2020s | 23.41 | 23.25 | 23.56 | 2 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
More social development data for Botswana
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 847 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 384 (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 0.0001 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 384 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0003 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 press freedom index in Botswana?
- Press freedom index in Botswana was 23.25 in 2021, according to Reporters sans Frontieres (2022) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest press freedom index recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 25.29 in 2018.
- What is the lowest press freedom index recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 22.91 in 2013.
- How does Botswana rank for press freedom index?
- Botswana ranks 140th out of 177 countries with data for 2021.
- Is press freedom index rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Botswana 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
The index combines expert estimates with data on violence against journalists. It ranges from 0-100 (no freedom).