Press Freedom Index in Burundi
Burundi: Press Freedom Index was 47.57 in 2021. ▲ Rising
Latest (2021)
47.57
Change on year
down 14.0%
World rank
34th
of 177 countries
All-time high
55.78
in 2017
All-time low
38.02
in 2013
Years of data
9
2013–2021
Press Freedom Index in Burundi, 2013–2021
Source: Reporters sans Frontieres (2022) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2021, press freedom index in Burundi stood at 47.57.
That represents a change of down 14.0% on the previous year and up 25.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, press freedom index in Burundi peaked at 55.78 in 2017 and was at its lowest, 38.02, in 2013.
Burundi ranks 34th of 177 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
Press Freedom Index in Burundi, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 38.02 | — |
| 2014 | 40.5 | +6.5% |
| 2015 | 42.93 | +6.0% |
| 2016 | 54.1 | +26.0% |
| 2017 | 55.78 | +3.1% |
| 2018 | 55.26 | -0.9% |
| 2019 | 52.89 | -4.3% |
| 2020 | 55.33 | +4.6% |
| 2021 | 47.57 | -14.0% |
Burundi compared with similar countries
- Burundi's 47.57 is above the median for low income countries, which is 40.2, 1.2× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Burundi's 47.57 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 33.65, 1.4× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 48.5 | 38.02 | 55.78 | 7 |
| 2020s | 51.45 | 47.57 | 55.33 | 2 |
Countries ranked near Burundi
More social development data for Burundi
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 110,800 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 318,291 (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 0.0221 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 318,291 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0077 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 Burundi?
- Press freedom index in Burundi was 47.57 in 2021, according to Reporters sans Frontieres (2022) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest press freedom index recorded in Burundi?
- The highest recorded value was 55.78 in 2017.
- What is the lowest press freedom index recorded in Burundi?
- The lowest recorded value was 38.02 in 2013.
- How does Burundi rank for press freedom index?
- Burundi ranks 34th out of 177 countries with data for 2021.
- Is press freedom index rising or falling in Burundi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Burundi 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).