Press Freedom Index in China
China: Press Freedom Index was 78.72 in 2021. ▲ Rising
Latest (2021)
78.72
Change on year
up 0.3%
World rank
4th
of 177 countries
All-time high
80.96
in 2016
All-time low
72.91
in 2014
Years of data
9
2013–2021
Press Freedom Index in China, 2013–2021
Source: Reporters sans Frontieres (2022) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2021, press freedom index in China stood at 78.72.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 7.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, press freedom index in China peaked at 80.96 in 2016 and was at its lowest, 72.91, in 2014.
That places China 4th out of 177 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top 10%.
Press Freedom Index in China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 73.07 | — |
| 2014 | 72.91 | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 73.55 | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 80.96 | +10.1% |
| 2017 | 77.66 | -4.1% |
| 2018 | 78.29 | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 78.92 | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 78.48 | -0.6% |
| 2021 | 78.72 | +0.3% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 78.72 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 33.52, 2.3× the median. (51 countries reporting)
- China's 78.72 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 37.4, 2.1× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 76.48 | 72.91 | 80.96 | 7 |
| 2020s | 78.6 | 78.48 | 78.72 | 2 |
Countries ranked near China
More social development data for China
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 230 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 153,962 (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 0.0001 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 153,962 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 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 China?
- Press freedom index in China was 78.72 in 2021, according to Reporters sans Frontieres (2022) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest press freedom index recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 80.96 in 2016.
- What is the lowest press freedom index recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 72.91 in 2014.
- How does China rank for press freedom index?
- China ranks 4th out of 177 countries with data for 2021.
- Is press freedom index rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China 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).