What is press freedom index in Italy?

Press freedom index in Italy was 23.39 in 2021, according to Reporters sans Frontieres (2022) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest press freedom index recorded in Italy?

The highest recorded value was 28.93 in 2016.

What is the lowest press freedom index recorded in Italy?

The lowest recorded value was 23.39 in 2021.

How does Italy rank for press freedom index?

Italy ranks 137th out of 177 countries with data for 2021.

Is press freedom index rising or falling in Italy?

Over the last ten years it is down 10.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.

Where does this Italy 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 Italy

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

Italy: Press Freedom Index was 23.39 in 2021. ▼ Falling

Latest (2021)

23.39

Change on year

down 1.3%

World rank

137th

of 177 countries

All-time high

28.93

in 2016

All-time low

23.39

in 2021

Years of data

2013–2021

Press Freedom Index in Italy, 2013–2021

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

Analysis

Italy recorded 23.39 for press freedom index in 2021. That is the lowest value across all 9 years on record.

That represents a change of down 1.3% on the previous year and down 10.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, press freedom index in Italy peaked at 28.93 in 2016 and was at its lowest, 23.39, in 2021.

That places Italy 137th out of 177 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the bottom quarter.

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
2010s	26.01	23.75	28.93	7
2020s	23.54	23.39	23.69	2

Countries ranked near Italy

134 United States 23.93 compare
135 Taiwan 23.86 compare
136 South Korea 23.43 compare
138 Czechia 23.38 compare
139 Andorra 23.32 compare
140 Botswana 23.25 compare

See the full ranking of 177 places →

More social development data for Italy

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy 192,914 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 266 (2025)
Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
Freedom of Association Index 0.875 (2025)
Liberal Democracy Index 0.642 (2025)
Electoral democracy 2 (2025)
Human Rights Index 0.9 (2025)
Participatory Democracy Index 0.569 (2025)
Key features of human rights 0.9 (2025)

All data for Italy →

Frequently asked questions

What is press freedom index in Italy?: Press freedom index in Italy was 23.39 in 2021, according to Reporters sans Frontieres (2022) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest press freedom index recorded in Italy?: The highest recorded value was 28.93 in 2016.
What is the lowest press freedom index recorded in Italy?: The lowest recorded value was 23.39 in 2021.
How does Italy rank for press freedom index?: Italy ranks 137th out of 177 countries with data for 2021.
Is press freedom index rising or falling in Italy?: Over the last ten years it is down 10.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Italy 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).