Press Freedom Index in Lesotho
Lesotho: Press Freedom Index was 31.61 in 2021. ▲ Rising
Press Freedom Index in Lesotho, 2013–2021
Source: Reporters sans Frontieres (2022) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Lesotho recorded 31.61 for press freedom index in 2021. That is the highest value across all 9 years on record.
That represents a change of up 3.8% on the previous year and up 11.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, press freedom index in Lesotho peaked at 31.61 in 2021 and was at its lowest, 28.36, in 2013.
That places Lesotho 92nd out of 177 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.
Press Freedom Index in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 28.36 | — |
| 2014 | 28.36 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 28.36 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 28.78 | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 28.78 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 28.78 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 29.74 | +3.3% |
| 2020 | 30.45 | +2.4% |
| 2021 | 31.61 | +3.8% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 31.61 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 38.21, 83% of the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 31.61 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 33.65, 94% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 28.74 | 28.36 | 29.74 | 7 |
| 2020s | 31.03 | 30.45 | 31.61 | 2 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
More social development data for Lesotho
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 478 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 27 (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 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 27 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0002 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 Lesotho?
- Press freedom index in Lesotho was 31.61 in 2021, according to Reporters sans Frontieres (2022) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest press freedom index recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 31.61 in 2021.
- What is the lowest press freedom index recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 28.36 in 2013.
- How does Lesotho rank for press freedom index?
- Lesotho ranks 92nd out of 177 countries with data for 2021.
- Is press freedom index rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Lesotho 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).