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.

Press Freedom Index in Lesotho

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

Lesotho: Press Freedom Index was 31.61 in 2021. ▲ Rising

Latest (2021)

31.61

Change on year

up 3.8%

World rank

92nd

of 177 countries

All-time high

31.61

in 2021

All-time low

28.36

in 2013

Years of data

2013–2021

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.

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

89 Hungary 31.76 compare
90 Peru 31.71 compare
91 North Macedonia 31.67 compare
92 Moldova 31.61 compare
94 Haiti 31.12 compare
95 Israel 30.9 compare

See the full ranking of 177 places →

More social development data for Lesotho

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy 478 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 27 (2025)
Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
Freedom of Association Index 0.873 (2025)
Liberal Democracy Index 0.512 (2025)
Electoral democracy 2 (2025)
Human Rights Index 0.835 (2025)
Participatory Democracy Index 0.404 (2025)
Key features of human rights 0.835 (2025)

All data for Lesotho →

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

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).