Press Freedom Index in Malawi
Malawi: Press Freedom Index was 28.8 in 2021. ▲ Rising
Latest (2021)
28.8
Change on year
down 1.8%
World rank
117th
of 177 countries
All-time high
29.36
in 2019
All-time low
26.41
in 2015
Years of data
9
2013–2021
Press Freedom Index in Malawi, 2013–2021
Source: Reporters sans Frontieres (2022) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Malawi recorded 28.8 for press freedom index in 2021.
That represents a change of down 1.8% on the previous year and up 2.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, press freedom index in Malawi peaked at 29.36 in 2019 and was at its lowest, 26.41, in 2015.
Malawi ranks 117th of 177 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Press Freedom Index in Malawi, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 28.18 | — |
| 2014 | 28.29 | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 26.41 | -6.6% |
| 2016 | 28.12 | +6.5% |
| 2017 | 28.97 | +3.0% |
| 2018 | 27.43 | -5.3% |
| 2019 | 29.36 | +7.0% |
| 2020 | 29.32 | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 28.8 | -1.8% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 28.8 is below the median for low income countries, which is 40.2, 72% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 28.8 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 33.65, 86% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 28.11 | 26.41 | 29.36 | 7 |
| 2020s | 29.06 | 28.8 | 29.32 | 2 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More social development data for Malawi
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 35,241 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 551 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate -33.33 % 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 551 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0016 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 Malawi?
- Press freedom index in Malawi was 28.8 in 2021, according to Reporters sans Frontieres (2022) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest press freedom index recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 29.36 in 2019.
- What is the lowest press freedom index recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 26.41 in 2015.
- How does Malawi rank for press freedom index?
- Malawi ranks 117th out of 177 countries with data for 2021.
- Is press freedom index rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malawi 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).