Press Freedom Index in New Zealand
New Zealand: Press Freedom Index was 10.04 in 2021. ▲ Rising
Latest (2021)
10.04
Change on year
down 6.1%
World rank
170th
of 177 countries
All-time high
13.98
in 2017
All-time low
8.38
in 2013
Years of data
9
2013–2021
Press Freedom Index in New Zealand, 2013–2021
Source: Reporters sans Frontieres (2022) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2021, press freedom index in New Zealand stood at 10.04.
That represents a change of down 6.1% on the previous year and up 19.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, press freedom index in New Zealand peaked at 13.98 in 2017 and was at its lowest, 8.38, in 2013.
New Zealand ranks 170th of 177 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Press Freedom Index in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 8.38 | — |
| 2014 | 8.55 | +2.0% |
| 2015 | 10.06 | +17.7% |
| 2016 | 10.01 | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 13.98 | +39.7% |
| 2018 | 13.62 | -2.6% |
| 2019 | 10.75 | -21.1% |
| 2020 | 10.69 | -0.6% |
| 2021 | 10.04 | -6.1% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 10.04 is below the median for high income countries, which is 23.1, 43% of the median. (57 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 10.04 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 37.4, 27% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 10.76 | 8.38 | 13.98 | 7 |
| 2020s | 10.36 | 10.04 | 10.69 | 2 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 167 Belgium 11.69 compare
- 168 Switzerland 10.55 compare
- 169 Portugal 10.11 compare
- 171 Jamaica 9.96 compare
- 172 Netherlands 9.67 compare
- 173 Costa Rica 8.76 compare
More social development data for New Zealand
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 2,148 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 58 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 1 (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 58 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0004 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 New Zealand?
- Press freedom index in New Zealand was 10.04 in 2021, according to Reporters sans Frontieres (2022) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest press freedom index recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 13.98 in 2017.
- What is the lowest press freedom index recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.38 in 2013.
- How does New Zealand rank for press freedom index?
- New Zealand ranks 170th out of 177 countries with data for 2021.
- Is press freedom index rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 19.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this New Zealand 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).