Press Freedom Index in Rwanda
Rwanda: Press Freedom Index was 50.66 in 2021. ▼ Falling
Latest (2021)
50.66
Change on year
up 0.6%
World rank
25th
of 177 countries
All-time high
56.57
in 2014
All-time low
50.34
in 2020
Years of data
9
2013–2021
Press Freedom Index in Rwanda, 2013–2021
Source: Reporters sans Frontieres (2022) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Rwanda recorded 50.66 for press freedom index in 2021.
That represents a change of up 0.6% on the previous year and down 8.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, press freedom index in Rwanda peaked at 56.57 in 2014 and was at its lowest, 50.34, in 2020.
Rwanda ranks 25th of 177 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
Press Freedom Index in Rwanda, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 55.46 | — |
| 2014 | 56.57 | +2.0% |
| 2015 | 56.57 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 54.61 | -3.5% |
| 2017 | 54.11 | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 52.9 | -2.2% |
| 2019 | 52.43 | -0.9% |
| 2020 | 50.34 | -4.0% |
| 2021 | 50.66 | +0.6% |
Rwanda compared with similar countries
- Rwanda's 50.66 is above the median for low income countries, which is 40.2, 1.3× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Rwanda's 50.66 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 33.65, 1.5× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 54.66 | 52.43 | 56.57 | 7 |
| 2020s | 50.5 | 50.34 | 50.66 | 2 |
Countries ranked near Rwanda
More social development data for Rwanda
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 115,794 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 244,415 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 6 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 6 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0168 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 244,415 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0079 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 Rwanda?
- Press freedom index in Rwanda was 50.66 in 2021, according to Reporters sans Frontieres (2022) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest press freedom index recorded in Rwanda?
- The highest recorded value was 56.57 in 2014.
- What is the lowest press freedom index recorded in Rwanda?
- The lowest recorded value was 50.34 in 2020.
- How does Rwanda rank for press freedom index?
- Rwanda ranks 25th out of 177 countries with data for 2021.
- Is press freedom index rising or falling in Rwanda?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Rwanda 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).