Press Freedom Index in Turkey
Turkey: Press Freedom Index was 49.79 in 2021. ▲ Rising
Latest (2021)
49.79
Change on year
down 0.5%
World rank
28th
of 177 countries
All-time high
53.5
in 2018
All-time low
44.16
in 2015
Years of data
9
2013–2021
Press Freedom Index in Turkey, 2013–2021
Source: Reporters sans Frontieres (2022) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2021, press freedom index in Turkey stood at 49.79.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.5% on the previous year and up 6.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, press freedom index in Turkey peaked at 53.5 in 2018 and was at its lowest, 44.16, in 2015.
That places Turkey 28th out of 177 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top quarter.
Press Freedom Index in Turkey, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 46.56 | — |
| 2014 | 45.87 | -1.5% |
| 2015 | 44.16 | -3.7% |
| 2016 | 50.76 | +14.9% |
| 2017 | 52.98 | +4.4% |
| 2018 | 53.5 | +1.0% |
| 2019 | 52.81 | -1.3% |
| 2020 | 50.02 | -5.3% |
| 2021 | 49.79 | -0.5% |
Turkey compared with similar countries
- Turkey's 49.79 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 33.52, 1.5× the median. (51 countries reporting)
- Turkey's 49.79 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 23.38, 2.1× the median. (50 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 49.52 | 44.16 | 53.5 | 7 |
| 2020s | 49.91 | 49.79 | 50.02 | 2 |
Countries ranked near Turkey
More social development data for Turkey
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 2.39 million (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 149,405 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 5 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 5 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0017 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 149,405 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0278 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 Turkey?
- Press freedom index in Turkey was 49.79 in 2021, according to Reporters sans Frontieres (2022) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest press freedom index recorded in Turkey?
- The highest recorded value was 53.5 in 2018.
- What is the lowest press freedom index recorded in Turkey?
- The lowest recorded value was 44.16 in 2015.
- How does Turkey rank for press freedom index?
- Turkey ranks 28th out of 177 countries with data for 2021.
- Is press freedom index rising or falling in Turkey?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Turkey 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).