Press Freedom Index in Palestine
Palestine: Press Freedom Index was 43.18 in 2021. ▲ Rising
Latest (2021)
43.18
Change on year
down 2.1%
World rank
49th
of 177 countries
All-time high
44.68
in 2019
All-time low
40.11
in 2014
Years of data
9
2013–2021
Press Freedom Index in Palestine, 2013–2021
Source: Reporters sans Frontieres (2022) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2021, press freedom index in Palestine stood at 43.18.
The figure is down 2.1% on the previous year and up 0.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, press freedom index in Palestine peaked at 44.68 in 2019 and was at its lowest, 40.11, in 2014.
Palestine ranks 49th of 177 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Press Freedom Index in Palestine, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 43.09 | — |
| 2014 | 40.11 | -6.9% |
| 2015 | 41.01 | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 42.93 | +4.7% |
| 2017 | 42.9 | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 42.96 | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 44.68 | +4.0% |
| 2020 | 44.09 | -1.3% |
| 2021 | 43.18 | -2.1% |
Palestine compared with similar countries
- Palestine's 43.18 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 38.21, 1.1× the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Palestine's 43.18 is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 43.94, 98% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 42.53 | 40.11 | 44.68 | 7 |
| 2020s | 43.64 | 43.18 | 44.09 | 2 |
Countries ranked near Palestine
More social development data for Palestine
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 48,323 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 6 (1995)
- Electoral democracy 0 (1947)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (1995)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 6 (1995)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0089 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 48,323 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 10.55 % change on previous year (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Human Rights Index vs. Electoral Democracy Index 0.356 (1948)
Frequently asked questions
- What is press freedom index in Palestine?
- Press freedom index in Palestine was 43.18 in 2021, according to Reporters sans Frontieres (2022) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest press freedom index recorded in Palestine?
- The highest recorded value was 44.68 in 2019.
- What is the lowest press freedom index recorded in Palestine?
- The lowest recorded value was 40.11 in 2014.
- How does Palestine rank for press freedom index?
- Palestine ranks 49th out of 177 countries with data for 2021.
- Is press freedom index rising or falling in Palestine?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Palestine 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).