Countries With the Highest Freedom of Expression
Every country with a figure for freedom of expression, ranked from highest to lowest. The top three are Denmark (0.98), Ireland (0.97) and Belgium (0.969). The middle country of the 175 has 0.695.
What this measures
Freedom of expression and alternative sources of information index, in index (0-1). Source: V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg. For this measure, higher is better.
Media censorship, harassment of journalists, and freedom of academic and cultural expression. A part of the electoral democracy index.
The full ranking
Each country’s latest figure, from 2025–2025. The year beside each value says when it was measured.
| Rank | Country | Freedom of expression | Year | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Denmark | 0.98 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 2 | Ireland | 0.97 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 3 | Belgium | 0.969 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 4 | Estonia | 0.969 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 5 | Switzerland | 0.967 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 6 | France | 0.959 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 7 | Luxembourg | 0.957 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 8 | Norway | 0.953 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 9 | Czechia | 0.947 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 10 | Finland | 0.946 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 11 | Sweden | 0.946 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 12 | Canada | 0.933 | 2025 | North America |
| 13 | Korea, Rep. | 0.933 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 14 | Latvia | 0.932 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 15 | Uruguay | 0.931 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 16 | New Zealand | 0.927 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 17 | Chile | 0.926 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 18 | Jamaica | 0.919 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 19 | Austria | 0.918 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 20 | Lithuania | 0.917 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 21 | Poland | 0.917 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 22 | Australia | 0.915 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 23 | Costa Rica | 0.915 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 24 | Germany | 0.914 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 25 | Barbados | 0.911 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 26 | Brazil | 0.91 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 27 | Netherlands | 0.91 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 28 | Dominican Republic | 0.901 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 29 | Kenya | 0.9 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 30 | Portugal | 0.899 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 31 | Ghana | 0.896 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 32 | Suriname | 0.891 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 33 | Trinidad and Tobago | 0.888 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 34 | Mauritius | 0.887 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 35 | Seychelles | 0.874 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 36 | Sri Lanka | 0.871 | 2025 | South Asia |
| 37 | Honduras | 0.861 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 38 | Namibia | 0.859 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 39 | Cabo Verde | 0.857 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 40 | Montenegro | 0.853 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 41 | Nigeria | 0.849 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 42 | Vanuatu | 0.848 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 43 | Japan | 0.847 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 44 | Iceland | 0.846 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 45 | Spain | 0.843 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 46 | Solomon Islands | 0.84 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 47 | Guatemala | 0.839 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 48 | Papua New Guinea | 0.839 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 49 | Timor-Leste | 0.838 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 50 | Taiwan | 0.838 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 51 | South Africa | 0.837 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 52 | Liberia | 0.836 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 53 | United Kingdom | 0.833 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 54 | Malta | 0.829 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 55 | Sierra Leone | 0.823 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 56 | Israel | 0.822 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 57 | Senegal | 0.82 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 58 | Gambia, The | 0.814 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 59 | Nepal | 0.813 | 2025 | South Asia |
| 60 | Cyprus | 0.812 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 61 | Panama | 0.812 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 62 | Colombia | 0.81 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 63 | Greece | 0.81 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 64 | Haiti | 0.799 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 65 | Botswana | 0.798 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 66 | Sao Tome and Principe | 0.793 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 67 | Zambia | 0.778 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 68 | Romania | 0.777 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 69 | Guyana | 0.771 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 70 | Mongolia | 0.771 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 71 | Kosovo | 0.766 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 72 | Slovak Republic | 0.765 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 73 | Peru | 0.763 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 74 | Italy | 0.756 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 75 | Niger | 0.756 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 76 | Bulgaria | 0.754 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 77 | Malawi | 0.754 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 78 | Paraguay | 0.751 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 79 | Gabon | 0.748 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 80 | Lebanon | 0.744 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 81 | Croatia | 0.743 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 82 | Argentina | 0.736 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 83 | Armenia | 0.732 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 84 | United States | 0.729 | 2025 | North America |
| 85 | Lesotho | 0.728 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 86 | Fiji | 0.724 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 87 | Ecuador | 0.706 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 88 | Maldives | 0.695 | 2025 | South Asia |
| 89 | Slovenia | 0.691 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 90 | Indonesia | 0.688 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 91 | Georgia | 0.687 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 92 | Tunisia | 0.687 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 93 | Bhutan | 0.682 | 2025 | South Asia |
| 94 | Cote d'Ivoire | 0.681 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 95 | Bolivia | 0.68 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 96 | Benin | 0.676 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 97 | Philippines | 0.676 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 98 | Albania | 0.673 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 99 | North Macedonia | 0.664 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 100 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 0.653 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 101 | Moldova | 0.652 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 102 | Madagascar | 0.635 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 103 | Mauritania | 0.628 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 104 | Mexico | 0.619 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 105 | Somalia, Fed. Rep. | 0.619 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 106 | Central African Republic | 0.613 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 107 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | 0.599 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 108 | Thailand | 0.587 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 109 | Malaysia | 0.586 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 110 | Morocco | 0.579 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 111 | Togo | 0.579 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 112 | Iraq | 0.571 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 113 | Guinea | 0.56 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 114 | Pakistan | 0.559 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 115 | Jordan | 0.556 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 116 | Guinea-Bissau | 0.552 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 117 | Tanzania | 0.552 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 118 | Libya | 0.536 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 119 | Cameroon | 0.532 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 120 | Kuwait | 0.532 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 121 | Bangladesh | 0.527 | 2025 | South Asia |
| 122 | Mozambique | 0.518 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 123 | Comoros | 0.498 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 124 | Angola | 0.497 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 125 | Hungary | 0.493 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 126 | Mali | 0.49 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 127 | Kyrgyz Republic | 0.469 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 128 | India | 0.458 | 2025 | South Asia |
| 129 | Uganda | 0.432 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 130 | Chad | 0.427 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 131 | Serbia | 0.424 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 132 | Ukraine | 0.418 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 133 | Zimbabwe | 0.414 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 134 | Singapore | 0.4 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 135 | Congo, Rep. | 0.373 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 136 | Algeria | 0.367 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 137 | Syrian Arab Republic | 0.358 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 138 | El Salvador | 0.356 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 139 | Djibouti | 0.336 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 140 | Kazakhstan | 0.329 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 141 | Sudan | 0.289 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 142 | Ethiopia | 0.285 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 143 | Burkina Faso | 0.261 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 144 | Uzbekistan | 0.234 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 145 | Hong Kong SAR, China | 0.227 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 146 | Yemen, Rep. | 0.219 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 147 | Egypt, Arab Rep. | 0.179 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 148 | Turkiye | 0.179 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 149 | Bahrain | 0.172 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 150 | Rwanda | 0.17 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 151 | Iran, Islamic Rep. | 0.166 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 152 | Burundi | 0.164 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 153 | South Sudan | 0.155 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 154 | Cambodia | 0.153 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 155 | Oman | 0.151 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 156 | Venezuela, RB | 0.148 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 157 | Eswatini | 0.113 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 158 | Equatorial Guinea | 0.112 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 159 | Viet Nam | 0.102 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 160 | Azerbaijan | 0.092 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 161 | Saudi Arabia | 0.092 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 162 | Russian Federation | 0.08 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 163 | Cuba | 0.074 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 164 | United Arab Emirates | 0.063 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 165 | Qatar | 0.055 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 166 | China | 0.045 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 167 | Tajikistan | 0.043 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 168 | Turkmenistan | 0.038 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 169 | Lao PDR | 0.032 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 170 | Myanmar | 0.026 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 171 | Belarus | 0.025 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 172 | Eritrea | 0.024 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 173 | Afghanistan | 0.022 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 174 | Nicaragua | 0.018 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 175 | Korea, Dem. People's Rep. | 0.013 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
More on freedom of expression
- Countries With the Lowest Freedom of Expression
- Freedom of expression by country: trend over time and what it goes with
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- Countries With the Highest Refugees Originating
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A ranking describes countries, not the people in them, and a high or low place does not by itself say why. All country rankings.