Each year, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) releases its press freedom rankings. It scores 180 countries based on the legal framework, the level of pluralism, media environments and self-censorship, media independence, transparency, and the quality of infrastructure which supports information and news production. It does not evaluate government policy.
Below, we’ve collected all of the data from 2002 to 2020 so you can see how each country’s score has changed over the years.
Over the last 18 years, some countries’ scores have changed dramatically, especially in African countries. For example, from 2010 to 2011/12 Malawi’s score nosedived from 79 to 146 before jumping back up to 75 in 2013.
The countries with the best overall average rankings since the index began in 2002 are Finland and Norway (average ranking of 2). The Netherlands (4); Denmark, Sweden, and Iceland (7); and Switzerland and Estonia (9) also enjoy single-figure average rankings.
Those with the worst average rankings are Eritrea (172), Turkmenistan (171), and China (168).
Please note: Some countries/territories may have changed over the years and occupied territories haven’t been included.
Source: rsf.org
