RSF Censorship Index
Good Satisfactory Problematic Difficult Very serious
No interactive map for 2003. RSF's pre-2013 index is ranking only.
Earlier methodology: a lower score means more press freedom.
RSF's World Press Freedom Index aims to compare the level of press freedom enjoyed by journalists and media in 180 countries and territories.
Compiled by Reporters Without Borders. Support their work at rsf.org
Press Freedom Ranking (162 countries, free -> censored)
+ #1 Finland 0.5
+ #1 Iceland 0.5
+ #1 Netherlands 0.5
+ #1 Norway 0.5
+ #5 Denmark 1.0
+ #7 Belgium 1.2
+ #8 Germany 1.3
+ #9 Sweden 1.5
+ #10 Canada 1.8
+ #11 Latvia 2.2
+ #12 Czechia 2.5
+ #12 Estonia 2.5
+ #12 Slovakia 2.5
+ #16 Austria 2.8
+ #17 Ireland 2.8
+ #17 Lithuania 2.8
+ #20 Slovenia 3.0
+ #21 Hungary 3.3
+ #21 Jamaica 3.3
+ #24 Costa Rica 3.8
+ #25 Uruguay 4.0
+ #26 France 4.2
+ #28 Portugal 5.2
+ #29 Benin 5.2
+ #31 Greece 6.0
+ #33 Poland 6.2
+ #34 Albania 6.5
+ #34 Bulgaria 6.5
+ #34 Nicaragua 6.5
+ #37 Chile 6.8
+ #40 Paraguay 7.2
+ #41 Mauritius 7.2
+ #42 Ecuador 7.7
+ #42 Spain 7.7
+ #44 Japan 8.0
+ #46 Madagascar 8.2
+ #47 Cabo Verde 8.2
+ #48 Ghana 8.8
+ #50 Australia 9.2
+ #51 Bolivia 9.7
+ #53 Italy 9.8
+ #53 Panama 9.8
+ #55 Peru 10.2
+ #56 Hong Kong 11.0
+ #56 Mali 11.0
+ #56 Namibia 11.0
+ #59 Fiji 11.5
+ #59 Romania 11.5
+ #61 Taiwan 12.0
+ #62 Botswana 13.0
+ #63 Mozambique 14.0
+ #65 Honduras 14.2
+ #66 Senegal 14.5
+ #67 Argentina 15.2
+ #68 Niger 15.8
+ #69 Croatia 16.5
+ #69 Tanzania 16.5
+ #71 Brazil 16.8
+ #73 Georgia 17.3
+ #74 Mexico 17.7
+ #75 Lesotho 17.8
+ #76 Burkina Faso 18.0
+ #77 Gambia 18.2
+ #77 Mongolia 18.2
+ #79 Comoros 18.5
+ #79 Kenya 18.5
+ #81 Cambodia 19.5
+ #82 Thailand 19.7
+ #83 Cyprus 20.8
+ #84 Malawi 21.0
+ #86 Zambia 23.2
+ #87 Sierra Leone 23.5
+ #88 Chad 24.0
+ #89 Sri Lanka 24.8
+ #90 Armenia 25.2
+ #91 Uganda 25.8
+ #92 Burundi 26.2
+ #93 Seychelles 26.8
+ #94 Moldova 27.0
+ #95 Togo 27.5
+ #96 Venezuela 27.8
+ #97 Angola 28.0
+ #98 Cameroon 30.5
+ #99 Guatemala 30.8
+ #100 Haiti 31.0
+ #101 Gabon 31.2
- #102 Kuwait 31.3
Despite its reputation as the least repressive country in the Gulf, the emirate exercises a great deal of control over news and information, which increased under the reign of Sheikh Mishal al-Ahmad. In 2026, these measures were further tightened following the outbreak of war in Iran, targeting journalists covering the conflict and its repercussions in the Gulf.
+ #103 Nigeria 31.5
+ #104 Kyrgyzstan 32.0
+ #104 Malaysia 32.0
+ #106 Lebanon 32.5
+ #108 Algeria 33.0
+ #109 Guinea 33.2
+ #110 Egypt 34.2
+ #110 Indonesia 34.2
+ #110 Rwanda 34.2
+ #113 Azerbaijan 34.5
+ #113 Tajikistan 34.5
+ #115 Qatar 35.0
+ #115 Türkiye 35.0
+ #117 Bahrain 35.2
+ #118 Guinea Bissau 35.2
+ #118 Philippines 35.2
+ #120 Djibouti 35.5
+ #121 Mauritania 36.7
+ #122 Jordan 37.0
+ #124 Ethiopia 37.5
+ #124 Iraq 37.5
+ #124 Eswatini 37.5
+ #128 India 39.0
+ #128 Pakistan 39.0
+ #130 Palestine 39.2
+ #132 Liberia 40.0
+ #132 Ukraine 40.0
+ #134 Afghanistan 40.2
+ #136 Yemen 41.8
+ #137 Côte d'Ivoire 42.2
+ #138 Kazakhstan 42.5
+ #140 Somalia 45.0
+ #141 Zimbabwe 45.5
+ #142 Sudan 45.8
+ #143 Bangladesh 46.5
+ #144 Singapore 47.3
+ #145 Maldives 47.5
+ #147 Colombia 49.2
+ #148 Russia 49.5
+ #149 Tunisia 50.8
+ #150 Nepal 51.5
+ #151 Belarus 52.0
+ #152 Oman 57.8
+ #153 Libya 60.0
+ #154 Uzbekistan 61.5
+ #155 Syria 67.5
+ #156 Saudi Arabia 71.5
+ #157 Bhutan 77.3
+ #158 Turkmenistan 82.8
+ #159 Vietnam 89.2
+ #160 Iran 89.3
+ #161 China 91.2
+ #162 Eritrea 91.5
+ #163 Laos 94.8
+ #164 Myanmar 95.5
+ #165 Cuba 97.8
+ #166 North Korea 99.5
Murphy's Law