Politics
Mapped: The State of Press Freedom Around the World
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Mapped: The State of Press Freedom Around the World
View a more detailed version of the above map by clicking here
In many Western countries, it’s easy to take press freedom for granted.
Instances of fake news, clickbait, and hyper-partisan reporting are points of consternation in the modern media landscape, and can sometimes overshadow the greater good that unrestricted journalism provides to society.
Of course, the ability to do that important work can vary significantly around the world. Being an investigative journalist in Sweden comes with a very different set of circumstances and considerations than doing the same thing in a country such as Saudi Arabia or Venezuela.
Today’s map highlights the results of the 2020 Global Press Freedom Index, produced by Reporters Without Borders. The report looks at press freedom in 180 countries and territories.
A Profession Not Without Its Risks
Today, nearly 75% of countries are in categories that the report describes as problematic, difficult, and very serious.
While these negative forces often come in the form of censorship and intimidation, journalism can be a risky profession in some of the more restrictive countries. One example is Mexico, where nearly 60 journalists were killed as a direct result of their reporting over the last decade.
There is good news though: the number of journalists killed last year was the lowest since the report began in 2002.
Even better, press freedom scores increased around the world in the 2020 report.
Press Freedom: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
Here are the scores for all 180 countries and territories covered in the report, sorted by 2020 ranking and score:
Rank (2020) | Country or Region | Score (2020) | Prev. Rank (2019) | Change in Rank |
---|---|---|---|---|
#1 | 🇳🇴 Norway | 7.84 | 1 | 0 |
#2 | 🇫🇮 Finland | 7.93 | 2 | 0 |
#3 | 🇩🇰 Denmark | 8.13 | 5 | 2 |
#4 | 🇸🇪 Sweden | 9.25 | 3 | -1 |
#5 | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | 9.96 | 4 | -1 |
#6 | 🇯🇲 Jamaica | 10.51 | 8 | 2 |
#7 | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | 10.53 | 10 | 3 |
#8 | 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 10.62 | 6 | -2 |
#9 | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | 10.69 | 7 | -2 |
#10 | 🇵🇹 Portugal | 11.83 | 12 | 2 |
#11 | Germany | 12.16 | 13 | 2 |
#12 | Belgium | 12.57 | 9 | -3 |
#13 | Ireland | 12.60 | 15 | 2 |
#14 | Estonia | 12.61 | 11 | -3 |
#15 | Iceland | 15.12 | 14 | -1 |
#16 | Canada | 15.29 | 18 | 2 |
#17 | Luxembourg | 15.46 | 17 | 0 |
#18 | Austria | 15.78 | 16 | -2 |
#19 | Uruguay | 15.79 | 19 | 0 |
#20 | Suriname | 17.50 | 20 | 0 |
#21 | Samoa | 18.25 | 22 | 1 |
#22 | Latvia | 18.56 | 24 | 2 |
#23 | Namibia | 19.25 | 23 | 0 |
#24 | Liechtenstein | 19.52 | 26 | 2 |
#25 | Cape Verde | 20.15 | 25 | 0 |
#26 | Australia | 20.21 | 21 | -5 |
#27 | Cyprus | 20.45 | 28 | 1 |
#28 | Lithuania | 21.19 | 30 | 2 |
#29 | Spain | 22.16 | 29 | 0 |
#30 | Ghana | 22.26 | 27 | -3 |
#31 | South Africa | 22.41 | 31 | 0 |
#32 | Slovenia | 22.64 | 34 | 2 |
#33 | Slovakia | 22.67 | 35 | 2 |
#34 | France | 22.92 | 32 | -2 |
#35 | United Kingdom | 22.93 | 33 | -2 |
#36 | Trinidad and Tobago | 23.22 | 39 | 3 |
#37 | Andorra | 23.23 | 37 | 0 |
#38 | Burkina Faso | 23.47 | 36 | -2 |
#39 | Botswana | 23.56 | 44 | 5 |
#40 | Czech Republic | 23.57 | 40 | 0 |
#41 | Italy | 23.69 | 43 | 2 |
#42 | South Korea | 23.70 | 41 | -1 |
#43 | Taiwan | 23.76 | 42 | -1 |
#44 | OECS | 23.78 | 50 | 6 |
#45 | United States | 23.85 | 48 | 3 |
#46 | Papua New Guinea | 23.93 | 38 | -8 |
#47 | Senegal | 23.99 | 49 | 2 |
#48 | Romania | 25.91 | 47 | -1 |
#49 | Guyana | 26.63 | 51 | 2 |
#50 | Tonga | 27.27 | 45 | -5 |
#51 | Chile | 27.31 | 46 | -5 |
#52 | Fiji | 27.41 | 52 | 0 |
#53 | Belize | 27.50 | 53 | 0 |
#54 | Madagascar | 27.68 | 54 | 0 |
#55 | Dominican Republic | 27.90 | 55 | 0 |
#56 | Mauritius | 28.00 | 58 | 2 |
#57 | Niger | 28.25 | 66 | 9 |
#58 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 28.51 | 63 | 5 |
#59 | Croatia | 28.51 | 64 | 5 |
#60 | Georgia | 28.59 | 60 | 0 |
#61 | Armenia | 28.60 | 61 | 0 |
#62 | Poland | 28.65 | 59 | -3 |
#63 | Seychelles | 28.66 | 69 | 6 |
#64 | Argentina | 28.78 | 57 | -7 |
#65 | Greece | 28.80 | 65 | 0 |
#66 | Japan | 28.86 | 67 | 1 |
#67 | Bhutan | 28.90 | 80 | 13 |
#68 | Ivory Coast | 28.94 | 71 | 3 |
#69 | Malawi | 29.32 | 68 | -1 |
#70 | Kosovo | 29.33 | 75 | 5 |
#71 | Togo | 29.33 | 76 | 5 |
#72 | Tunisia | 29.45 | 72 | 0 |
#73 | Mongolia | 29.61 | 70 | -3 |
#74 | El Salvador | 29.70 | 81 | 7 |
#75 | Comoros | 29.77 | 56 | -19 |
#76 | Panama | 29.78 | 79 | 3 |
#77 | Cyprus North | 29.79 | 74 | -3 |
#78 | East Timor | 29.90 | 84 | 6 |
#79 | Maldives | 29.93 | 98 | 19 |
#80 | Hong Kong | 30.01 | 73 | -7 |
#81 | Malta | 30.16 | 77 | -4 |
#82 | Kyrgyzstan | 30.19 | 83 | 1 |
#83 | Haiti | 30.20 | 62 | -21 |
#84 | Albania | 30.25 | 82 | -2 |
#85 | Sierra Leone | 30.28 | 86 | 1 |
#86 | Lesotho | 30.45 | 78 | -8 |
#87 | Gambia | 30.62 | 92 | 5 |
#88 | Israel | 30.84 | 88 | 0 |
#89 | Hungary | 30.84 | 87 | -2 |
#90 | Peru | 30.94 | 85 | -5 |
#91 | Moldova | 31.16 | 91 | 0 |
#92 | Macedonia | 31.28 | 95 | 3 |
#93 | Serbia | 31.62 | 90 | -3 |
#94 | Guinea-Bissau | 32.06 | 89 | -5 |
#95 | Liberia | 32.25 | 93 | -2 |
#96 | Ukraine | 32.52 | 102 | 6 |
#97 | Mauritania | 32.54 | 94 | -3 |
#98 | Ecuador | 32.62 | 97 | -1 |
#99 | Ethiopia | 32.82 | 110 | 11 |
#100 | Paraguay | 32.97 | 99 | -1 |
#101 | Malaysia | 33.12 | 123 | 22 |
#102 | Lebanon | 33.19 | 101 | -1 |
#103 | Kenya | 33.72 | 100 | -3 |
#104 | Mozambique | 33.79 | 103 | -1 |
#105 | Montenegro | 33.83 | 104 | -1 |
#106 | Angola | 33.92 | 109 | 3 |
#107 | Brazil | 34.05 | 105 | -2 |
#108 | Mali | 34.12 | 112 | 4 |
#109 | Kuwait | 34.30 | 108 | -1 |
#110 | Guinea | 34.34 | 107 | -3 |
#111 | Bulgaria | 35.06 | 111 | 0 |
#112 | Nepal | 35.10 | 106 | -6 |
#113 | Benin | 35.11 | 96 | -17 |
#114 | Bolivia | 35.37 | 113 | -1 |
#115 | Nigeria | 35.63 | 120 | 5 |
#116 | Guatemala | 35.74 | 116 | 0 |
#117 | Nicaragua | 35.81 | 114 | -3 |
#118 | Congo | 36.56 | 117 | -1 |
#119 | Indonesia | 36.82 | 124 | 5 |
#120 | Zambia | 37.00 | 119 | -1 |
#121 | Gabon | 37.20 | 115 | -6 |
#122 | Afghanistan | 37.70 | 121 | -1 |
#123 | Chad | 39.70 | 122 | -1 |
#124 | Tanzania | 40.25 | 118 | -6 |
#125 | Uganda | 40.95 | 125 | 0 |
#126 | Zimbabwe | 40.95 | 127 | 1 |
#127 | Sri Lanka | 41.94 | 126 | -1 |
#128 | Jordan | 42.08 | 130 | 2 |
#129 | Qatar | 42.51 | 128 | -1 |
#130 | Colombia | 42.66 | 129 | -1 |
#131 | United Arab Emirates | 42.69 | 133 | 2 |
#132 | C.A.R. | 42.87 | 145 | 13 |
#133 | Morocco | 42.88 | 135 | 2 |
#134 | Cameroon | 43.28 | 131 | -3 |
#135 | Oman | 43.42 | 132 | -3 |
#136 | Philippines | 43.54 | 134 | -2 |
#137 | Palestine | 44.09 | 137 | 0 |
#138 | South Sudan | 44.49 | 139 | 1 |
#139 | Myanmar | 44.77 | 138 | -1 |
#140 | Thailand | 44.94 | 136 | -4 |
#141 | Swaziland | 45.15 | 147 | 6 |
#142 | India | 45.33 | 140 | -2 |
#143 | Mexico | 45.45 | 144 | 1 |
#144 | Cambodia | 45.46 | 143 | -1 |
#145 | Pakistan | 45.52 | 142 | -3 |
#146 | Algeria | 45.52 | 141 | -5 |
#147 | Venezuela | 45.66 | 148 | 1 |
#148 | Honduras | 48.20 | 146 | -2 |
#149 | Russian Federation | 48.92 | 149 | 0 |
#150 | Congo (DRC) | 49.09 | 154 | 4 |
#151 | Bangladesh | 49.37 | 150 | -1 |
#152 | Brunei | 49.65 | 152 | 0 |
#153 | Belarus | 49.75 | 153 | 0 |
#154 | Turkey | 50.02 | 157 | 3 |
#155 | Rwanda | 50.34 | 155 | 0 |
#156 | Uzbekistan | 53.07 | 160 | 4 |
#157 | Kazakhstan | 54.11 | 158 | 1 |
#158 | Singapore | 55.23 | 151 | -7 |
#159 | Sudan | 55.33 | 175 | 16 |
#160 | Burundi | 55.33 | 159 | -1 |
#161 | Tajikistan | 55.34 | 161 | 0 |
#162 | Iraq | 55.37 | 156 | -6 |
#163 | Somalia | 55.45 | 164 | 1 |
#164 | Libya | 55.77 | 162 | -2 |
#165 | Equatorial Guinea | 56.38 | 165 | 0 |
#166 | Egypt | 56.82 | 163 | -3 |
#167 | Yemen | 58.25 | 168 | 1 |
#168 | Azerbaijan | 58.48 | 166 | -2 |
#169 | Bahrain | 60.13 | 167 | -2 |
#170 | Saudi Arabia | 62.14 | 172 | 2 |
#171 | Cuba | 63.81 | 169 | -2 |
#172 | Laos | 64.28 | 171 | -1 |
#173 | Iran | 64.81 | 170 | -3 |
#174 | Syria | 72.57 | 174 | 0 |
#175 | Vietnam | 74.71 | 176 | 1 |
#176 | Djibouti | 76.73 | 173 | -3 |
#177 | China | 78.48 | 177 | 0 |
#178 | Eritrea | 83.50 | 178 | 0 |
#179 | Turkmenistan | 85.44 | 180 | 1 |
#180 | North Korea | 85.82 | 179 | -1 |
Which countries stood out in this year’s edition of the press freedom rankings?
Norway: Nordic Countries have topped the Press Freedom Index since its inception, and Norway (Rank: #1) in particular is an example for the world. Despite a very free media environment, the government recently mandated a commission to conduct a comprehensive review of the conditions for freedom of speech. Members will consider measures to promote the broadest possible participation in the public debate, and means to hamper the spread of fake news and hate speech.
Malaysia: A new government ushered in a less restrictive era in Malaysia in 2018. Journalists and media outlets that had been blacklisted were able to resume working, and anti-fake news laws that were viewed as problematic were repealed. As a result, Malaysia’s index score has improved by 15 points in the past two years. This is in sharp contrast to neighbor, Singapore, which is ranked 158th out of 180 countries.
Ethiopia: When Abiy Ahmed Ali took power in Africa’s second most populous country in 2018, his government restored access to over 200 news websites and blogs that had been previously blocked. As well, many detained journalists and bloggers were released as the chill over the country’s highly restrictive media environment began to thaw. As a result, Ethiopia (#99) jumped up eleven spots in the Press Freedom Index in 2020.
The Middle East: Though the situation in this region has begun to stabilize somewhat, restrictions still remain – even in relatively safe and stable countries. Both Saudi Arabia (#170) and Egypt (#166) have imprisoned a number of journalists in recent years, and the former is still dealing with the reputational fallout from the assassination of Saudi dissident and Washington Post columnist, Jamal Khashoggi.
China: Sitting near the bottom of the list is China (#176). More than 100 journalists and bloggers are currently detained as the country maintains a tight grip over the press – particularly as COVID-19 began to spread. Earlier this year, the Chinese government also expelled over a dozen journalists representing U.S. publications.
2020: A Pivotal Year for the Press
As the world grapples with a deadly pandemic, a global economic shutdown, and a crucial election year, the media could find itself in the spotlight more than in previous years.
How the stories of 2020 are told will influence our collective future – and how regimes choose to treat journalists under this atypical backdrop will tell us a lot about press freedom going forward.
Maps
Visualizing the BRICS Expansion in 4 Charts
We provide a data-driven overview of how the recent BRICS expansion will grow the group’s influence and reach.

Visualizing the BRICS Expansion in 4 Charts
BRICS is an association of five major countries including Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. Distinguished by their emerging economies, the group has sought to improve diplomatic coordination, reform global financial institutions, and ultimately serve as a counterbalance to Western hegemony.
On Aug. 24, 2023, BRICS announced that it would formally accept six new members at the start of 2024: Saudi Arabia, Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt, Argentina, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
In this graphic, we provide a data-driven overview of how the BRICS expansion will grow the group’s influence and reach.
Share of Global GDP
Because most of the new BRICS members are considered to be developing economies, their addition to the group will not have a major impact on its overall share of GDP.
The following table includes GDP projections for 2023, courtesy of the IMF.
Original BRICS Member | Country | GDP (USD billions) | Share of Global (%) |
---|---|---|---|
Yes | 🇧🇷 Brazil | $2,081 | 2.0% |
Yes | 🇷🇺 Russia | $2,063 | 2.0% |
Yes | 🇮🇳 India | $3,737 | 3.6% |
Yes | 🇨🇳 China | $19,374 | 18.4% |
Yes | 🇿🇦 South Africa | $399 | 0.4% |
No | 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | $1,062 | 1.0% |
No | 🇮🇷 Iran | $368 | 0.4% |
No | 🇪🇹 Ethiopia | $156 | 0.1% |
No | 🇪🇬 Egypt | $387 | 0.4% |
No | 🇦🇷 Argentina | $641 | 0.6% |
No | 🇦🇪 UAE | $499 | 0.5% |
- | BRICS Total | $30,767 | 29.3% |
- | Rest of World | $74,362 | 70.7% |
The original six BRICS members are expected to have a combined GDP of $27.6 trillion in 2023, representing 26.3% of the global total. With the new members included, expected GDP climbs slightly to $30.8 trillion, enough for a 29.3% global share.
Share of Global Population
BRICS has always represented a major chunk of global population thanks to China and India, which are the only countries with over 1 billion people.
The two biggest populations being added to BRICS are Ethiopia (126.5 million) and Egypt (112.7 million). See the following table for population data from World Population Review, which is dated as of 2023.
Original BRICS Member | Country | Population | Share of Global (%) |
---|---|---|---|
Yes | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 216,422,446 | 2.7% |
Yes | 🇷🇺 Russia | 144,444,359 | 1.8% |
Yes | 🇮🇳 India | 1,428,627,663 | 17.8% |
Yes | 🇨🇳 China | 1,425,671,352 | 17.7% |
Yes | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 60,414,495 | 0.8% |
No | 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | 36,947,025 | 0.5% |
No | 🇮🇷 Iran | 89,172,767 | 1.1% |
No | 🇪🇹 Ethiopia | 126,527,060 | 1.6% |
No | 🇪🇬 Egypt | 112,716,598 | 1.4% |
No | 🇦🇷 Argentina | 45,773,884 | 0.6% |
No | 🇦🇪 UAE | 9,516,871 | 0.1% |
- | BRICS Total | 3.7 billion | 46.0% |
- | Rest of World | 4.3 billion | 54.0% |
It’s possible that BRICS could eventually surpass 50% of global population, as many more countries have expressed their desire to join.
Share of Oil Production
Although the world is trying to move away from fossil fuels, the global oil market is still incredibly large—and BRICS is set to play a much bigger role in it. This is mostly due to the admission of Saudi Arabia, which alone accounts for 12.9% of global oil production.
Based on 2022 figures from the Energy Institute Statistical Review of World Energy, BRICS’ share of oil production will grow from 20.4% to 43.1%.
Original BRICS Member | Country | Thousand Barrels per Day | Share of Global (%) |
---|---|---|---|
Yes | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 3,107 | 3.3% |
Yes | 🇷🇺 Russia | 11,202 | 11.9% |
Yes | 🇮🇳 India | 737 | 0.8% |
Yes | 🇨🇳 China | 4,111 | 4.4% |
Yes | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 0 | 0.0% |
No | 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | 12,136 | 12.9% |
No | 🇮🇷 Iran | 3,822 | 4.1% |
No | 🇪🇹 Ethiopia | 0 | 0.0% |
No | 🇪🇬 Egypt | 613 | 0.7% |
No | 🇦🇷 Argentina | 706 | 0.8% |
No | 🇦🇪 UAE | 4,020 | 4.3% |
- | BRICS Total | 40,454 | 43.1% |
- | Rest of World | 53,394 | 56.9% |
It’s worth noting that China has been pushing for oil trade to be denominated in yuan, and that Saudi Arabia’s acceptance into BRICS could bolster this ambition, potentially shifting the dynamics of global oil trade.
Share of Global Exports
The last metric included in our graphic is global exports, which is based on 2022 data from the World Trade Organization. We can see that the BRICS expansion will grow the group’s share of global exports (merchandise trade) to 25.1%, up from 20.2%.
Original BRICS Member | Country | Exports (USD billions) | Share of Global (%) |
---|---|---|---|
Yes | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 334 | 1.3% |
Yes | 🇷🇺 Russia | 532 | 2.1% |
Yes | 🇮🇳 India | 453 | 1.8% |
Yes | 🇨🇳 China | 3,594 | 14.4% |
Yes | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 123 | 0.5% |
No | 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | 410 | 1.6% |
No | 🇮🇷 Iran | 73 | 0.3% |
No | 🇪🇹 Ethiopia | 3.9 | 0.02% |
No | 🇪🇬 Egypt | 49 | 0.2% |
No | 🇦🇷 Argentina | 88 | 0.4% |
No | 🇦🇪 UAE | 599 | 2.4% |
- | BRICS Total | 6,259 | 25.1% |
- | Rest of World | 18,646 | 74.9% |
Unsurprisingly, China is the world’s largest exporter. Major exporters that are not a part of BRICS include the U.S. (8.3%), Germany (6.6%), the Netherlands (3.9%), and Japan (3.0%).
Who Else Wants to Join?
According to Reuters, there are over 40 countries that have expressed interest in joining BRICS. A smaller group of 16 countries have actually applied for membership, though, and this list includes Algeria, Cuba, Indonesia, Palestine, and Vietnam.
As the group grows in size, differing opinions and priorities among its members could create tensions in the future. For example, India and China have had numerous border disputes in recent years, while Brazil’s newly elected President has sought to “kickstart a new era of relations” with the U.S.
One thing that is certain, however, is that a new acronym for the group will be needed very soon.
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