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___Worldwide Press Freedom Index 2016
World Map of Press Freedom
World Map of Press Freedom
Image: Reporters Without Borders
 
Since 2002 Reporters Without Borders is publishing annually a worldwide index of countries according to their respect for press freedom.

Freedom of information is an extension of freedom of speech, a fundamental human right recognized in international laws.


How the Index is compiled

The degree of freedom available to journalists in 180 countries is determined by pooling the responses of experts to a questionnaire devised by Reporters Without Borders.

This qualitative analysis is combined with quantitative data on abuses and acts of violence against journalists during the period evaluated.
Reporters Without Borders compiled this list of 180 countries by asking its partner organizations and its network of correspondents, as well as journalists, researchers, legal experts and human rights activists, to answer questions designed to assess a country's level of press freedom.

On the top and the bottom of the list was not much change compared to the years before.

TOP: Seven European countries, one from the southwestern Pacific (New Zealand) and two from the Americas, Costa Rica and Jamaica.

The United States is ranked 41, but accusations made by the President of the United States Donald Trump, that the media is the enemy of the American People, is a serious blow in the face of the freedom of the press. Those accusations made by the 'Leader of the Free World' is more than worrisome.

BOTTOM: Countries at the bottom of the list are those who are even more paranoid about freedom of opinion and freedom of the press, they are using censorship to suppress information and harassment, persecution and imprisonment of journalists to a great extent. State control of domestic media, and internet control are their favored means. These countries fear the "fourth estate", the power behind the media and the information they might provide to the public.

Eritrea (180 ), North Korea (179), Turkmenistan (178), Syria (177), China (176), Vietnam (175), Sudan (174), Laos (173), Djibouti (172), and Cuba (171).

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Four of these countries are top tourist destinations, China, Vietnam, Laos, and Cuba (by the way all of them communist countries) but most visitors are not aware or they don't care about the violation of freedom of opinion and press freedom in those countries.

Gainers and Losers
Tunisia (96) climbed 30 places in the ranking, Sri Lanka (141) rose 24, Ukraine (107) gained 22 places, Costa Rica (6) gained 10, Switzerland (7) gained 13, Samoa (29) went up 11 places, Chile (31) gained 12, and Fiji (80) climbed 13 ranks.

Two countries ranking decreased 34 places, Tajikistan for stepping up pressure on the remaining independent media, and Brunei Darussalam for forced self-censorship on politics and religion.
Canada was downgraded 10 ranks because under former PM Stephen Harper reporters were forbidden from asking the prime minister unscheduled questions. Poland lost 29, for the country's new media law basically transformed public media into State media.
 
# Flag Country Underlying situation score 2016 Abuse score 2016 Overall Score 2016 Rank
2015		 Score 2015 Progression Rank Rank
+/-
1
Finland 8,59 8,59   1 7,52 0 =
2
Netherlands 8,76 8,76   4 9,22 2 up-one
3
Norway 8,79 8,79   2 7,75 -1 down-one
4
Denmark 8,89 8,89   3 8,24 -1 down-one
5
New Zealand 10,01 10,01   6 10,06 1 up-one
6
Costa Rica 11,10 11,10   16 12,26 10 up
7
Switzerland 11,76 11,76   20 13,85 13 up
8
Sweden 12,33 12,33   5 9,47 -3 down-one
9
Ireland 12,40 12,40   11 11,20 2 up-one
10
Jamaica 12,45 12,45   9 11,18 -1 down-one
11
Austria 13,18 13,18   7 10,85 -4 down-one
12
Slovakia 13,26 13,26   14 11,66 2 up-one
13
Belgium 14,18 13,86 14,18 15 11,98 2 up-one
14
Estonia 14,31 14,31   10 11,19 -4 down-one
15
Luxembourg 14,43 14,43   19 13,61 4 up-one
16
Germany 9,21 37,14 14,80 12 11,47 -4 down-one
17
Namibia 15,15 6,93 15,15 17 12,50 0 =
18
Canada 15,26 15,26   8 10,99 -10 down-two
19
Iceland 15,30 15,30   21 13,87 2 up-one
20
Uruguay 15,88 15,88   23 15,94 3 up-one
21
Czech Republic 16,66 16,66   13 11,62 -8 down-one
22
Suriname 16,70 16,70   29 18,20 7 up-one
23
Portugal 17,27 17,27   26 17,11 3 up-one
24
Latvia 17,38 17,38   28 18,12 4 up-one
25
Australia 17,84 6,93 17,84 25 17,03 0 =
26
Ghana 17,95 6,93 17,95 22 15,50 -4 down-one
27
Cyprus 18,26 18,26   24 16,52 -3 down-one
28
Liechtenstein 18,36 18,36   27 17,67 -1 down-one
29
Samoa 18,80 18,80   40 22,32 11 up
30
 
 OECS* 18,91 18,91   37 21,02 7 up-one
31
Chile 19,23 19,23   43 23,00 12 up
32
Cape Verde 19,82 19,82   36 20,69 4 up-one
33
Andorra 19,87 19,87   32 19,87 -1 down-one
34
Spain 19,92 6,93 19,92 33 19,95 -1 down-one
35
Lithuania 19,95 19,95   31 18,80 -4 down-one
36
Belize 20,61 20,61   30 18,54 -6 down-one
37
Tonga 21,24 21,24   44 23,37 7 up-one
38
United Kingdom 21,70 21,70   34 20,00 -4 down-one
39
South Africa 21,92 16,09 21,92 39 22,06 0 =
40
Slovenia 22,26 22,26   35 20,55 -5 down-one
41
United States 22,49 13,86 22,49 49 24,41 8 up-one
42
Burkina Faso 21,37 27,08 22,66 46 23,79 4 up-one
43
Botswana 22,91 22,91   42 22,91 -1 down-one
44
Trinidad and Tobago 23,29 23,29   41 22,39 -3 down-one
45
France 13,31 65,89 23,83 38 21,15 -7 down-one
46
Malta 23,84 23,84   48 24,16 2 up-one
47
Poland 18,56 45,22 23,89 18 12,71 -29 down-two
48
Mauritania 24,03 45,11 24,03 55 25,27 7 up-one
49
Romania 24,29 17,92 24,29 52 24,90 3 up-one
50
Comoros 24,33 24,33   50 24,52 0 =
51
Taiwan 24,37 24,37   51 24,83 0 =
52
Niger 24,01 27,08 24,62 47 23,85 -5 down-one
53
Haiti 24,66 24,66   53 25,08 0 =
54
Argentina 25,09 13,86 25,09 57 26,11 3 up-one
55
Papua New Guinea 25,81 6,93 25,81 56 25,87 1 up-one
56
Madagascar 27,04 17,92 27,04 64 27,43 8 up-one
57
Guyana 27,07 27,07   62 27,21 5 up-one
58
El Salvador 27,20 24,85 27,20 45 23,66 -13 down-two
59
Serbia 26,66 31,35 27,60 67 27,66 8 up-one
60
Mongolia 27,61 6,93 27,61 54 25,25 -6 down-one
61
Mauritius 27,69 27,69   68 27,69 7 up-one
62
Dominican Republic 27,90 27,90   63 27,31 1 up-one
63
Croatia 25,54 37,38 27,91 58 26,12 -5 down-one
64
Georgia 27,96 6,93 27,96 69 27,70 5 up-one
65
Senegal 27,99 17,92 27,99 71 27,77 6 up-one
66
Malawi 28,12 28,12   59 26,41 -7 down-one
67
Hungary 28,17 6,93 28,17 65 27,44 -2 down-one
68
Bosnia and Herzegovina 28,45 17,92 28,45 66 27,51 -2 down-one
69
Hong Kong 28,50 28,50   70 27,76 1 up-one
70
South Korea 28,58 28,58   60 26,55 -10 down-two
71
Tanzania 28,65 28,65   75 28,09 4 up-one
72
Japan 28,67 28,67   61 26,95 -11 down-two
73
Lesotho 28,78 28,78   77 28,36 4 up-one
74
Armenia 27,57 33,67 28,79 78 28,43 4 up-one
75
Nicaragua 28,82 28,82   74 27,94 -1 down-one
76
Moldova 28,83 6,93 28,83 72 27,85 -4 down-one
77
Italy 26,59 38,29 28,93 73 27,94 -4 down-one
78
Benin 28,97 28,97   84 29,24 6 up-one
79
Guinea-Bissau 29,03 29,03   81 28,70 2 up-one
80
Fiji 29,37 29,37   93 31,28 13 up
81   Cyprus North 29,54 29,54   76 28,33 -5 down-one
82
Albania 29,92 23,03 29,92 82 28,77 0 =
83
Sierra Leone 29,94 10,99 29,94 79 28,47 -4 down-one
84
Peru 25,34 48,60 29,99 92 31,21 8 up-one
85
Kyrgyzstan 30,16 29,96 30,16 88 30,69 3 up-one
86
Ivory Coast 30,17 17,92 30,17 86 30,45 0 =
87
Mozambique 26,51 45,22 30,25 85 29,98 -2 down-one
88
Togo 30,31 30,31   80 28,50 -8 down-one
89
Greece 30,35 25,65 30,35 91 31,01 2 up-one
90   Kosovo 26,87 45,00 30,50 87 30,63 -3 down-one
91
Panama 30,59 30,59   83 28,98 -8 down-one
92
Seychelles 30,60 30,60   96 31,55 4 up-one
93
Liberia 30,71 30,71   89 30,78 -4 down-one
94
Bhutan 30,73 30,73   104 32,65 10 up
95
Kenya 27,51 45,75 31,16 100 32,07 5 up-one
96
Tunisia 31,60 27,73 31,60 126 38,68 30 up
97
Bolivia 31,78 21,97 31,78 94 31,29 -3 down-one
98
Lebanon 31,89 32,19 31,95 98 31,81 0 =
99
East Timor 32,02 32,02   103 32,63 4 up-one
100
Gabon 32,20 32,20   95 31,38 -5 down-one
101
Israel 29,71 44,05 32,58 101 32,09 0 =
102
Uganda 32,58 31,35 32,58 97 31,65 -5 down-one
103
Kuwait 31,78 35,84 32,59 90 30,84 -13 down-two
104
Brazil 25,78 59,96 32,62 99 31,93 -5 down-one
105
Nepal 32,62 31,35 32,62 105 32,71 0 =
106
Montenegro 32,79 30,45 32,79 114 34,63 8 up-one
107
Ukraine 27,21 55,80 32,93 129 39,10 22 up
108
Guinea 33,08 27,08 33,08 102 32,56 -6 down-one
109
Ecuador 33,21 27,73 33,21 108 33,65 -1 down-one
110
Central African Republic 33,60 23,03 33,60 110 33,84 0 =
111
Paraguay 33,63 33,63   109 33,74 -2 down-one
112
Maldives 34,17 20,79 34,17 112 34,32 0 =
113
Bulgaria 34,46 16,09 34,46 106 32,91 -7 down-one
114
Zambia 35,08 31,35 35,08 113 34,35 -1 down-one
115
Congo-Brazzaville 31,02 55,13 35,84 107 33,00 -8 down-one
116
Nigeria 31,65 52,93 35,90 111 34,09 -5 down-one
117
Qatar 35,97 6,93 35,97 115 35,35 -2 down-one
118
Macedonia 36,09 23,98 36,09 117 36,26 -1 down-one
119
United Arab Emirates 36,73 36,73   120 36,73 1 up-one
120
Afghanistan 33,25 55,76 37,75 122 37,44 2 up-one
121
Guatemala 33,79 54,97 38,03 124 37,92 3 up-one
122
Mali 39,83 45,11 39,83 118 36,33 -4 down-one
123
Angola 39,89 16,09 39,89 123 37,84 0 =
124
Zimbabwe 40,41 26,39 40,41 131 39,19 7 up-one
125
Oman 40,43 31,35 40,43 127 38,83 2 up-one
126
Cameroon 40,53 23,98 40,53 133 39,63 7 up-one
127
Chad 40,59 17,92 40,59 135 40,17 8 up-one
128
Cambodia 40,70 16,09 40,70 139 40,99 11 up
129
Algeria 41,69 29,44 41,69 119 36,63 -10 down-two
130
Indonesia 41,72 16,09 41,72 138 40,75 8 up-one
131
Morocco 42,64 29,96 42,64 130 39,19 -1 down-one
132
Palestine 38,55 60,45 42,93 140 41,01 8 up-one
133
India 37,89 64,28 43,17 136 40,49 3 up-one
134
Colombia 40,90 56,97 44,11 128 39,08 -6 down-one
135
Jordan 44,49 20,79 44,49 143 42,07 8 up-one
136
Thailand 43,15 50,04 44,53 134 40,07 -2 down-one
137
Honduras 39,15 66,50 44,62 132 39,27 -5 down-one
138
Philippines 40,05 63,10 44,66 141 41,19 3 up-one
139
Venezuela 44,77 32,19 44,77 137 40,61 -2 down-one
140
South Sudan 40,32 52,42 44,87 125 38,04 -15 down-two
141
Sri Lanka 44,34 47,45 44,96 165 60,28 24 up
142
Ethiopia 41,35 60,26 45,13 142 41,83 0 =
143
Myanmar 44,23 50,50 45,48 144 42,08 1 up-one
144
Bangladesh 42,96 57,84 45,94 146 42,95 2 up-one
145
Gambia 46,43 46,96 46,53 151 44,50 6 up-one
146
Malaysia 46,57 19,46 46,57 147 43,29 1 up-one
147
Pakistan 46,91 54,97 48,52 159 50,46 12 up
148
Russian Federation 48,53 51,06 49,03 152 44,97 4 up-one
149
Mexico 44,52 66,46 49,33 148 43,69 -1 down-one
150
Tajikistan 50,34 13,86 50,34 116 36,19 -34 down-two
151
Turkey 47,97 61,92 50,76 149 44,16 -2 down-one
152
Congo-Kinshasa 50,97 13,86 50,97 150 44,31 -2 down-one
153
Swaziland 52,37 52,37   155 47,28 2 up-one
154
Singapore 52,96 52,96   153 45,87 -1 down-one
155
Brunei 53,85 53,85   121 36,76 -34 down-two
156
Burundi 53,23 57,59 54,10 145 42,93 -11 down-two
157
Belarus 54,32 28,90 54,32 157 47,98 0 =
158
Iraq 49,45 73,94 54,35 156 47,76 -2 down-one
159
Egypt 52,29 63,06 54,45 158 50,17 -1 down-one
160
Kazakhstan 54,55 37,84 54,55 160 53,46 0 =
161
Rwanda 54,61 54,61   161 56,57 0 =
162
Bahrain 53,61 59,84 54,86 163 58,69 1 up-one
163
Azerbaijan 56,02 65,37 57,89 162 58,41 -1 down-one
164
Libya 55,44 67,72 57,89 154 45,99 -10 down-two
165
Saudi Arabia 59,72 57,20 59,72 164 59,41 -1 down-one
166
Uzbekistan 59,68 67,00 61,15 166 61,14 0 =
167
Somalia 65,35 60,26 65,35 172 72,31 5 up-one
168
Equatorial Guinea 66,47 66,47   167 66,23 -1 down-one
169
Iran 64,91 73,00 66,52 173 72,32 4 up-one
170
Yemen 65,37 73,88 67,07 168 66,36 -2 down-one
171
Cuba 70,23 47,10 70,23 169 70,21 -2 down-one
172
Djibouti 70,90 70,90   170 71,04 -2 down-one
173
Laos 71,58 56,42 71,58 171 71,25 -2 down-one
174
Sudan 72,53 24,85 72,53 174 72,34 0 =
175
Vietnam 74,27 66,81 74,27 175 72,63 0 =
176
China 78,59 90,44 80,96 176 73,55 0 =
177
Syria 80,60 84,36 81,35 177 77,29 0 =
178
Turkmenistan 83,44 29,44 83,44 178 80,83 0 =
179
North Korea 83,76 55,95 83,76 179 83,25 0 =
180
Eritrea 83,92 74,24 83,92 180 84,86 0 =

* Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States

Source: Reporters Without Borders
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External Links:
Reporters Without Borders
Official website of the non-profit organization.

Freedom House - Freedom of the Press 2016
Freedom House annual report on freedom of the press.

OAS - Organization of American States
OAS on Information and Democracy.
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