Highest press freedom
Norway has topped the World Press Freedom Index every year since 2017.
Headline finding
Norway leads the world for highest press freedom at 91.89 RSF score (lower = freer).
The full top 25: Highest press freedom
Click any country to read its full profile.
- 1 Norway 91.89
- 2 Denmark 89.62
- 3 Sweden 88.32
- 4 Netherlands 87.73
- 5 Ireland 86.94
- 6 Finland 86.55
- 7 Portugal 85.90
- 8 Estonia 84.95
- 9 Switzerland 84.01
- 10 Iceland 83.07
- 11 Germany 81.91
- 12 Luxembourg 81.30
- 13 Latvia 81.69
- 14 Lithuania 80.43
- 15 Czech Republic 79.84
- 16 Canada 78.62
- 17 New Zealand 78.06
- 18 Belgium 80.39
- 19 Taiwan 78.13
- 20 Cyprus 76.69
- 21 Austria 75.41
- 22 France 78.65
- 23 Jamaica 73.27
- 24 United Kingdom 73.94
- 25 Australia 75.41
What the numbers show
Norway's lead at the top of this ranking is 2.5% above the second-place country — a margin tight enough that the top spot has changed hands within the last five years and could change again.
The five countries leading the table — Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Netherlands, Ireland — together set the global benchmark. The next 20 countries fill the rest of the table, with Australia anchoring the list at 75.41.
Figures are drawn from Reporters Without Borders 2024. We use this source because it produces a single, internally consistent dataset rather than aggregating from national statistics offices, which makes year-on-year comparison reliable. The next update is expected when the source publishes its next annual release — see the methodology section below for which year of data is currently shown.
Methodology and caveats
- What this measures
- RSF score (lower = freer)
- Source
- Reporters Without Borders 2024
- Coverage
- Top 25 countries shown. Full source dataset covers all 195 sovereign states where data is available.
- Refresh cadence
- Updated annually as the source publishes new figures, typically autumn or spring.
- Known caveat
- Country definitions follow the source: where the UN, the World Bank and the CIA Factbook disagree on borders or recognition, we use the figure as published rather than reconciling between bodies. Comparisons across rankings should be made with this in mind.
Frequently asked
Which country tops the ranking for press freedom?
Norway leads with 91.89 RSF score (lower = freer). Denmark is second at 89.62, with Sweden in third place. Full top-10 with sources is above.
What's the source for the press freedom ranking?
The figures come from Reporters Without Borders 2024. We use this source because it publishes a complete country-by-country dataset using consistent methodology — the alternative of mixing national statistics offices would compromise comparability. Updated annually with the latest available vintage of the data.
How often are the press freedom figures updated?
Once a year, in line with the source institution's publishing schedule. Major institutions like the World Bank, IMF and UNESCO publish annual updates in different months — typically autumn or spring — and the figures here reflect the most recently published vintage. The source footer on the ranking table shows which year's data is currently displayed.