By place
Countries
Countries in the record, grouped by continent and listed alphabetically, each with its rank in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index of Reporters Without Borders (RSF), a Paris-based press-freedom organisation. Rank 1 of 180 is the freest.
The number of entries reflects the depth of this record, not the severity of a country's conduct.
Africa
| RSF 2026 rank | Country | Years in the record |
|---|---|---|
| 169th of 180 | Egypt | 1960 to 2019 |
| not recorded | Eritrea | 2001 |
| 148th of 180 | Ethiopia | 2020 to 2025 |
| not recorded | Morocco | 2020 |
| 112th of 180 | Nigeria | 1995 |
| 21st of 180 | South Africa | 1950 to 1985 |
| 117th of 180 | Tanzania | 2018 to 2025 |
| 137th of 180 | Tunisia | 2025 |
| 124th of 180 | Zimbabwe | 2002 to 2023 |
Asia
| RSF 2026 rank | Country | Years in the record |
|---|---|---|
| not recorded | Azerbaijan | 2015 |
| 152nd of 180 | Bangladesh | 2025 |
| 151st of 180 | Cambodia | 2017 to 2023 |
| 178th of 180 | China | 1989 to 2024 |
| 135th of 180 | Georgia | 2024 |
| 140th of 180 | Hong Kong | 2021 to 2025 |
| 157th of 180 | India | 1975 to 2026 |
| not recorded | Indonesia | 1926 |
| 177th of 180 | Iran | 2009 to 2024 |
| 116th of 180 | Israel | 1948 to 2026 |
| not recorded | Japan | 1937 |
| not recorded | Kazakhstan | 2024 to 2026 |
| 95th of 180 | Malaysia | 1987 to 1998 |
| 166th of 180 | Myanmar | 1988 to 2021 |
| not recorded | North Korea | 2009 |
| 153rd of 180 | Pakistan | 2025 |
| 114th of 180 | Philippines | 1901 to 2020 |
| 176th of 180 | Saudi Arabia | 2018 |
| 47th of 180 | South Korea | 1980 |
| not recorded | Thailand | 2013 |
| 163rd of 180 | Türkiye | 1913 to 2025 |
| not recorded | Viet Nam | 2013 to 2021 |
Europe
| RSF 2026 rank | Country | Years in the record |
|---|---|---|
| 165th of 180 | Belarus | 1997 to 2023 |
| 11th of 180 | Czechia | 1968 |
| 14th of 180 | Germany | 1933 to 1962 |
| not recorded | Greece | 1941 |
| 74th of 180 | Hungary | 2010 to 2026 |
| not recorded | Malta | 2017 |
| 27th of 180 | Poland | 1981 to 2021 |
| 10th of 180 | Portugal | 1933 |
| 172nd of 180 | Russia | 1922 to 2026 |
| 104th of 180 | Serbia | 1998 to 2025 |
| 37th of 180 | Slovakia | 2024 |
| 29th of 180 | Spain | 1938 |
| 18th of 180 | United Kingdom | 1914 to 2013 |
North America
| RSF 2026 rank | Country | Years in the record |
|---|---|---|
| 20th of 180 | Canada | 1939 to 2021 |
| not recorded | Cuba | 1959 |
| 143rd of 180 | El Salvador | 2026 |
| 128th of 180 | Guatemala | 2023 |
| 107th of 180 | Haiti | 1980 |
| not recorded | Mexico | 2017 |
| 168th of 180 | Nicaragua | 2018 to 2023 |
| 64th of 180 | United States | 1909 to 2026 |
South America
| RSF 2026 rank | Country | Years in the record |
|---|---|---|
| 98th of 180 | Argentina | 1951 to 2024 |
| 52nd of 180 | Brazil | 1939 to 1968 |
| 70th of 180 | Chile | 1973 |
| 125th of 180 | Ecuador | 2013 |
| not recorded | Peru | 1997 |
| 159th of 180 | Venezuela | 2007 to 2024 |
Oceania
| RSF 2026 rank | Country | Years in the record |
|---|---|---|
| 33rd of 180 | Australia | 1944 to 2020 |
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