What is press freedom in Mauritania?

Press freedom in Mauritania was 1 in 2016, according to Freedom House (2017) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest press freedom recorded in Mauritania?

The highest recorded value was 1 in 2005.

What is the lowest press freedom recorded in Mauritania?

The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1979.

How does Mauritania rank for press freedom?

Mauritania ranks 61st out of 194 countries with data for 2016.

Is press freedom rising or falling in Mauritania?

Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.

Where does this Mauritania data come from?

The figures come from Freedom House (2017) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Press freedom. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Press freedom in Mauritania

Name: Press freedom in Mauritania
Creator: Freedom House (2017) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

Mauritania: Press freedom was 1 in 2016. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2016)

Change on year

unchanged

World rank

61st

of 194 countries

All-time high

in 2005

All-time low

in 1979

Years of data

1979–2016

Press freedom in Mauritania, 1979–2016

Source: Freedom House (2017) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

The most recent figure for press freedom in Mauritania is 1, measured in 2016. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is unchanged over ten years.

Over the whole period, press freedom in Mauritania peaked at 1 in 2005 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1979.

That places Mauritania 61st out of 194 countries with data for 2016, putting it in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1970s	0	0	0	1
1980s	0	0	0	8
1990s	0	0	0	10
2000s	0.5	0	1	10
2010s	1	1	1	7

Countries ranked near Mauritania

See the full ranking of 194 places →

More social development data for Mauritania

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy 301,490 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 43,906 (2025)
Physical Integrity Rights Score 0.3162 (2019)
Asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin 28,438 (2025)
Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum 7,378 (2025)
Forcibly displaced people 308,868 (2025)
Self-reported life satisfaction 4.47 (2025)

All data for Mauritania →

Frequently asked questions

What is press freedom in Mauritania?: Press freedom in Mauritania was 1 in 2016, according to Freedom House (2017) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest press freedom recorded in Mauritania?: The highest recorded value was 1 in 2005.
What is the lowest press freedom recorded in Mauritania?: The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1979.
How does Mauritania rank for press freedom?: Mauritania ranks 61st out of 194 countries with data for 2016.
Is press freedom rising or falling in Mauritania?: Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Mauritania data come from?: The figures come from Freedom House (2017) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Press freedom. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator: Press freedom
Source: Freedom House (2017) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 194 places, 6,417 data points, 1979–2016
Last refreshed: 06 August 2026

Based on the classification and data by Freedom House. It captures the legal, political, and economic environment of the press.