Internet Freedom Index 2025: Iceland Leads as China and Iran Remain Among the Lowest-Ranked Countries

Internet freedom continues to vary dramatically around the world, with major differences in how countries protect online expression, access to information and digital rights.

The 2025 Internet Freedom Index figures cited in the supplied data place Iceland at the top with a score of 94, while China records the lowest score at 9. The results illustrate the wide gap between countries with relatively open internet environments and those where online activity faces extensive restrictions.

Iceland Takes the Top Position

Iceland leads the 2025 ranking with a score of 94, followed by Estonia at 91 and Chile at 87.

Costa Rica scores 86, while Canada records 85. The Netherlands follows closely with 84, placing several European and American countries among the strongest performers.

Taiwan receives 79, followed by Japan at 78. France and the United Kingdom each score 76, while Australia records 75.

Strong Performers Across Europe and Beyond

The ranking shows that high levels of internet freedom are not limited to one geographic region.

Italy and Germany both receive 74, while South Africa and the United States each score 73. Armenia follows with 72, and Argentina records 71.

Georgia scores 70, Hungary 69 and Serbia 67. Brazil records 65, matching South Korea, while Colombia scores 64.

These results demonstrate differences even among countries with broadly established digital infrastructure and large online populations.

Middle of the Ranking Shows Mixed Conditions

Several countries occupy the middle portion of the ranking, reflecting varying levels of online restrictions.

Ecuador scores 63, while Ukraine receives 62. The Philippines and Mexico each record 61, followed by Malaysia at 60.

Nigeria and Tunisia both score 59, while Kenya receives 58. Morocco records 54, and Singapore scores 53.

Uganda receives 52, while India scores 51. Zimbabwe and Lebanon each record 50, followed by Indonesia at 48 and Kyrgyzstan at 47.

Bangladesh scores 45, placing it below several other Asian countries in the supplied ranking.

Lower Scores Highlight Greater Restrictions

The lower section of the ranking includes countries where internet users face substantially greater restrictions.

Libya records 43, Thailand 39 and Kazakhstan 37. Azerbaijan and Rwanda each score 34, while Türkiye receives 31.

Egypt and the United Arab Emirates both score 28, followed by Pakistan at 27 and Venezuela at 26.

Saudi Arabia receives 25, while Vietnam scores 22 and Cuba 21.

Belarus records 20, Russia 17 and Iran 13.

China Records the Lowest Score

China appears at the bottom of the supplied 2025 ranking with a score of 9.

The figure highlights the significant difference between China’s online environment and countries at the top of the index.

Countries with low internet-freedom scores commonly face extensive restrictions involving access to online information, digital expression, independent media or online platforms. The specific nature and extent of restrictions vary from country to country.

Why Internet Freedom Matters

Internet freedom is closely connected to access to information and the ability of individuals to communicate online.

For journalists, researchers, activists, businesses and ordinary internet users, the digital environment can influence how freely information is exchanged.

A more open internet can facilitate public discussion, independent reporting and access to diverse viewpoints. Restrictions, meanwhile, can make it more difficult for users to reach certain information or communicate freely.

A Wide Global Divide

The difference between Iceland’s 94 and China’s 9 represents an extraordinary gap in the supplied ranking.

The data also show that internet freedom cannot be understood simply through a country’s level of economic development. Countries with different political systems, income levels and regional circumstances appear across the ranking.

This makes internet freedom a complex global issue involving laws, institutions, technology, media environments and government policies.

India’s Position

India receives a score of 51 in the supplied 2025 figures.

Its position places it around the middle of the overall list, below countries such as Canada, Japan, Australia, Germany and the United States, but above several countries with substantially lower scores.

India’s large and rapidly expanding internet population makes questions surrounding digital rights, online access, platform regulation and freedom of expression particularly significant.

Looking Ahead

The global internet environment continues to evolve as governments introduce new digital regulations, technology companies change platform policies and users increasingly depend on online services for news, education, commerce and communication.

Future internet-freedom assessments will therefore remain important indicators of how the digital public sphere is developing across different countries.

Conclusion

The supplied Internet Freedom Index 2025 figures reveal a striking global divide.

Iceland leads with 94, while Estonia, Chile, Costa Rica and Canada also rank among the highest-scoring countries. At the other end, Russia, Iran and China record some of the lowest scores, with China at 9.

The ranking underscores the continuing importance of open access to information, digital expression and online communication as the internet becomes an increasingly central part of everyday life.