Free country in Bhutan
Bhutan: Free country was 2 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
2
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
1st
of 199 countries
All-time high
2
in 2024
All-time low
0
in 1992
Years of data
53
1972–2025
Free country in Bhutan, 1972–2025
Source: Freedom House (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, free country in Bhutan stood at 2. That is the highest value across all 53 years on record.
The figure is up 100.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, free country in Bhutan peaked at 2 in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1992.
Bhutan ranks 1st of 199 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Free country in Bhutan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 1 | — |
| 1973 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 0 | -100.0% |
| 1993 | 0 | — |
| 1994 | 0 | — |
| 1995 | 0 | — |
| 1996 | 0 | — |
| 1997 | 0 | — |
| 1998 | 0 | — |
| 1999 | 0 | — |
| 2000 | 0 | — |
| 2001 | 0 | — |
| 2002 | 0 | — |
| 2003 | 0 | — |
| 2004 | 0 | — |
| 2005 | 0 | — |
| 2006 | 0 | — |
| 2007 | 0 | — |
| 2008 | 1 | — |
| 2009 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 2025 | 2 | +0.0% |
Bhutan compared with similar countries
- Bhutan's 2 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1, 2.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Bhutan's 2 is above the median for South Asia, which is 1, 2.0× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 |
| 1980s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9 |
| 1990s | 0.2 | 0 | 1 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.2 | 0 | 1 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.33 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Bhutan
- 1 Andorra 2 compare
- 1 Antigua and Barbuda 2 compare
- 1 Argentina 2 compare
- 1 Australia 2 compare
- 1 Austria 2 compare
- 1 Bahamas 2 compare
- 1 Barbados 2 compare
- 1 Belgium 2 compare
- 1 Belize 2 compare
- 1 Bolivia 2 compare
- 1 Botswana 2 compare
- 1 Brazil 2 compare
- 1 Bulgaria 2 compare
- 1 Canada 2 compare
- 1 Cape Verde 2 compare
- 1 Chile 2 compare
- 1 Colombia 2 compare
- 1 Costa Rica 2 compare
- 1 Croatia 2 compare
- 1 Cyprus 2 compare
- 1 Czechia 2 compare
- 1 Denmark 2 compare
- 1 Dominica 2 compare
- 1 East Timor 2 compare
- 1 Estonia 2 compare
- 1 Fiji 2 compare
- 1 Finland 2 compare
- 1 France 2 compare
- 1 Germany 2 compare
- 1 Ghana 2 compare
- 1 Greece 2 compare
- 1 Grenada 2 compare
- 1 Guyana 2 compare
- 1 Iceland 2 compare
- 1 Ireland 2 compare
- 1 Israel 2 compare
- 1 Italy 2 compare
- 1 Jamaica 2 compare
- 1 Japan 2 compare
- 1 Kiribati 2 compare
- 1 Latvia 2 compare
- 1 Lesotho 2 compare
- 1 Liechtenstein 2 compare
- 1 Lithuania 2 compare
- 1 Luxembourg 2 compare
- 1 Malawi 2 compare
- 1 Malta 2 compare
- 1 Marshall Islands 2 compare
- 1 Mauritius 2 compare
- 1 Micronesia (country) 2 compare
- 1 Monaco 2 compare
- 1 Mongolia 2 compare
- 1 Namibia 2 compare
- 1 Nauru 2 compare
- 1 Netherlands 2 compare
- 1 New Zealand 2 compare
- 1 Norway 2 compare
- 1 Palau 2 compare
- 1 Panama 2 compare
- 1 Poland 2 compare
- 1 Portugal 2 compare
- 1 Puerto Rico 2 compare
- 1 Romania 2 compare
- 1 Saint Kitts and Nevis 2 compare
- 1 Saint Lucia 2 compare
- 1 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2 compare
- 1 Samoa 2 compare
- 1 San Marino 2 compare
- 1 Sao Tome and Principe 2 compare
- 1 Senegal 2 compare
- 1 Seychelles 2 compare
- 1 Slovakia 2 compare
- 1 Slovenia 2 compare
- 1 Solomon Islands 2 compare
- 1 South Africa 2 compare
- 1 South Korea 2 compare
- 1 Spain 2 compare
- 1 Suriname 2 compare
- 1 Sweden 2 compare
- 1 Switzerland 2 compare
- 1 Taiwan 2 compare
- 1 Tonga 2 compare
- 1 Trinidad and Tobago 2 compare
- 1 Tuvalu 2 compare
- 1 United Kingdom 2 compare
- 1 United States 2 compare
- 1 Uruguay 2 compare
- 1 Vanuatu 2 compare
More reference data data for Bhutan
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0217 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.0671 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.1192 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0167 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.1192 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0727 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.0153 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.3489 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.5881 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0909 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is free country in Bhutan?
- Free country in Bhutan was 2 in 2025, according to Freedom House (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest free country recorded in Bhutan?
- The highest recorded value was 2 in 2024.
- What is the lowest free country recorded in Bhutan?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1992.
- How does Bhutan rank for free country?
- Bhutan ranks 1st out of 199 countries with data for 2025.
- Is free country rising or falling in Bhutan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 100.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Bhutan data come from?
- The figures come from Freedom House (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Free country. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
The variable identifies the political regime of a country. It distinguishes between free countries (score 2), partly free countries (score 1), and not free countries (score 0).