V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · Government Internet Shutdowns
Internet shutdowns by country
How often does the government cut off access to the Internet?
Spain placed first of the 176 countries compared in 2025, at 2.081, and Sudan last, at -3.547. In the middle country the figure was 1.023. Among the 175 countries measured in every edition since 2000, the middle one moved from 1.113 to 1.025.
Internet shutdowns · 2025
Context statistic
Highest of 176Spain
2.081012025 · position · derived
Who leads
The three countries at the highest end of 176 compared, the three at the other end, and the first on each continent.
1Photo: Poco a poco derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
2Photo: Berit Watkin , derivative work (crop) by Globe-trotter · CC BY 2.0, greyscale
3Photo: Unknown author · CC BY-SA 2.0, greyscale
Lowest in 2025
- 176
Sudan-3.547 - 175
North Korea-3.219 - 174
South Sudan-2.742
Positions out of 176. Where a country sits says how it compares with the others measured, and nothing about why.
Highest on each continent
- Africa
Zambia1.954 - Americas
Barbados2.004 - Asia
South Korea1.979 - EuropeSpain2.081
- Oceania
New Zealand1.901 - Every region
02Every measured country
Internet shutdowns on a map
Each country is shaded by its value, in five groups holding the same number of countries. Hover a country for its value, or select it to open its profile. Below the map, each continent’s middle country.
Darker is a higher value — the better end.
- -3.547–-0.910
- -0.812–0.517
- 0.527–1.332
- 1.334–1.789
- 1.801–2.081
- No reading in 2025
- Europe
1.781
the middle country, of 40 measured · 49 members
Spain2.081
Belarus-2.316Highest and lowest reading in Europe.
- Americas
1.670
the middle country, of 27 measured · 48 members
Barbados2.004
Cuba-1.433Highest and lowest reading in Americas.
- Oceania
1.152
the middle country, of 6 measured · 21 members
New Zealand1.901
Fiji-0.110Highest and lowest reading in Oceania.
- Africa
0.114
the middle country, of 55 measured · 55 members
Zambia1.954Sudan-3.547Highest and lowest reading in Africa.
- Asia
-0.277
the middle country, of 48 measured · 52 members
South Korea1.979North Korea-3.219Highest and lowest reading in Asia.
- Every region
20 sub-regions, highest middle country first
- Western Europe
1.853
the middle country, of 7 measured · 9 members
Belgium1.902
Netherlands1.159Highest and lowest reading in Western Europe.
- Southern Europe
1.801
the middle country, of 13 measured · 17 members
Spain2.081
Albania0.387Highest and lowest reading in Southern Europe.
- Northern Europe
1.784
the middle country, of 10 measured · 13 members
Sweden1.906
Iceland1.696Highest and lowest reading in Northern Europe.
- Central America
1.769
the middle country, of 7 measured · 8 members
El Salvador1.908
Nicaragua-1.082Highest and lowest reading in Central America.
- Caribbean
1.725
the middle country, of 6 measured · 24 members
Barbados2.004Cuba-1.433Highest and lowest reading in Caribbean.
- South America
1.609
the middle country, of 12 measured · 12 members
Chile1.912
Venezuela-1.144Highest and lowest reading in South America.
- Eastern Europe
1.446
the middle country, of 10 measured · 10 members
Hungary1.881Belarus-2.316Highest and lowest reading in Eastern Europe.
- Southern Africa
1.317
the middle country, of 5 measured · 5 members
Botswana1.839
Eswatini-1.432Highest and lowest reading in Southern Africa.
- Eastern Asia
1.082
the middle country, of 7 measured · 8 members
South Korea1.979North Korea-3.219Highest and lowest reading in Eastern Asia.
- South-eastern Asia
0.935
the middle country, of 10 measured · 11 members
Laos1.473
Myanmar-2.701Highest and lowest reading in South-eastern Asia.
- Western Africa
0.388
the middle country, of 16 measured · 16 members
Côte d’Ivoire1.873
Guinea-2.094Highest and lowest reading in Western Africa.
- Eastern Africa
0.057
the middle country, of 19 measured · 19 members
Zambia1.954South Sudan-2.742Highest and lowest reading in Eastern Africa.
- Middle Africa
-0.462
the middle country, of 9 measured · 9 members
São Tomé and Príncipe1.332
Chad-1.819Highest and lowest reading in Middle Africa.
- Western Asia
-0.563
the middle country, of 17 measured · 19 members
Cyprus1.962
Saudi Arabia-1.444Highest and lowest reading in Western Asia.
- Southern Asia
-0.924
the middle country, of 9 measured · 9 members
Sri Lanka1.512
Iran-2.061Highest and lowest reading in Southern Asia.
- Northern Africa
-1.199
the middle country, of 6 measured · 6 members
Tunisia1.021Sudan-3.547Highest and lowest reading in Northern Africa.
- Central Asia
-1.262
the middle country, of 5 measured · 5 members
Kyrgyzstan0.702
Turkmenistan-2.517Highest and lowest reading in Central Asia.
- Australia and New Zealand
2 of 2 measured — too few for a middle: Australia, New Zealand.
New Zealand1.901
Australia1.170Highest and lowest reading in Australia and New Zealand.
- Melanesia
4 of 5 measured — too few for a middle: Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu.
Vanuatu1.887Fiji-0.110Highest and lowest reading in Melanesia.
- Northern America
2 of 4 measured — too few for a middle: Canada, United States.
Canada1.545
United States1.025Highest and lowest reading in Northern America.
03The whole field at once
The spread
176 countries, one dot each, on one scale — further right is a higher value. Half the countries are above 1.023; a quarter are above 1.735, and a quarter below -0.610. The bar in each row marks that continent’s middle country.
04All 176 ever measured
Every country
In order, highest value first. “=” marks a position shared with another country. V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg ranks nobody on this measure; the position is derived here by ordering the published values. ⚠ Higher is better. Most countries never shut the Internet down, so readings bunch near the top and small differences there mean little; the measure speaks most clearly at the lower end. It covers shutdowns of access, not the blocking of particular sites or social media, which V-Dem measures separately.
Showing 25 of 176 countries
Values for 2025. The change column compares 2025 with 2024 only; the sparkline covers the recent editions.
052000–2025 · 26 reference years
Over time
Each point is one year from 2000, when V-Dem's questions on digital society begin, all re-estimated together in the v16 release. Shutdowns are often reported around elections, protests and conflict.
- the middle country
- the middle half of countries
- the middle of the 175 countries measured every time
- each continent’s middle country
The same, year by year
| Year | Countries | Middle country | Middle half | Measured every time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 176 | 1.023 | -0.610 – 1.735 | 1.025 |
| 2024 | 176 | 1.023 | -0.669 – 1.750 | 1.025 |
| 2023 | 176 | 1.031 | -0.577 – 1.778 | 1.038 |
| 2022 | 176 | 1.014 | -0.542 – 1.750 | 1.021 |
| 2021 | 176 | 1.021 | -0.567 – 1.759 | 1.021 |
| 2020 | 176 | 1.035 | -0.587 – 1.771 | 1.038 |
| 2019 | 176 | 1.012 | -0.410 – 1.771 | 1.021 |
| 2018 | 176 | 1.039 | -0.377 – 1.750 | 1.045 |
| 2017 | 176 | 1.027 | -0.377 – 1.759 | 1.033 |
| 2016 | 176 | 1.007 | -0.453 – 1.750 | 1.012 |
| 2015 | 176 | 1.039 | -0.338 – 1.750 | 1.045 |
| 2014 | 176 | 1.039 | -0.338 – 1.759 | 1.045 |
| 2013 | 176 | 1.060 | -0.338 – 1.759 | 1.073 |
| 2012 | 176 | 1.060 | -0.325 – 1.771 | 1.073 |
| 2011 | 176 | 1.046 | -0.422 – 1.780 | 1.047 |
| 2010 | 175 | 1.045 | -0.308 – 1.781 | 1.045 |
| 2009 | 175 | 1.045 | -0.210 – 1.800 | 1.045 |
| 2008 | 175 | 1.045 | -0.210 – 1.790 | 1.045 |
| 2007 | 175 | 1.105 | -0.158 – 1.788 | 1.105 |
| 2006 | 175 | 1.105 | -0.136 – 1.790 | 1.105 |
| 2005 | 175 | 1.113 | -0.144 – 1.795 | 1.113 |
| 2004 | 175 | 1.080 | -0.125 – 1.790 | 1.080 |
| 2003 | 175 | 1.105 | -0.125 – 1.795 | 1.105 |
| 2002 | 175 | 1.113 | -0.141 – 1.795 | 1.113 |
| 2001 | 175 | 1.113 | -0.141 – 1.790 | 1.113 |
| 2000 | 175 | 1.113 | -0.141 – 1.795 | 1.113 |
062024 → 2025
Who rose and fell
The biggest changes in value between the two newest editions — reference years recalculated in one report, not two separate publications. Places are shown second, because they also move when other countries do.
Improved most
before → after
Syria-1.623 → -0.323 · 162nd → 124th+1.300
Bangladesh-0.651 → 0.527 · 132nd → 105th+1.178- Somaliland-0.161 → 0.993 · 119th → 92nd+1.154
Mauritius-0.253 → 0.651 · 122nd → 102nd+0.904
Malawi0.916 → 1.804 · 95th → 33rd+0.888
Declined most
before → after- Kyrgyzstan1.985 → 0.702 · 3rd → 100th−1.283
Guinea-Bissau0.066 → -0.812 · 115th → 140th−0.878
Papua New Guinea1.116 → 0.303 · 83rd → 111th−0.813
Poland1.875 → 1.122 · 20th → 82nd−0.753- Australia1.831 → 1.170 · 32nd → 77th−0.661
176 countries were measured in both 2024 and 2025.
07Across every edition
Internet shutdowns in records
The extremes of the statistic. A record reached by more than one country names none of them.
Highest reading on record
2.102
Original latent estimate (≈ −4 to +2); higher = fewer shutdowns
Lowest reading on record
-3.900
Original latent estimate (≈ −4 to +2); higher = fewer shutdowns
Biggest improvement between editions
+3.054
-3.622 → -0.568
Biggest decline between editions
−5.063
1.661 → -3.402
Most improved since first measured
+3.059
-3.622 → -0.563
At the top most often
16 of 26
editions, alone at the first-listed end
08The measure
About internet shutdowns
V-Dem's measure of Internet shutdowns asks how often a government cuts off its people's access to the Internet, from never to routinely. It is an expert-coded estimate on an open-ended scale centred near zero, and a higher figure means fewer shutdowns.
What the number is: Original latent estimate (≈ −4 to +2); higher = fewer shutdowns.
What it does not measure
It covers shutdowns of access, not the blocking of particular websites or social media platforms.
09Where it fits
Connections
Its part in the Country Index, the statistics whose values line up most closely with it across countries, and others on the same subject.
In the Country Index
Context, with no vote
This statistic is published in full under Democracy & Civil Liberties and Digital & Technology, but does not help decide any Country Index standing.
Democracy & Civil LibertiesDigital & TechnologyWhich statistics vote, and why
Moves with
Where internet shutdowns is higher, these tend to be higher too.
- Voice and AccountabilityWorld Bank Group · 175 countries in commonρ 0.78
- V-Dem Electoral Democracy IndexKeyV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 176 countries in commonρ 0.77
- Liberal Democracy IndexV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 176 countries in commonρ 0.77
Moves against
Where internet shutdowns is higher, these tend to be lower.
- Political Corruption IndexV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 176 countries in commonρ −0.61
- Social Institutions and Gender IndexKeyOECD · 138 countries in commonρ −0.60
- Military Dimension IndexV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 176 countries in commonρ −0.52
Rank correlation (ρ, from −1 to 1) across countries, on each statistic’s newest edition, out of 187 statistics sharing at least 80 countries with this one. Two statistics that move together do not cause each other.
10Keep reading
Explore further
The countries at either end
More from V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg
11Questions
Internet shutdowns: questions and answers
Which country has the highest internet shutdowns?
Spain, at 2.081, among the 176 countries compared in 2025.
Which country has the lowest internet shutdowns?
Sudan, at -3.547, among the 176 countries compared in 2025.
How many countries does the Government Internet Shutdowns cover?
176 in 2025. The number measured varies from 175 to 176 between editions.
What is the world average internet shutdowns?
This site does not calculate a world average, which would depend on how countries are weighted. In the middle country of the 176 compared in 2025, the figure was 1.023.
Is this V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg’s own ranking?
No. V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg publishes the values but ranks nobody; the position on this page is derived by Nations Inquiry by ordering the published values, and equal values share a position.
How often is the Government Internet Shutdowns published?
This site holds 26 reference years, 2000–2025, all recalculated in V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg’s 2026 report on one method — not 26 separate publications.
Where does the data come from, and can I download it?
From V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, under CC BY-SA 4.0. From the V-Dem Institute's Country-Year Full+Others dataset (v16), University of Gothenburg — this indicator is not in the smaller Core file — published under CC BY-SA 4.0. The series starts in 2000, when V-Dem's questions on digital society begin. Stored as the measurement model's original estimate, not V-Dem's 0–4 rescaling. Every edition is on this site’s Datasets pages as a full table, and downloads as a CSV file with every value unrounded.
12Method
Sources, method and citation
Source
Government Internet Shutdowns — V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg
From the V-Dem Institute's Country-Year Full+Others dataset (v16), University of Gothenburg — this indicator is not in the smaller Core file — published under CC BY-SA 4.0. The series starts in 2000, when V-Dem's questions on digital society begin. Stored as the measurement model's original estimate, not V-Dem's 0–4 rescaling.
Newest edition
Report year 2025Data year 2025
Cite the source as: Coppedge, M. et al. V-Dem Country-Year Dataset v16. Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) Project, University of Gothenburg.
Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0, checked 2026-09-26.
How this page reads the numbers
- V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg ranks nobody on this measure. The position is derived by Nations Inquiry by ordering the published values; equal values share a position.
- Which end is better follows the publisher’s own reading of the measure.
- A country is named at an end only when it holds that value alone. Where several share it, the page says how many and names none first.
- Values are stored exactly as published and trimmed only for display. “The middle country” is the median of the countries measured, not a world average.
The file itself, column by column — where it came from, what each column holds, and every edition as a CSV — is on its dataset page.
Photographs
The countries at the top of this statistic, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Spain — Poco a poco derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Barbados — Berit Watkin , derivative work (crop) by Globe-trotter, CC BY 2.0
- South Korea — Unknown author, CC BY-SA 2.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Internet shutdowns by country: Government Internet Shutdowns, data from V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg. https://nationsinquiry.com/statistics/internet-shutdowns