Samoa scores 82.2/100 on the 2023 RSF World Press Freedom Index, ranking #19 globally. Freedom House rates it Free (84/100). Context: pop 203K, GDP $850.7M.
2023 Press Freedom Scorecard
Overall score and global position
In the 2023 World Press Freedom Index, Samoa scores 82.15 out of 100 and ranks #19 globally — a broadly open press environment. Of the 25 Freedom House indicators, Samoa earns 9 at the maximum 4/4 and 0 at 0/4; its strongest category is Associational Rights (12/12) and its weakest is Personal Autonomy (12/16).
82.2 / 100
Composite index comparison
Press freedom score — higher is freer.
Elections, political pluralism, government functioning.
Freedom of expression, association, rule of law, personal autonomy.
Five-year RSF trend
Over 2019–2023, Samoa moved from 81.75 to 82.15 on the RSF scale (a gain of 0.40 points). The lowest recorded score was 71.39 and the highest was 82.15.
Year-over-year RSF movement
Samoa's biggest single-year RSF movement in the 2019–2023 window was a gain of 10.76 points between 2022 (71.39) and 2023 (82.15).
| Years | From | To | Δ score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 → 2020 | 81.75 | 81.75 | ▲ 0.00 |
| 2020 → 2021 | 81.75 | 80.76 | ▼ -0.99 |
| 2021 → 2022 | 80.76 | 71.39 | ▼ -9.37 |
| 2022 → 2023 | 71.39 | 82.15 | ▲ 10.76 |
Full socio-economic dashboard
Demographics & geography
Economy & labour
Health
Education
Administration
All socio-economic indicators from the World Bank country dataset (2023 snapshot).
Democratic Rights & Civil Liberties
Freedom status explained
Freedom House classifies Samoa as Free with a 2024 aggregate score of 84/100 — meaning national institutions reliably protect political rights and civil liberties.
Within Freedom House's Asia region (43 countries), Samoa ranks #11 on the latest aggregate score — the 76th percentile. The region leaders are New Zealand, Japan, Australia.
Political Rights vs Civil Liberties
Rating 2 of 7 (1 = best)
Rating 2 of 7 (1 = best)
Civil liberties are rated higher than political rights — everyday freedoms are better protected than the formal political framework (elections, pluralism, government functioning).
Twelve-year Freedom House trend
Between 2013 and 2024, Freedom House moved Samoa from Free (Free, 81/100) to Free (Free, 84/100).
Indicator trajectory (A–G over 12 years)
Of the 25 Freedom House indicators tracked for Samoa, 6 moved at least one point across the available Freedom House history. The eight with the largest absolute change appear below.
| Code | Indicator | Earliest | Latest | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B1 | Right to organise in political parties | 3/4 (2013) | 4/4 (2024) | ▲ +1 |
| C1 | Elected officials govern | 4/4 (2013) | 3/4 (2024) | ▼ -1 |
| E2 | NGO freedom | 3/4 (2013) | 4/4 (2024) | ▲ +1 |
| E3 | Trade union freedom | 3/4 (2013) | 4/4 (2024) | ▲ +1 |
| F1 | Independent judiciary | 3/4 (2013) | 4/4 (2024) | ▲ +1 |
| B2 | Opposition can gain power | 4/4 (2013) | 4/4 (2024) | • 0 |
Latest A–G indicator scorecard
Electoral Process
PR
-
A1Free and fair head-of-government elections
3/4
-
A2Free and fair legislative elections
3/4
-
A3Electoral laws and framework
3/4
Political Pluralism & Participation
PR
-
B1Right to organise in political parties
4/4
-
B2Opposition can realistically gain power
4/4
-
B3Free political choice without domination
3/4
-
B4Political rights of minorities
3/4
Functioning of Government
PR
-
C1Elected officials determine government policy
3/4
-
C2Safeguards against corruption
3/4
-
C3Transparency of government
3/4
Freedom of Expression & Belief
CL
-
D1Free and independent media
3/4
-
D2Freedom of religious expression
3/4
-
D3Academic freedom
4/4
-
D4Free private discussion
4/4
Associational & Organisational Rights
CL
-
E1Freedom of assembly
4/4
-
E2Freedom for NGOs
4/4
-
E3Free trade unions
4/4
Rule of Law
CL
-
F1Independent judiciary
4/4
-
F2Due process in civil and criminal matters
3/4
-
F3Protection from illegitimate force
4/4
-
F4Equal treatment under the law
3/4
Personal Autonomy & Individual Rights
CL
-
G1Freedom of movement
3/4
-
G2Property rights
3/4
-
G3Personal social freedoms
3/4
-
G4Equality of opportunity
3/4
Each indicator is scored 0–4 by Freedom House analysts; category subtotals combine into the Political Rights (A + B + C = 0–40) and Civil Liberties (D + E + F + G = 0–60) aggregates shown above. 2024 edition.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Samoa see its biggest RSF press-freedom change?
The sharpest single-year shift was an improvement of 10.76 points between 2022 (71.39) and 2023 (82.15) on the RSF index.
Which Freedom House indicator moved most in Samoa?
Indicator B1 (Right to organise in political parties) changed by +1 points, moving from 3/4 to 4/4 across the available history — the biggest indicator-level movement of the 25 Freedom House sub-scores for Samoa.
How does Samoa rank within its Freedom House region?
Samoa holds position #11 of 43 in the Asia region on the latest Freedom House aggregate score. The region's top country is New Zealand (99/100).
What is Samoa's economic context for its press freedom score?
Samoa has a GDP of $850.7M across a population of 203K, giving a per-capita GDP of about $4,201. Its capital is Apia; the official language is Samoan.