Top Five Most Censored Countries in the World

Europeans often complain about how American television and media is so censored, how we fluff up stories and leave out the gore. Our media might be more controlled than theirs, but there are many other countries in the world where the governments have total control over what is censored and what is not. Information does not pass through the cracks in these countries and journalists have it really hard. The following are the Top 5 Most Censored Countries in the World.

Libya - This Arab country has the strictest control on media in all of the Middle East, thanks to Colonel Quddafi. The government coordinates and prints all of the news in your hands and on television and while the Internet is allowed to be used, journalists steer clear of opening up about their views. Anything critical of the government is sure to get burned, along with the person who wrote it.

Equatorial Guinea -The only Spanish-speaking country in Africa does not tolerate private newspapers and all media is state-run. An anti-government newspaper based out of Spain critiques the state-run media system saying that it acts in service of the political dictatorship. Bookstores and newsstands do not exist in Equatorial Guinea and visas are denied to tourists without explanations.

Turkmenistan - In this Central Asian nation, Nazi-esque posters of the dictator Niyazov line the streets, successfully showing off the cult-like following he has created in Turkmenistan. Every day, the front page of the Turkmen news has to be approved by Niyazov, always with a picture of him prominently situated next to the dailies. In 2005, the government closed down all libraries, except one holding a collection of books on Niyazov. Any critique of Niyazov or his government is punishable.

Burma - With only three television channels, the military junta in this country keeps tight control over everything their citizens learn or hear of through the media. Burma's main internet service provider was recently taken over by the leader Shwe and his junta and arrests have been made for listening to the BBC Radio while in public.

North Korea - The biggest information void in the world lies in the impenetrable Asian country of North Korea. All radios are locked into government frequencies and incidents regarding famine, poverty, and murders are never reported. The newspapers extol Kim Jong Il. In this authoritarian communist state, cell phones are banned as well as the internet, only allowing certain elite members access through satellite connection. As no information enters or leaves through North Korea, it can be said that it is the most secluded country in the world in terms of outside knowledge and international interaction. The bubble Kim Jong Il has created allows him to manipulate the minds of Koreans and right down to their daily lives. With this, North Korea earns the spot of the most censored country in the world.