The number of people worldwide with access to free and independent media declined to its lowest level in over a decade, according to Freedom in the World 2011, the findings of which have been released today in conjunction with UNESCO’s World Press Freedom Day.

The report, Freedom of the Press 2011: A Global Survey of Media Independence, found that a number of key countries—including Egypt, Honduras, Hungary, Mexico, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey, and Ukraine—experienced significant declines.

Of the 196 countries and territories assessed during 2010, a total of 68 (35 percent) were rated Free, 65 (33 percent) were rated Partly Free, and 63 (32 percent) were rated Not Free.

Macedonia this year is also rated Partly Free sharing 96th place with Bosnia and Herzegovina. Of Balkan countries, Slovenia is placed 48th, Greece is 65th, Serbia 72nd, Bulgaria 77th, Montenegro 80th, Croatia 85th, Albania 102nd, Kosovo 104th and Turkey is 112th.

Finland, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway and Sweden topped the list with the most free press. The world’s 10 worst-rated countries are Belarus, Burma, Cuba, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.