List of countries by intentional homicide rate explained

The list of countries by homicide rate is derived from United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) data, and is expressed in number of deaths per 100,000 population per year. For example, a homicide rate of 30 out of 100,000 is presented in the table as "30", and corresponds to 0.03% of the population dying by homicide.^{[1] [2] [3]} The reliability of underlying national murder rate data may vary.^[4] Only UNODC-vetted data is used in the main table to maintain consistency.^[1] In some cases, it may not be as up to date as other sources.

Homicide rates may be under-reported for political reasons.^{[5] [6]}

A study undertaken by the Geneva Declaration on Armed Violence and Development estimated that there were approximately 490,000 intentional homicides globally in 2004, for a rate of 7.6 per 100,000.^[7] UNODC calculated a global estimated rate of 6.9 per 100,000 in 2010;^[8] 6.2 per 100,000 in 2012;^[9] 6.1 per 100,000 in 2017; and a rate of 5.61 per 100,000 for 2022. ^[10]

Definition

Intentional homicide is defined by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in its Global Study on Homicide report thus:Though some discrepancies exist in how specific categories of intentional killings are classified, the definitions used by countries to record data are generally close to the UNODC definition, making the homicide rates highly comparable at the international level. UNODC uses the homicide rate as a proxy for overall violence, as this type of crime is one of the most accurately reported and internationally comparable indicators.^[10]

Figures from the Global Study on Homicide are based on the UNODC Homicide Statistics dataset, which is derived from the criminal justice or public health systems of a variety of countries and territories.^[10] The homicide rates derived from criminal justice data (typically recorded by police authorities) and the public health system data (recorded when the cause of death is established) may diverge substantially for some countries. The two sources usually match in the Americas, Europe and Oceania, but there are large discrepancies for the three African countries reporting both sources. For the 70 countries in which neither source was made available, figures were derived from WHO statistical models.

Deaths resulting from an armed conflict between states are never included in the count. Killings caused by a non-international armed conflict may or may not be included, depending on the intensity of hostilities and whether it is classified as 'civil unrest' or a clash between organized armed groups.

UNODC's global study

All data in this section comes from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) website.^[1]

By region

UNODC 2023 murder counts and rates (per 100,000). Gender is for the victim.^[11]

Region	Overall	Rate. Female	Rate. Male	Counts
Africa		3.97	17.19	156,503
Americas		3.40	25.52	149,654
Asia		1.40	2.66	97,495
Europe		1.13	3.14	15,643
Oceania		1.92	3.97	1,342
World		2.11	8.25	420,638

Rates vary widely within regions. See info on secondary sorting within regions and subregions below.

By country, region, or dependent territory

The regions and subregions in the table are based on the United Nations geoscheme since the table sources are United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reports. The U.N. recognizes that variability in the quality and integrity of data provided by certain countries may minimize country murder rates.^[2] Go to the more detailed country info in the references, and the country links in the table for more info.

Table has a total yearly count of homicides for each country. Rates are calculated per 100,000 inhabitants. Rates are to the 3rd decimal place in order to separate countries with low homicide rates.

• Note: When the regions or subregions are sorted the countries are also alphabetically sorted within those regions or subregions. Then shift-click rate or count column heads to secondarily sort countries by rates or counts within the regions or subregions previously sorted.
• Note: Table last fully updated from data retrieved 24 November 2024 from UNODC. Individual countries updated since then.^[1]
• Note: Only UNODC-vetted data is used in the table.
• Asterisk (*) in Location column indicates a Crime in LOCATION article.

Intentional homicide counts, and rates per 100,000 inhabitants.

Location	Rate	Count	Year
	4.022	1,613	2021		Southern Asia
	1.387	39	2023		Southern Europe
	1.161	536	2023		Northern Africa
	0	0	2019		Polynesia
	2.574	2	2020	Europe	Southern Europe
	4.102	1,196	2016	Africa	Sub-Saharan Africa
	28.328	4	2014		Latin America and the Caribbean
	10.665	10	2022	Americas	Latin America and the Caribbean
	4.309	1,961	2022	Americas	Latin America and the Caribbean
	2.186	61	2021	Asia	Western Asia
	1.931	2	2014	Americas	Latin America and the Caribbean
	0.854	226	2023	Oceania	Australia and New Zealand
	0.876	80	2023	Europe	Western Europe
	2.365	245	2022	Asia	Western Asia
	31.221	128	2022	Americas	Latin America and the Caribbean
	0.204	3	2022	Asia	Western Asia
	2.340	3,830	2018	Asia	Southern Asia
	15.268	43	2022	Americas	Latin America and the Caribbean
	2.326	225	2019	Europe	Eastern Europe
	1.077	125	2021	Europe	Western Europe
	27.882	113	2022	Americas	Latin America and the Caribbean
	6.183	4	2023	Americas	Northern America
	2.460	19	2020	Asia	Southern Asia
	4.369	535	2023	Americas	Latin America and the Caribbean
	1.224	39	2023	Europe	Southern Europe
	10.547	273	2021	Africa	Sub-Saharan Africa
	20.606	44,367	2022	Americas	Latin America and the Caribbean
	8.223	2	2006	Americas	Latin America and the Caribbean
	0.486	2	2013	Asia	South-eastern Asia
	1.088	74	2023	Europe	Eastern Europe
	5.824	635	2016	Africa	Sub-Saharan Africa
	6.179	36	2020	Africa	Sub-Saharan Africa
	1.839	268	2011	Asia	South-eastern Asia
	4.537	1,202	2020	Africa	Sub-Saharan Africa
	2.273	874	2022	Americas	Northern America
	4.457	3	2020	Americas	Latin America and the Caribbean
	6.744	1,322	2022	Americas	Latin America and the Caribbean
	0.502	7,157	2020	Asia	Eastern Asia
	25.269	13,108	2022	Americas	Latin America and the Caribbean
	3.490	1	2012	Oceania	Polynesia
	17.745	906	2023	Americas	Latin America and the Caribbean
	0.769	31	2022	Europe	Southern Europe
	4.418	500	2019	Americas	Latin America and the Caribbean
	17.092	26	2007	Americas	Latin America and the Caribbean
	0.817	11	2023	Asia	Western Asia
	0.768	83	2023	Europe	Eastern Europe
	0.986	58	2022	Europe	Northern Europe
	26.121	19	2022	Americas	Latin America and the Caribbean
	12.370	1,389	2022	Americas	Latin America and the Caribbean
	4.064	49	2015	Asia	South-eastern Asia
	45.723	8,221	2023	Americas	Latin America and the Caribbean
	1.336	1,360	2017	Africa	Northern Africa
	7.828	496	2022	Americas	Latin America and the Caribbean
	14.573	474	2012	Africa	Sub-Saharan Africa
	1.536	21	2023	Europe	Northern Europe
	12.665	151	2021	Africa	Sub-Saharan Africa
	8.632	8,153	2012	Africa	Sub-Saharan Africa
	2.173	20	2020	Oceania	Melanesia
	0.982	55	2023	Europe	Northern Europe
	1.335	887	2023	Europe	Western Europe
	13.300	39	2020	Americas	Latin America and the Caribbean
	0.354	1	2009	Oceania	Polynesia
	2.042	77	2019	Asia	Western Asia
	0.823	686	2022	Europe	Western Europe
	1.813	607	2022	Africa	Sub-Saharan Africa
	3.199	1	2010	Europe	Southern Europe
	0.840	86	2023	Europe	Southern Europe
	5.365	3	2016	Americas	Northern America
	6.378	8	2022	Americas	Latin America and the Caribbean
	5.781	23	2016	Americas	Latin America and the Caribbean
	4.151	7	2019	Oceania	Micronesia
	19.990	3,520	2021	Americas	Latin America and the Caribbean
	1.117	21	2017	Africa	Sub-Saharan Africa
	16.198	131	2022	Americas	Latin America and the Caribbean
	41.152	4,789	2023	Americas	Latin America and the Caribbean
	0	0	2023	Europe	Southern Europe
	31.442	3,347	2023	Americas	Latin America and the Caribbean
	0.401	30	2022	Asia	Eastern Asia
	0.774	75	2023	Europe	Eastern Europe
	1.073	4	2022	Europe	Northern Europe
	2.832	40,130	2022	Asia	Southern Asia
	0.307	847	2022	Asia	South-eastern Asia
	2.421	1,936	2014	Asia	Southern Asia
	9.410	3,339	2013	Asia	Western Asia
(Central Iraq)	15.397	5,459	2021	Asia	Western Asia
(Kurdistan Region)	2.246	111	2013	Asia	Western Asia
	0.654	34	2023	Europe	Northern Europe
	0	0	2016	Europe	Northern Europe
	1.626	147	2022	Asia	Western Asia
	0.545	322	2022	Europe	Southern Europe
	49.299	1,400	2023	Americas	Latin America and the Caribbean
	0.233	289	2022	Asia	Eastern Asia
	0.988	113	2023	Asia	Western Asia
	2.634	511	2022	Asia	Central Asia
	4.892	2,643	2022	Africa	Sub-Saharan Africa
	7.167	8	2012	Oceania	Micronesia
	1.986	33	2021	Europe	Southern Europe
	0.252	11	2020	Asia	Western Asia
	2.497	47	2023	Europe	Northern Europe
	2.260	128	2020	Asia	Western Asia
	37.694	752	2008	Africa	Sub-Saharan Africa
	3.117	135	2012	Africa	Sub-Saharan Africa
	5.123	2	2021	Europe	Western Europe
	2.628	75	2023	Europe	Northern Europe
	1.544	10	2022	Europe	Western Europe
	0.568	4	2023	Asia	Eastern Asia
	1.791	279	2012	Africa	Sub-Saharan Africa
	0.724	243	2021	Asia	South-eastern Asia
	0.595	3	2019	Asia	Southern Asia
	0.563	3	2023	Europe	Southern Europe
	4.013	2	1994	Oceania	Micronesia
	2.790	11	2009	Americas	Latin America and the Caribbean
	1.023	46	2020	Africa	Sub-Saharan Africa
	2.232	29	2022	Africa	Sub-Saharan Africa
	5.816	12	2009	Africa	Sub-Saharan Africa
	24.859	32,252	2023	Americas	Latin America and the Caribbean
	0.898	1	2019	Oceania	Micronesia
	0	0	2008	Europe	Western Europe
	5.915	203	2023	Asia	Eastern Asia
	0.789	5	2023	Europe	Southern Europe
	0	0	2018	Americas	Latin America and the Caribbean
	1.705	643	2023	Africa	Northern Africa
	3.573	849	2011	Africa	Sub-Saharan Africa
	3.872	2,098	2022	Asia	South-eastern Asia
	12.450	315	2021	Africa	Sub-Saharan Africa
	2.102	617	2020	Asia	Southern Asia
	0.691	125	2023	Europe	Western Europe
	3.113	8	2009	Oceania	Melanesia
	1.111	57	2021	Oceania	Australia and New Zealand
	11.006	754	2021	Americas	Latin America and the Caribbean
	4.389	788	2012	Africa	Sub-Saharan Africa
	21.741	44,200	2019	Africa	Sub-Saharan Africa
	1.529	28	2023	Europe	Southern Europe
	1.413	27	2022	Europe	Northern Europe
	0.725	40	2023	Europe	Northern Europe
	0.139	7	2023	Asia	Western Asia
	4.335	10,729	2023	Asia	Southern Asia
	11.195	2	2018	Oceania	Micronesia
	1.410	74	2022	Asia	Western Asia
	11.319	499	2022	Americas	Latin America and the Caribbean
	9.402	713	2010	Oceania	Melanesia
	6.961	472	2022	Americas	Latin America and the Caribbean
	8.462	2,853	2021	Americas	Latin America and the Caribbean
	4.316	4,764	2019	Asia	South-eastern Asia
	0.802	311	2023	Europe	Eastern Europe
	0.797	82	2021	Europe	Southern Europe
	14.312	464	2023	Americas	Latin America and the Caribbean
	0.074	2	2022	Asia	Western Asia
	0.531	275	2022	Asia	Eastern Asia
	2.543	78	2023	Europe	Eastern Europe
	1.699	15	2009	Africa	Sub-Saharan Africa
	1.109	212	2023	Europe	Eastern Europe
	6.799	9,866	2021	Europe	Eastern Europe
	3.590	472	2020	Africa	Sub-Saharan Africa
	0	0	2009	Africa	Sub-Saharan Africa
	23.081	11	2022	Americas	Latin America and the Caribbean
	36.696	66	2022	Americas	Latin America and the Caribbean
	28.727	10	2016	Americas	Latin America and the Caribbean
	16.518	1	2009	Americas	Northern America
	40.405	42	2022	Americas	Latin America and the Caribbean
	6.199	13	2018	Oceania	Polynesia
	0	0	2011	Europe	Southern Europe
	3.225	6	2011	Africa	Sub-Saharan Africa
	0.795	285	2019	Asia	Western Asia
	0.967	53	2021	Europe	Northern Europe
	1.314	89	2023	Europe	Southern Europe
	9.335	10	2022	Africa	Sub-Saharan Africa
	2.137	176	2020	Africa	Sub-Saharan Africa
	0.069	4	2023	Asia	South-eastern Asia
	1.124	62	2023	Europe	Eastern Europe
	0.566	12	2023	Europe	Southern Europe
	3.682	19	2008	Oceania	Melanesia
	45.534	27,272	2022	Africa	Sub-Saharan Africa
	14.054	1,504	2012	Africa	Sub-Saharan Africa
	0.691	331	2023	Europe	Southern Europe
	3.427	742	2019	Asia	Southern Asia
	7.281	45	2022	Americas	Latin America and the Caribbean
	1.147	121	2023	Europe	Northern Europe
	0.597	53	2023	Europe	Western Europe
	2.073	463	2010	Asia	Western Asia
	0.912	87	2020	Asia	Central Asia
	3.705	2,286	2020	Africa	Sub-Saharan Africa
	4.813	3,307	2011	Asia	South-eastern Asia
	0.953	1	2019	Oceania	Polynesia
	39.516	605	2022	Americas	Latin America and the Caribbean
	4.621	562	2020	Africa	Northern Africa
	3.228	2,817	2023	Asia	Western Asia
	1.093	63	2015	Asia	Central Asia
	76.582	35	2022	Americas	Latin America and the Caribbean
	0	0	2019	Oceania	Polynesia
	8.768	4,143	2022	Africa	Sub-Saharan Africa
	3.843	1,673	2021	Europe	Eastern Europe
	0.752	71	2022	Asia	Western Asia
	1.148	684	2021	Europe	Northern Europe
	5.763	19,796	2023	Americas	Northern America
	49.631	52	2012	Americas	Latin America and the Caribbean
	11.190	383	2022	Americas	Latin America and the Caribbean
	1.405	479	2021	Asia	Central Asia
	0.321	1	2020	Oceania	Melanesia
	12.607	3,568	2022	Americas	Latin America and the Caribbean
	1.537	1,358	2011	Asia	South-eastern Asia
	6.311	1,703	2013	Asia	Western Asia
	5.250	853	2015	Africa	Sub-Saharan Africa
	0.514	84	2023	Africa	Sub-Saharan Africa

Other multi-country studies

A 2020 study by InSight Crime found that Jamaica had the highest homicide rate in Latin America and the Caribbean, while Venezuela had the second highest rate.^[12]

Sources

• Book: Global Study on Homicide 2013: Trends, Contexts, Data. March 2014. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Vienna. 9789210542050. . Look for page numbers on the bottom of pages, and ignore the incorrect page numbers provided by your PDF reader.

Further reading

• The Homicide Monitor map. Made by Brazil-based think tank, The Igarapé Institute.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Intentional Homicide . dataunodc.un.org . United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Table by country. Some have 2023 data. Can select countries, regions, years, gender, mechanisms, relationship, and more. Use fit-to-page button at bottom to see everything. Use dataset link to get all the data with higher accuracy. Table last fully updated from dataset retrieved 24 November 2024. Individual countries updated since then.
2. Web site: Victims of Intentional Homicide: 2018 . UNODC. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Map and table of rates and counts. Pick a country (or countries) in the sidebar "Country" dropdown menu. Then pick a year (1990-2018). Click that country on the map to see a timeline graph of homicide rates. Below the map see a timeline table of the rates and counts for that country or countries. There is a "Bulk data download" link at top right (hover to see name). May need to click twice to download.
3. Web site: Homicide rate dataUNODC . United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Timeline graph of "Victims of intentional homicide 1990-2018". Can select a country and a region. Table below graph shows data 1990-2018. Download link icon below table offers multiple formats just for selected country and region. Click "bulk data download" link icon twice at top of page to get Excel file that covers years 1990-2018 for all countries.
4. Web site: Homicide statistics, research paper 99/56 . Richards . Patsy . 27 May 1999 . House of Commons of the United Kingdom library, Social and general statistics section . London, UK. See page 7 for section called "Definition of the offence of homicide". See page 29 for table of nations and homicide rates for the years 1994–97. It also has further info on how homicide is defined across countries.
5. Book: Fry, Don. . Believing the news . 978-0-935742-11-4 . 1985 . Poynter Institute for Media Studies . registration .
6. Book: Vizzard, William J. . Shots in the dark . 978-0-8476-9560-7. 2000 . Rowman & Littlefield .
7. Book: Global Burden of Armed Violence Report . Geneva Declaration Secretariat . September 2008 . Geneva, Switzerland . report . 978-2-8288-0101-4 . 67ff . data from 2004-2007. . The Geneva Declaration on Armed Violence and Development.
8. http://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/statistics/Homicide/Globa_study_on_homicide_2011_web.pdf 2011 Global Study on Homicide: Trends, Contexts, Data
9. http://www.unodc.org/documents/gsh/data/GSH2013_Homicide_count_and_rate.xlsx Intentional homicide count and rate per 100,000 population, by country/territory (2000–2012)
10. https://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/gsh/Booklet2.pdf Global Study on Homicide 2019. Booklet 2
11. Web site: Victims of intentional homicide - Regional Estimate . dataunodc.un.org . United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Choose regions, years, counts, rates, gender.
12. Web site: InSight Crime's 2020 Homicide Round-Up. 29 January 2021.