Cancer, a term encompassing a range of diseases characterized by abnormal cell growth, remains a significant health concern globally. In varying levels, this group of diseases impacts every country on Earth, creating a significant burden on health systems and societies. In this article, we will delve deeper into the incidence rate of cancer across countries.
The data indicates that some nations bear a heavier burden than others, and patterns emerge that warrant further study. Though cancer spares no geographical location, cultural group, or socio-economic class, differences in lifestyle, genetic predispositions, and access to healthcare can profoundly influence cancer rates.
Some key findings from the data include:
The countries with the highest cancer rates in the world are Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, the United States, Denmark, Netherlands, Belgium, Canada, France, and Hungary. Australia tops the list with the highest cancer rate of 452.4 per 100,000 people. New Zealand follows with a cancer rate of 422.9 per 100,000 individuals, while Ireland's cancer rate is 372.8 per 100,000 population.
The United States ranks fourth with a cancer incidence rate of 362.2 per 100,000. Denmark follows closely with a cancer rate of 351.1 per 100,000. Netherlands and Belgium rank 6th and 7th respectively, with rates of 349.6 and 349.2. Canada reports 348.0 cases of cancer per 100,000 people, making it the 8th highest in terms of cancer rates.
France and Hungary round out the top ten, with France recording a cancer rate of 341.9 per 100,000 people and Hungary having a cancer rate of 338.2 per 100,000 individuals.
10 Countries with the Highest Cancer Rates per 100k people:
At the top of this list is Niger, with a significantly low cancer rate of 78.4 per 100,000. Niger is a West African country with a predominantly rural population that may not share the same lifestyle and diet as those in high-income countries. Similarly, Gambia comes in second with 79.5 cases per 100,000 people, reflecting a minimal cancer incidence rate among its population.
Nepal and Bhutan, both countries situated in the Himalayan region, report low rates of 80.9 and 81.9 respectively. Their traditional diets, less exposure to certain environmental factors, or potentially even underreporting due to less advanced healthcare infrastructure may contribute to these numbers.
Other countries that feature on this list with comparatively low cancer rates include the Republic of Congo (84.4), Timor Leste (89.7), and Tajikistan, also clocking in at 89.7. Djibouti's incidence rate stands at a rate of 91.0 per 100,000 people.
Lastly, both South Sudan and Sudan, despite being tormented by conflicts and economic challenges, show surprisingly low cancer rates of 94.7 and 95.7 respectively. Whether these low rates can indeed be attributed to healthier lifestyle choices, genetic factors, or, more cynically, to data insufficiencies, is a topic warranting further exploration.
Ten Countries with the Lowest Cancer Rates (Per 100k People):
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
108.8
#148
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
148.1
#99
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
135.3
#111
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
130.6
#119
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
218.2
#55
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
202.9
#63
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
452.4
#1
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
255.7
#38
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
141.8
#101
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
188.9
#71
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
112.2
#139
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
106.2
#156
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
219.2
#53
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
252.8
#39
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
349.2
#7
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
120.9
#130
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
95.8
#166
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
81.9
#173
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
137.5
#107
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
227.1
#50
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
109.5
#146
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
215.4
#59
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
247.1
#41
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
112.0
#140
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
135.5
#110
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
135.3
#113
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
127.6
#125
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
348.0
#8
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
100.4
#162
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
102.3
#160
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
180.9
#75
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
204.8
#62
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
182.3
#73
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
111.8
#141
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
188.7
#72
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
217.1
#56
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
256.7
#37
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
292.6
#22
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
102.9
#159
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
351.1
#5
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
91.0
#169
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
172.4
#79
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
154.6
#91
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
159.4
#87
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
129.6
#122
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
110.1
#145
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
100.8
#161
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
278.5
#27
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
127.9
#124
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
106.7
#154
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
169.7
#80
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
271.2
#29
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
341.9
#9
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
216.2
#57
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
240.4
#45
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
115.8
#136
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
79.5
#175
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
196.1
#68
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
313.2
#15
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
115.9
#135
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
264.7
#33
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
258.6
#36
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
178.1
#76
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
123.1
#129
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
116.6
#134
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
107.2
#153
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
141.5
#102
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
137.9
#106
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
133.7
#116
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
338.2
#10
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
265.1
#32
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
97.1
#163
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
141.1
#103
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
152.7
#95
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
134.9
#114
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
372.8
#3
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
240.7
#44
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
292.6
#21
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
198.8
#66
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
285.1
#26
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
155.3
#89
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
166.9
#82
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
149.2
#97
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
115.7
#137
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
130.6
#120
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
165.8
#83
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
301.5
#17
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
156.8
#88
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
109.0
#147
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
119.3
#132
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
132.2
#118
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
293.4
#20
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
291.9
#23
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
124.3
#127
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
154.2
#92
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
143.9
#100
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
123.7
#128
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
140.3
#105
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
244.6
#42
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
248.7
#40
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
108.6
#150
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
155.0
#90
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
140.4
#104
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
227.0
#51
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
215.6
#58
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
290.2
#24
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
148.3
#98
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
135.3
#112
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
136.8
#108
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
198.3
#67
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
80.9
#174
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
349.6
#6
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
313.7
#14
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
422.9
#2
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
135.7
#109
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
78.4
#176
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
110.4
#144
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
161.5
#86
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
220.4
#52
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
327.5
#11
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
103.8
#158
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
110.4
#143
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
151.0
#96
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
199.4
#65
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
191.0
#70
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
176.3
#77
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
162.0
#85
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
267.3
#31
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
261.8
#35
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
218.6
#54
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
107.2
#152
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
84.4
#172
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
263.1
#34
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
234.3
#47
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
113.9
#138
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
174.3
#78
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
236.4
#46
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
126.4
#126
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
96.4
#165
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
119.5
#131
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
299.2
#18
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
233.0
#48
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
296.8
#19
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
309.0
#16
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
130.4
#121
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
118.1
#133
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
209.5
#61
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
242.7
#43
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
94.7
#168
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
277.2
#28
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
105.4
#157
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
95.7
#167
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
167.5
#81
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
288.6
#25
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
317.6
#13
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
89.7
#170
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
133.7
#115
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
164.0
#84
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
89.7
#171
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
111.7
#142
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
193.9
#69
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
133.5
#117
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
231.5
#49
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
128.8
#123
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
153.8
#93
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
212.8
#60
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
106.7
#155
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
319.9
#12
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
362.2
#4
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
269.3
#30
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
108.1
#151
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
108.8
#149
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
181.1
#74
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
97.0
#164
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
153.5
#94
Metric
Value
Rank
Cancer Rate
200.4
#64
Region ↕ | Cancer Rate ↕ |
---|---|
Afghanistan | 108.8 |
Albania | 148.1 |
Algeria | 135.3 |
Angola | 130.6 |
Argentina | 218.2 |
Armenia | 202.9 |
Australia | 452.4 |
Austria | 255.7 |
Azerbaijan | 141.8 |
Bahamas | 188.9 |
Bahrain | 112.2 |
Bangladesh | 106.2 |
Barbados | 219.2 |
Belarus | 252.8 |
Belgium | 349.2 |
Belize | 120.9 |
Benin | 95.8 |
Bhutan | 81.9 |
Bolivia | 137.5 |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | 227.1 |
Botswana | 109.5 |
Brazil | 215.4 |
Bulgaria | 247.1 |
Burkina Faso | 112.0 |
Burundi | 135.5 |
Cambodia | 135.3 |
Cameroon | 127.6 |
Canada | 348.0 |
Central African Republic | 100.4 |
Chad | 102.3 |
Chile | 180.9 |
China | 204.8 |
Colombia | 182.3 |
Comoros | 111.8 |
Costa Rica | 188.7 |
Croatia | 217.1 |
Cuba | 256.7 |
Cyprus | 292.6 |
DR Congo | 102.9 |
Denmark | 351.1 |
Djibouti | 91.0 |
Dominican Republic | 172.4 |
Ecuador | 154.6 |
Egypt | 159.4 |
El Salvador | 129.6 |
Equatorial Guinea | 110.1 |
Eritrea | 100.8 |
Estonia | 278.5 |
Eswatini | 127.9 |
Ethiopia | 106.7 |
Fiji | 169.7 |
Finland | 271.2 |
France | 341.9 |
French Guiana | 216.2 |
French Polynesia | 240.4 |
Gabon | 115.8 |
Gambia | 79.5 |
Georgia | 196.1 |
Germany | 313.2 |
Ghana | 115.9 |
Greece | 264.7 |
Guadeloupe | 258.6 |
Guam | 178.1 |
Guatemala | 123.1 |
Guinea | 116.6 |
Guinea Bissau | 107.2 |
Guyana | 141.5 |
Haiti | 137.9 |
Honduras | 133.7 |
Hungary | 338.2 |
Iceland | 265.1 |
India | 97.1 |
Indonesia | 141.1 |
Iran | 152.7 |
Iraq | 134.9 |
Ireland | 372.8 |
Israel | 240.7 |
Italy | 292.6 |
Jamaica | 198.8 |
Japan | 285.1 |
Jordan | 155.3 |
Kazakhstan | 166.9 |
Kenya | 149.2 |
Kuwait | 115.7 |
Kyrgyzstan | 130.6 |
Laos | 165.8 |
Latvia | 301.5 |
Lebanon | 156.8 |
Lesotho | 109.0 |
Liberia | 119.3 |
Libya | 132.2 |
Lithuania | 293.4 |
Luxembourg | 291.9 |
Madagascar | 124.3 |
Malawi | 154.2 |
Malaysia | 143.9 |
Maldives | 123.7 |
Mali | 140.3 |
Malta | 244.6 |
Martinique | 248.7 |
Mauritania | 108.6 |
Mauritius | 155.0 |
Mexico | 140.4 |
Moldova | 227.0 |
Mongolia | 215.6 |
Montenegro | 290.2 |
Morocco | 148.3 |
Mozambique | 135.3 |
Myanmar | 136.8 |
Namibia | 198.3 |
Nepal | 80.9 |
Netherlands | 349.6 |
New Caledonia | 313.7 |
New Zealand | 422.9 |
Nicaragua | 135.7 |
Niger | 78.4 |
Nigeria | 110.4 |
North Korea | 161.5 |
North Macedonia | 220.4 |
Norway | 327.5 |
Oman | 103.8 |
Pakistan | 110.4 |
Panama | 151.0 |
Papua New Guinea | 199.4 |
Paraguay | 191.0 |
Peru | 176.3 |
Philippines | 162.0 |
Poland | 267.3 |
Portugal | 261.8 |
Puerto Rico | 218.6 |
Qatar | 107.2 |
Republic of the Congo | 84.4 |
Romania | 263.1 |
Russia | 234.3 |
Rwanda | 113.9 |
Saint Lucia | 174.3 |
Samoa | 236.4 |
Sao Tome and Principe | 126.4 |
Saudi Arabia | 96.4 |
Senegal | 119.5 |
Serbia | 299.2 |
Singapore | 233.0 |
Slovakia | 296.8 |
Slovenia | 309.0 |
Solomon Islands | 130.4 |
Somalia | 118.1 |
South Africa | 209.5 |
South Korea | 242.7 |
South Sudan | 94.7 |
Spain | 277.2 |
Sri Lanka | 105.4 |
Sudan | 95.7 |
Suriname | 167.5 |
Sweden | 288.6 |
Switzerland | 317.6 |
Tajikistan | 89.7 |
Tanzania | 133.7 |
Thailand | 164.0 |
Timor Leste | 89.7 |
Togo | 111.7 |
Trinidad and Tobago | 193.9 |
Tunisia | 133.5 |
Turkey | 231.5 |
Turkmenistan | 128.8 |
Uganda | 153.8 |
Ukraine | 212.8 |
United Arab Emirates | 106.7 |
United Kingdom | 319.9 |
United States | 362.2 |
Uruguay | 269.3 |
Uzbekistan | 108.1 |
Vanuatu | 108.8 |
Venezuela | 181.1 |
Yemen | 97.0 |
Zambia | 153.5 |
Zimbabwe | 200.4 |