Incarceration Rates By Country 2024

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

1.	United States	629
2.	Rwanda	580
3.	Turkmenistan	576
4.	El Salvador	564
5.	Cuba	510
6.	Palau	478
7.	British Virgin Islands	477
8.	Thailand	445
9.	Panama	434
10.	Saint Kitts and Nevis	423
11.	Grenada	413
12.	Bahamas	392
13.	Uruguay	383
14.	Brazil	381
15.	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	369
16.	Anguilla	367
17.	Guam	355
18.	Turkey	347
19.	Belarus	345
20.	American Samoa	345
21.	Maldives	333
22.	Nicaragua	332
23.	Russia	326
24.	Northern Mariana Islands	313
25.	Cayman Islands	312
26.	Costa Rica	298
27.	Cape Verde	296
28.	Barbados	296
29.	Namibia	295
30.	Seychelles	287
31.	Puerto Rico	278
32.	Eswatini	277
33.	Trinidad and Tobago	276
34.	Dominica	276
35.	Fiji	274
36.	Gibraltar	273
37.	Saint Lucia	268
38.	Peru	259
39.	Belize	258
40.	Georgia	253
41.	South Africa	248
42.	Argentina	243
43.	Gabon	241
44.	Dominican Republic	239
45.	Guyana	239
46.	Curacao	236
47.	Honduras	234
48.	Israel	234
49.	Bahrain	234
50.	Cambodia	233
51.	Morocco	232
52.	French Guiana	229
53.	Iran	228
54.	Macau	225
55.	Greenland	225
56.	Ecuador	224
57.	Cook Islands	224
58.	Taiwan	219
59.	Antigua and Barbuda	216
60.	Malaysia	212
61.	Chile	212
62.	Azerbaijan	210
63.	Saudi Arabia	207
64.	Paraguay	205
65.	Mauritius	205
66.	Martinique	205
67.	French Polynesia	205
68.	Samoa	202
69.	Bermuda	200
70.	Tunisia	197
71.	Colombia	193
72.	Poland	190
73.	Slovakia	189
74.	Brunei	186
75.	Singapore	185
76.	Suriname	185
77.	Lithuania	184
78.	Mongolia	183
79.	Moldova	181
80.	New Caledonia	181
81.	Albania	179
82.	Kazakhstan	177
83.	Czech Republic	177
84.	Jordan	174
85.	Hungary	172
86.	Myanmar	171
87.	Guadeloupe	170
88.	Mexico	169
89.	Estonia	168
90.	Australia	167
91.	Tonga	166
92.	Latvia	165
93.	Aruba	165
94.	New Zealand	164
95.	Botswana	162
96.	Kyrgyzstan	161
97.	Malta	159
98.	Bolivia	157
99.	Serbia	154
100.	Algeria	153
101.	Philippines	151
102.	Mayotte	151
103.	Iraq	145
104.	Bhutan	145
105.	Uganda	142
106.	Ukraine	140
107.	Nauru	140
108.	Libya	139
109.	Montenegro	139
110.	Guatemala	136
111.	Sri Lanka	135
112.	Vietnam	130
113.	Laos	130
114.	Jamaica	130
115.	Micronesia	127
116.	Isle Of Man	125
117.	Zambia	123
118.	Romania	120
119.	China
120.	France	119
121.	Egypt	118
122.	Zimbabwe	115
123.	Sao Tome and Principe	115
124.	Spain	113
125.	Venezuela	113
126.	Portugal	113
127.	Kiribati	113
128.	Kuwait	111
129.	Tuvalu	110
130.	South Korea	105
131.	Canada	104
132.	United Arab Emirates	104
133.	Greece	103
134.	North Macedonia	103
135.	Haiti	100
136.	Ethiopia	99
137.	Madagascar	99
138.	Lebanon	98
139.	Croatia	98
140.	Indonesia	97
141.	Hong Kong	96
142.	Belgium	93
143.	Bulgaria	93
144.	Lesotho	92
145.	Italy	91
146.	Austria	91
147.	Angola	89
148.	Burundi	86
149.	Luxembourg	86
150.	Vanuatu	86
151.	Nepal	85
152.	Cameroon	85
153.	Tajikistan	83
154.	Bosnia and Herzegovina	83
155.	Ivory Coast	82
156.	Kenya	81
157.	Cyprus	80
158.	Solomon Islands	79
159.	Andorra	78
160.	Afghanistan	77
161.	Ireland	75
162.	Benin	73
163.	Sweden	73
164.	Switzerland	73
165.	Denmark	72
166.	Armenia	72
167.	Malawi	71
168.	Djibouti	71
169.	Germany	70
170.	Uzbekistan	68
171.	Senegal	68
172.	Marshall Islands	66
173.	Slovenia	64
174.	Equatorial Guinea	63
175.	Syria	60
176.	Netherlands	60
177.	Chad	59
178.	Papua New Guinea	58
179.	Mozambique	57
180.	Norway	56
181.	Timor Leste	54
182.	Qatar	53
183.	Tanzania	52
184.	Sudan	52
185.	Liberia	51
186.	South Sudan	50
187.	Togo	50
188.	Finland	50
189.	Bangladesh	48
190.	Sierra Leone	47
191.	Mauritania	47
192.	Oman	45
193.	Ghana	42
194.	Niger	39
195.	Pakistan	37
196.	Japan	37
197.	Burkina Faso	37
198.	Comoros	37
199.	India	35
200.	Yemen	35
201.	Mali	34
202.	Monaco	34
203.	Nigeria	32
204.	Guinea Bissau	31
205.	Liechtenstein	31
206.	Guinea	30
207.	DR Congo	29
208.	Iceland	29
209.	Republic of the Congo	27
210.	Gambia	23
211.	Central African Republic	16

↑

Interactive Map
Behind Bars: A Look at Incarceration Rates By Country
Countries With Highest Incarceration Rate
Countries With Lowest Incarceration Rate
By Region
Table

Behind Bars: A Look at Incarceration Rates By Country

Incarceration rates are a critical measure of a nation's criminal justice system, often reflecting not just the crime levels, but also the overall social and economic health. Around the globe, countries vary tremendously in their rates of imprisonment, reflecting the nuanced interplay between policies, social dynamics, and economic realities. Using the latest data, we delve into the state of incarceration worldwide with a particular focus on the United States. The United States, known for its high incarceration rates, houses approximately 629 prisoners per 100,000 people, the highest globally. Key findings from the data include:

The United States tops the list with an incarceration rate of 629 per 100,000 population, followed by Rwanda (580), Turkmenistan (576), and El Salvador (564).
Countries in Latin America and the Caribbean also show high rates, with Cuba, Panama, and Brazil among the top 15.
European nations typically exhibit lower rates of incarceration. For instance, Ireland's rate is 75 per 100,000, considerably below the global average.
Myth-busting the notion of ‘low crime equals low incarceration rate’, some of the safest countries globally like Iceland, have a fairly high incarceration rate (29 per 100,000). This suggests that incarceration rates are influenced by various factors beyond crime rates, including justice system attributes, societal norms, demographic characteristics, and policy decisions.
The Central African Republic has the lowest observed rate, with only 16 per 100,000 people incarcerated. The incarceration rates globally tell us more than just the number of people behind bars in a given country. They provide insight into how nations approach crime, punishment, and social reform, offering a clear-cut mirror of a country's approach to social justice, law enforcement, and criminal policy. As we delve deeper into the state of incarceration worldwide, these data-driven insights are key to understanding and addressing the multi-faceted challenges of penology and criminal justice reform.

Countries With Highest Incarceration Rate

At the top of the list in incarceration rates in the world, per 100,000 population, interestingly is the United States, with a rate of 629. Following closely behind are Rwanda and Turkmenistan with rates of 580 and 576 respectively. El Salvador occupies the fourth position with a rate of 564, while Cuba features in at the fifth position with an incarceration rate of 510. Palau, with an incarceration rate of 478, and the British Virgin Islands, with a rate of 477, take the next two spots. Thailand's rate of 445 per 100,000 population puts it at the eighth position, while Panama and Saint Kitts and Nevis round out the top ten with respective rates of 434 and 423. 10 Countries with the Highest Incarceration rates are:

United States - 629 (Incarceration Rate per 100K)
Rwanda - 580 (Incarceration Rate per 100K)
Turkmenistan - 576 (Incarceration Rate per 100K)
El Salvador - 564 (Incarceration Rate per 100K)
Cuba - 510 (Incarceration Rate per 100K)
Palau - 478 (Incarceration Rate per 100K)
British Virgin Islands - 477 (Incarceration Rate per 100K)
Thailand - 445 (Incarceration Rate per 100K)
Panama - 434 (Incarceration Rate per 100K)
Saint Kitts and Nevis - 423 (Incarceration Rate per 100K)

Countries With Lowest Incarceration Rate

The ten countries with the lowest incarceration rates are Central African Republic, Gambia, Republic of Congo, Iceland, DR Congo, Guinea, Liechtenstein, Guinea-Bissau, Nigeria, and Monaco. The Central African Republic reportedly has the lowest incarceration rate of 16 per 100,000 population. Following closely is The Gambia with an incarceration rate of 23 per 100,000 individuals. The Republic of Congo has an incarceration rate of 27 per 100,000, translating to the third lowest rate worldwide. Iceland and DR Congo share the fourth place, with an incarceration rate of 29 per 100,000. Guinea follows with a rate of 30 per 100,000 individuals. Liechtenstein and Guinea-Bissau both have the same incarceration rate of 31 per 100,000 population. Nigeria showcases an incarceration rate of 32 per 100,000 people, while Monaco, despite being one of the wealthiest nations globally, has an incarceration rate of 34 per 100,000. Countries With Lowest Incarceration Rates

Central African Republic - 16 (Rate per 100k)
Gambia - 23 (Rate per 100k)
Republic of Congo - 27 (Rate per 100k)
Iceland - 29 (Rate per 100k)
DR Congo - 29 (Rate per 100k)
Guinea - 30 (Rate per 100k)
Liechtenstein - 31 (Rate per 100k)
Guinea-Bissau - 31 (Rate per 100k)
Nigeria - 32 (Rate per 100k)
Monaco - 34 (Rate per 100k)

By Region

Afghanistan

See Less

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#160

Albania

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

179

#81

Algeria

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

153

#100

American Samoa

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

345

#20

Andorra

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#159

Angola

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#147

Anguilla

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

367

#16

Antigua and Barbuda

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

216

#59

Argentina

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

243

#42

Armenia

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#166

Aruba

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

165

#93

Australia

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

167

#90

Austria

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#146

Azerbaijan

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

210

#62

Bahamas

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

392

#12

Bahrain

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

234

#49

Bangladesh

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#189

Barbados

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

296

#28

Belarus

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

345

#19

Belgium

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#142

Belize

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

258

#39

Benin

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#162

Bermuda

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

200

#69

Bhutan

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

145

#104

Bolivia

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

157

#98

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#154

Botswana

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

162

#95

Brazil

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

381

#14

British Virgin Islands

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

477

Brunei

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

186

#74

Bulgaria

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#143

Burkina Faso

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#197

Burundi

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#148

Cambodia

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

233

#50

Cameroon

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#152

Canada

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

104

#131

Cape Verde

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

296

#27

Cayman Islands

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

312

#25

Central African Republic

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#211

Chad

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#177

Chile

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

212

#61

China

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

119

#119

Colombia

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

193

#71

Comoros

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#198

Cook Islands

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

224

#57

Costa Rica

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

298

#26

Croatia

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#139

Cuba

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

510

Curacao

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

236

#46

Cyprus

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#157

Czech Republic

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

177

#83

DR Congo

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#207

Denmark

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#165

Djibouti

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#168

Dominica

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

276

#34

Dominican Republic

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

239

#44

Ecuador

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

224

#56

Egypt

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

118

#121

El Salvador

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

564

Equatorial Guinea

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#174

Estonia

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

168

#89

Eswatini

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

277

#32

Ethiopia

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#136

Fiji

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

274

#35

Finland

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#188

France

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

119

#120

French Guiana

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

229

#52

French Polynesia

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

205

#67

Gabon

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

241

#43

Gambia

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#210

Georgia

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

253

#40

Germany

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#169

Ghana

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#193

Gibraltar

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

273

#36

Greece

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

103

#133

Greenland

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

225

#55

Grenada

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

413

#11

Guadeloupe

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

170

#87

Guam

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

355

#17

Guatemala

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

136

#110

Guinea

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#206

Guinea Bissau

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#204

Guyana

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

239

#45

Haiti

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

100

#135

Honduras

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

234

#47

Hong Kong

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#141

Hungary

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

172

#85

Iceland

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#208

India

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#199

Indonesia

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#140

Iran

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

228

#53

Iraq

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

145

#103

Ireland

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#161

Isle Of Man

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

125

#116

Israel

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

234

#48

Italy

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#145

Ivory Coast

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#155

Jamaica

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

130

#114

Japan

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#196

Jordan

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

174

#84

Kazakhstan

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

177

#82

Kenya

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#156

Kiribati

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

113

#127

Kuwait

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

111

#128

Kyrgyzstan

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

161

#96

Laos

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

130

#113

Latvia

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

165

#92

Lebanon

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#138

Lesotho

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#144

Liberia

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#185

Libya

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

139

#108

Liechtenstein

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#205

Lithuania

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

184

#77

Luxembourg

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#149

Macau

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

225

#54

Madagascar

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#137

Malawi

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#167

Malaysia

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

212

#60

Maldives

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

333

#21

Mali

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#201

Malta

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

159

#97

Marshall Islands

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#172

Martinique

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

205

#66

Mauritania

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#191

Mauritius

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

205

#65

Mayotte

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

151

#102

Mexico

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

169

#88

Micronesia

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

127

#115

Moldova

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

181

#79

Monaco

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#202

Mongolia

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

183

#78

Montenegro

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

139

#109

Morocco

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

232

#51

Mozambique

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#179

Myanmar

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

171

#86

Namibia

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

295

#29

Nauru

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

140

#107

Nepal

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#151

Netherlands

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#176

New Caledonia

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

181

#80

New Zealand

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

164

#94

Nicaragua

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

332

#22

Niger

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#194

Nigeria

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#203

North Macedonia

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

103

#134

Northern Mariana Islands

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

313

#24

Norway

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#180

Oman

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#192

Pakistan

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#195

Palau

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

478

Panama

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

434

Papua New Guinea

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#178

Paraguay

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

205

#64

Peru

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

259

#38

Philippines

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

151

#101

Poland

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

190

#72

Portugal

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

113

#126

Puerto Rico

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

278

#31

Qatar

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#182

Republic of the Congo

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#209

Romania

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

120

#118

Russia

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

326

#23

Rwanda

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

580

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

423

#10

Saint Lucia

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

268

#37

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

369

#15

Samoa

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

202

#68

Sao Tome and Principe

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

115

#123

Saudi Arabia

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

207

#63

Senegal

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#171

Serbia

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

154

#99

Seychelles

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

287

#30

Sierra Leone

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#190

Singapore

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

185

#75

Slovakia

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

189

#73

Slovenia

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#173

Solomon Islands

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#158

South Africa

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

248

#41

South Korea

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

105

#130

South Sudan

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#186

Spain

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

113

#124

Sri Lanka

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

135

#111

Sudan

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#184

Suriname

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

185

#76

Sweden

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#163

Switzerland

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#164

Syria

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#175

Taiwan

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

219

#58

Tajikistan

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#153

Tanzania

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#183

Thailand

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

445

Timor Leste

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#181

Togo

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#187

Tonga

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

166

#91

Trinidad and Tobago

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

276

#33

Tunisia

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

197

#70

Turkey

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

347

#18

Turkmenistan

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

576

Tuvalu

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

110

#129

Uganda

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

142

#105

Ukraine

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

140

#106

United Arab Emirates

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

104

#132

United States

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

629

Uruguay

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

383

#13

Uzbekistan

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#170

Vanuatu

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#150

Venezuela

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

113

#125

Vietnam

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

130

#112

Yemen

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

#200

Zambia

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

123

#117

Zimbabwe

Metric

Value

Rank

Incarceration Rate (per 100K)

115

#122

Table

Region ↕	Incarceration Rate (per 100K) ↕
Afghanistan	77
Albania	179
Algeria	153
American Samoa	345
Andorra	78
Angola	89
Anguilla	367
Antigua and Barbuda	216
Argentina	243
Armenia	72
Aruba	165
Australia	167
Austria	91
Azerbaijan	210
Bahamas	392
Bahrain	234
Bangladesh	48
Barbados	296
Belarus	345
Belgium	93
Belize	258
Benin	73
Bermuda	200
Bhutan	145
Bolivia	157
Bosnia and Herzegovina	83
Botswana	162
Brazil	381
British Virgin Islands	477
Brunei	186
Bulgaria	93
Burkina Faso	37
Burundi	86
Cambodia	233
Cameroon	85
Canada	104
Cape Verde	296
Cayman Islands	312
Central African Republic	16
Chad	59
Chile	212
China	119
Colombia	193
Comoros	37
Cook Islands	224
Costa Rica	298
Croatia	98
Cuba	510
Curacao	236
Cyprus	80
Czech Republic	177
DR Congo	29
Denmark	72
Djibouti	71
Dominica	276
Dominican Republic	239
Ecuador	224
Egypt	118
El Salvador	564
Equatorial Guinea	63
Estonia	168
Eswatini	277
Ethiopia	99
Fiji	274
Finland	50
France	119
French Guiana	229
French Polynesia	205
Gabon	241
Gambia	23
Georgia	253
Germany	70
Ghana	42
Gibraltar	273
Greece	103
Greenland	225
Grenada	413
Guadeloupe	170
Guam	355
Guatemala	136
Guinea	30
Guinea Bissau	31
Guyana	239
Haiti	100
Honduras	234
Hong Kong	96
Hungary	172
Iceland	29
India	35
Indonesia	97
Iran	228
Iraq	145
Ireland	75
Isle Of Man	125
Israel	234
Italy	91
Ivory Coast	82
Jamaica	130
Japan	37
Jordan	174
Kazakhstan	177
Kenya	81
Kiribati	113
Kuwait	111
Kyrgyzstan	161
Laos	130
Latvia	165
Lebanon	98
Lesotho	92
Liberia	51
Libya	139
Liechtenstein	31
Lithuania	184
Luxembourg	86
Macau	225
Madagascar	99
Malawi	71
Malaysia	212
Maldives	333
Mali	34
Malta	159
Marshall Islands	66
Martinique	205
Mauritania	47
Mauritius	205
Mayotte	151
Mexico	169
Micronesia	127
Moldova	181
Monaco	34
Mongolia	183
Montenegro	139
Morocco	232
Mozambique	57
Myanmar	171
Namibia	295
Nauru	140
Nepal	85
Netherlands	60
New Caledonia	181
New Zealand	164
Nicaragua	332
Niger	39
Nigeria	32
North Macedonia	103
Northern Mariana Islands	313
Norway	56
Oman	45
Pakistan	37
Palau	478
Panama	434
Papua New Guinea	58
Paraguay	205
Peru	259
Philippines	151
Poland	190
Portugal	113
Puerto Rico	278
Qatar	53
Republic of the Congo	27
Romania	120
Russia	326
Rwanda	580
Saint Kitts and Nevis	423
Saint Lucia	268
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	369
Samoa	202
Sao Tome and Principe	115
Saudi Arabia	207
Senegal	68
Serbia	154
Seychelles	287
Sierra Leone	47
Singapore	185
Slovakia	189
Slovenia	64
Solomon Islands	79
South Africa	248
South Korea	105
South Sudan	50
Spain	113
Sri Lanka	135
Sudan	52
Suriname	185
Sweden	73
Switzerland	73
Syria	60
Taiwan	219
Tajikistan	83
Tanzania	52
Thailand	445
Timor Leste	54
Togo	50
Tonga	166
Trinidad and Tobago	276
Tunisia	197
Turkey	347
Turkmenistan	576
Tuvalu	110
Uganda	142
Ukraine	140
United Arab Emirates	104
United States	629
Uruguay	383
Uzbekistan	68
Vanuatu	86
Venezuela	113
Vietnam	130
Yemen	35
Zambia	123
Zimbabwe	115

Incarceration Rates By Country

Table of Contents

Behind Bars: A Look at Incarceration Rates By Country

Countries With Highest Incarceration Rate

Countries With Lowest Incarceration Rate

By Region

Afghanistan

Albania

Algeria

American Samoa

Andorra

Angola

Anguilla

Antigua and Barbuda

Argentina

Armenia

Aruba

Australia

Austria

Azerbaijan

Bahamas

Bahrain

Bangladesh

Barbados

Belarus

Belgium

Belize

Benin

Bermuda

Bhutan

Bolivia

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Botswana

Brazil

British Virgin Islands

Brunei

Bulgaria

Burkina Faso

Burundi

Cambodia

Cameroon

Canada

Cape Verde

Cayman Islands

Central African Republic

Chad

Chile

China

Colombia

Comoros

Cook Islands

Costa Rica

Croatia

Cuba

Curacao

Cyprus

Czech Republic

DR Congo

Denmark

Djibouti

Dominica

Dominican Republic

Ecuador

Egypt

El Salvador

Equatorial Guinea

Estonia

Eswatini

Ethiopia

Fiji

Finland

France

French Guiana

French Polynesia

Gabon

Gambia

Georgia

Germany

Ghana

Gibraltar