In a world of social complexities and varying cultures, understanding the concept of crime, specifically murder, becomes all the more relevant. The murder rate, reflective of a nation's overall safety, is a critical data point. The murder rate is usually calculated per 100,000 inhabitants, which enables cross-country comparisons, as the actual number of homicides is heavily influenced by the population size.
Given this understanding, we focus our attention on the United States' position in the global spectrum of crime. In this article, we will walk through significant statistics on murder rates, tracing the most and least affected countries to present a holistic view of the crime landscape.
Key findings from the data reveal:
The ten countries with the highest murder rates are El Salvador, Jamaica, Lesotho, Honduras, Belize, Venezuela, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, South Africa, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Nigeria. Topping the list with an alarming homicide rate of 52.02 per 100,000 people is El Salvador. Jamaica holds the second rank with an average murder rate of 43.85 while Lesotho almost matches Jamaica with its rate of 43.56. Honduras has the fourth highest murder rate with 38.93, closely followed by Belize with 37.79. In Venezuela, the murder rate is reported to be 36.69. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines follows with a murder rate of 36.54 and South Africa's rate is tagged at 36.40. Saint Kitts and Nevis has a murder rate of 36.09 per 100,000 people, and Nigeria completes the top ten list with a murder rate of 34.52. 10 Countries with the Highest Murder Rates per 100k people:
The countries with the lowest homicide rates per 100,000 people are San Marino, Monaco, Andorra, Isle of Man, Singapore, Japan, Senegal, Oman, Luxembourg, and Qatar. San Marino, Monaco, Andorra, and the Isle of Man are four nations that report an exceptionally low murder rate, with no homicides recorded, this places them at a median homicide rate of 0.00 per 100,000 inhabitants. Coming at fifth is Singapore, a city-state known for its strict laws and low crime rate, having an average homicide rate of 0.16 per 100,000 people. Japan, known for its culture of respect and low crime rate, has the sixth-lowest homicide rate in the world with 0.26 murders per 100,000 inhabitants. Senegal and Oman, both maintain a similar murder rate of 0.27 per 100,000 people. Next is Luxembourg with a homicide rate of 0.34 murders per 100,000 people. Lastly, despite being in a region generally considered for its instability, Qatar reports a low homicide rate of 0.37 per 100,000 people. The ten countries with the lowest homicide rates per 100K:
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
6.66
#57
# of Homicides
2,474
#24
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
2.29
#114
# of Homicides
66
#119
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
1.36
#139
# of Homicides
542
#62
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
5.38
#69
# of Homicides
3
#176
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
0.00
#194
# of Homicides
0
#193
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
4.85
#78
# of Homicides
1,217
#35
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
28.34
#14
# of Homicides
4
#173
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
11.06
#37
# of Homicides
10
#158
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
5.32
#71
# of Homicides
2,362
#25
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
1.69
#130
# of Homicides
50
#124
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
1.93
#123
# of Homicides
2
#183
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
0.89
#162
# of Homicides
222
#88
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
0.97
#159
# of Homicides
86
#116
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
2.20
#118
# of Homicides
219
#89
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
31.96
#11
# of Homicides
122
#107
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
0.52
#179
# of Homicides
7
#166
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
2.37
#111
# of Homicides
3,830
#16
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
9.77
#42
# of Homicides
28
#138
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
2.39
#110
# of Homicides
226
#87
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
1.69
#131
# of Homicides
193
#92
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
37.79
#5
# of Homicides
142
#97
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
1.13
#155
# of Homicides
126
#104
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
8.14
#49
# of Homicides
5
#171
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
1.19
#150
# of Homicides
9
#163
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
6.22
#60
# of Homicides
686
#53
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
1.17
#151
# of Homicides
39
#130
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
15.25
#28
# of Homicides
303
#78
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
27.38
#16
# of Homicides
57,358
#2
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
8.33
#46
# of Homicides
2
#184
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
0.49
#180
# of Homicides
2
#181
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
1.30
#141
# of Homicides
92
#113
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
1.25
#145
# of Homicides
240
#86
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
6.05
#63
# of Homicides
635
#56
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
1.84
#124
# of Homicides
268
#83
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
1.39
#138
# of Homicides
341
#74
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
1.76
#128
# of Homicides
651
#54
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
8.22
#47
# of Homicides
5
#170
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
20.12
#23
# of Homicides
913
#42
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
4.40
#81
# of Homicides
825
#46
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
0.53
#178
# of Homicides
7,525
#12
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
25.34
#18
# of Homicides
12,586
#7
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
3.49
#90
# of Homicides
1
#191
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
11.26
#35
# of Homicides
563
#61
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
0.58
#176
# of Homicides
24
#143
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
5.05
#75
# of Homicides
572
#60
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
19.04
#24
# of Homicides
26
#139
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
1.26
#144
# of Homicides
15
#151
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
1.01
#157
# of Homicides
58
#122
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
26.59
#17
# of Homicides
19
#148
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
10.05
#41
# of Homicides
1,068
#38
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
5.80
#65
# of Homicides
991
#39
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
2.55
#104
# of Homicides
2,207
#26
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
52.02
#1
# of Homicides
3,340
#19
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
2.12
#121
# of Homicides
28
#137
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
11.56
#34
# of Homicides
130
#101
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
8.79
#45
# of Homicides
8,153
#11
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
2.31
#112
# of Homicides
20
#146
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
1.63
#133
# of Homicides
90
#114
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
1.20
#149
# of Homicides
779
#50
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
13.18
#31
# of Homicides
30
#136
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
0.38
#186
# of Homicides
1
#190
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
2.22
#117
# of Homicides
89
#115
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
0.95
#160
# of Homicides
788
#49
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
2.09
#122
# of Homicides
609
#59
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
2.98
#97
# of Homicides
1
#189
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
0.94
#161
# of Homicides
99
#112
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
5.32
#72
# of Homicides
3
#175
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
10.82
#38
# of Homicides
12
#155
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
5.75
#66
# of Homicides
23
#144
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
2.50
#105
# of Homicides
4
#172
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
22.50
#19
# of Homicides
3,881
#15
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
1.15
#152
# of Homicides
21
#145
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
14.25
#30
# of Homicides
111
#108
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
6.68
#56
# of Homicides
743
#51
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
38.93
#4
# of Homicides
3,732
#17
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
0.65
#171
# of Homicides
48
#126
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
2.49
#108
# of Homicides
242
#85
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
0.89
#163
# of Homicides
3
#177
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
3.08
#95
# of Homicides
41,651
#3
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
0.43
#185
# of Homicides
1,150
#37
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
2.50
#106
# of Homicides
1,936
#28
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
10.07
#40
# of Homicides
3,339
#20
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
0.87
#165
# of Homicides
42
#128
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
0.00
#193
# of Homicides
0
#194
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
1.49
#136
# of Homicides
123
#106
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
0.57
#177
# of Homicides
345
#73
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
43.85
#2
# of Homicides
1,287
#34
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
0.26
#191
# of Homicides
334
#75
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
1.36
#140
# of Homicides
133
#100
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
5.06
#74
# of Homicides
915
#41
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
4.93
#77
# of Homicides
2,533
#22
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
7.52
#51
# of Homicides
8
#164
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
1.82
#125
# of Homicides
61
#121
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
2.19
#119
# of Homicides
138
#98
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
4.36
#82
# of Homicides
84
#117
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
2.49
#107
# of Homicides
171
#94
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
43.56
#3
# of Homicides
897
#43
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
3.26
#91
# of Homicides
135
#99
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
2.64
#100
# of Homicides
1
#188
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
4.57
#79
# of Homicides
128
#102
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
0.34
#188
# of Homicides
2
#179
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
1.81
#127
# of Homicides
279
#81
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
2.13
#120
# of Homicides
627
#57
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
0.72
#170
# of Homicides
3
#174
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
1.59
#134
# of Homicides
7
#167
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
3.98
#86
# of Homicides
2
#180
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
2.77
#99
# of Homicides
11
#157
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
2.92
#98
# of Homicides
37
#133
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
5.93
#64
# of Homicides
12
#154
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
29.07
#13
# of Homicides
36,685
#4
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
4.10
#84
# of Homicides
166
#95
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
0.00
#195
# of Homicides
0
#195
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
6.18
#62
# of Homicides
196
#91
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
2.23
#116
# of Homicides
14
#152
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
20.28
#22
# of Homicides
1
#186
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
1.42
#137
# of Homicides
510
#64
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
3.51
#89
# of Homicides
849
#45
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
2.26
#115
# of Homicides
1,198
#36
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
17.68
#26
# of Homicides
388
#71
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
2.30
#113
# of Homicides
627
#58
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
0.59
#175
# of Homicides
100
#111
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
3.20
#93
# of Homicides
8
#165
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
0.74
#168
# of Homicides
35
#134
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
7.19
#53
# of Homicides
453
#66
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
4.43
#80
# of Homicides
788
#48
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
34.52
#10
# of Homicides
64,201
#1
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
1.20
#148
# of Homicides
25
#141
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
0.47
#183
# of Homicides
25
#140
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
0.27
#189
# of Homicides
13
#153
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
3.88
#87
# of Homicides
8,241
#10
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
11.17
#36
# of Homicides
2
#185
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
0.49
#181
# of Homicides
24
#142
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
9.39
#44
# of Homicides
392
#70
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
9.75
#43
# of Homicides
713
#52
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
7.14
#54
# of Homicides
497
#65
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
7.91
#50
# of Homicides
2,487
#23
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
6.46
#59
# of Homicides
6,895
#13
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
0.73
#169
# of Homicides
277
#82
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
0.79
#167
# of Homicides
81
#118
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
21.09
#21
# of Homicides
641
#55
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
0.37
#187
# of Homicides
9
#161
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
1.82
#126
# of Homicides
15
#150
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
1.28
#142
# of Homicides
250
#84
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
8.21
#48
# of Homicides
11,964
#8
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
2.58
#103
# of Homicides
293
#79
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
36.09
#9
# of Homicides
18
#149
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
21.44
#20
# of Homicides
39
#131
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
27.73
#15
# of Homicides
10
#160
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
15.77
#27
# of Homicides
1
#187
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
36.54
#7
# of Homicides
40
#129
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
3.15
#94
# of Homicides
6
#169
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
0.00
#196
# of Homicides
0
#196
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
3.25
#92
# of Homicides
6
#168
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
1.27
#143
# of Homicides
419
#68
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
0.27
#190
# of Homicides
39
#132
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
1.23
#146
# of Homicides
108
#109
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
12.54
#32
# of Homicides
12
#156
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
1.73
#129
# of Homicides
124
#105
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
0.16
#192
# of Homicides
9
#162
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
1.14
#153
# of Homicides
62
#120
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
0.48
#182
# of Homicides
10
#159
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
3.77
#88
# of Homicides
19
#147
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
36.40
#8
# of Homicides
21,036
#5
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
0.60
#173
# of Homicides
309
#77
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
14.87
#29
# of Homicides
1,504
#32
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
0.62
#172
# of Homicides
290
#80
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
2.42
#109
# of Homicides
514
#63
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
5.15
#73
# of Homicides
1,702
#31
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
5.43
#68
# of Homicides
31
#135
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
1.08
#156
# of Homicides
108
#110
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
0.59
#174
# of Homicides
50
#123
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
0.88
#164
# of Homicides
149
#96
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
0.82
#166
# of Homicides
192
#93
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
1.64
#132
# of Homicides
126
#103
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
6.48
#58
# of Homicides
3,439
#18
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
2.58
#102
# of Homicides
1,787
#29
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
4.10
#85
# of Homicides
49
#125
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
0.97
#158
# of Homicides
1
#192
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
30.65
#12
# of Homicides
420
#67
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
3.06
#96
# of Homicides
332
#76
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
2.59
#101
# of Homicides
2,133
#27
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
4.22
#83
# of Homicides
203
#90
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
5.65
#67
# of Homicides
2
#178
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
18.62
#25
# of Homicides
2
#182
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
10.52
#39
# of Homicides
4,497
#14
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
6.18
#61
# of Homicides
2,751
#21
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
0.46
#184
# of Homicides
44
#127
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
1.20
#147
# of Homicides
809
#47
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
4.96
#76
# of Homicides
16,214
#6
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
12.06
#33
# of Homicides
416
#69
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
1.14
#154
# of Homicides
363
#72
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
36.69
#6
# of Homicides
10,598
#9
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
1.53
#135
# of Homicides
1,358
#33
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
6.77
#55
# of Homicides
1,703
#30
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
5.37
#70
# of Homicides
853
#44
Metric
Value
Rank
Homicide Rate (per 100k)
7.48
#52
# of Homicides
981
#40