The nature and level of violent crime differ significantly across the globe, elucidating patterns that reflect varying social, economic, and political factors. These crime rates are dynamic entities, key indicators of national safety, and shifting societal complexities. A precise measure often utilized to evaluate violent crime is a nation's homicide rate, reflecting the number of intentional homicides per 100,000 people in a year.
This article will draw from recent data on global homicide rates to present an in-depth overview of violent crime rates by country. Accordingly, important emphasis will be placed on the stark international inconsistencies these rates reveal, and the inevitable societal implications they engender.
Key findings from the data include:
El Salvador, Jamaica, Lesotho, Honduras, Belize, Venezuela, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, South Africa, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Nigeria are the countries that presently have the highest violent crime rates. Each of these countries has an alarmingly high homicide rate per 100k people.
El Salvador leads the pack with a scary high homicide rate of 52.02 per 100k people. Jamaica follows closely behind with a homicide rate of 43.85. Just slightly lower but still exceptionally high is Lesotho's homicide rate of 43.56.
Honduras and Belize have similarly high homicide rates, with Honduras standing at 38.93 and Belize at 37.79. Venezuela's homicide rate stands at 36.69, while Saint Vincent and the Grenadines records a rate of 36.54.
South Africa and Saint Kitts and Nevis are not far behind, as their homicide rates are 36.40 and 36.09, respectively. Lastly, Nigeria secures a spot in the top ten with a homicide rate of 34.52.
Countries with the Highest Homicide Rates (per 100k people):
The ten countries with the lowest violent crime rates, specifically the lowest homicide rates per 100,000 people, are primarily located in Europe and Asia. San Marino, Monaco, Andorra, and the Isle of Man each report a homicide rate of 0.00, indicating virtually non-existent violent crime.
In Asia, Singapore boasts exceptionally low violent crime rates, with a homicide rate of only 0.16 per 100,000 individuals. Japan is close behind with a rate of 0.26. Senegal and Oman both report a meager homicide rate of 0.27. Luxembourg, a peaceful European nation, has a homicide rate of just 0.34. Lastly, Qatar, in the Middle East, records a violent crime rate of 0.37 homicides per 100,000 individuals.
Countries with the Lowest Homicide Rates (per 100K):
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Region ↕ | Homicide Rate (per 100k) ↕ |
---|---|
Afghanistan | 6.66 |
Albania | 2.29 |
Algeria | 1.36 |
American Samoa | 5.38 |
Andorra | 0.00 |
Angola | 4.85 |
Anguilla | 28.34 |
Antigua and Barbuda | 11.06 |
Argentina | 5.32 |
Armenia | 1.69 |
Aruba | 1.93 |
Australia | 0.89 |
Austria | 0.97 |
Azerbaijan | 2.20 |
Bahamas | 31.96 |
Bahrain | 0.52 |
Bangladesh | 2.37 |
Barbados | 9.77 |
Belarus | 2.39 |
Belgium | 1.69 |
Belize | 37.79 |
Benin | 1.13 |
Bermuda | 8.14 |
Bhutan | 1.19 |
Bolivia | 6.22 |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1.17 |
Botswana | 15.25 |
Brazil | 27.38 |
British Virgin Islands | 8.33 |
Brunei | 0.49 |
Bulgaria | 1.30 |
Burkina Faso | 1.25 |
Burundi | 6.05 |
Cambodia | 1.84 |
Cameroon | 1.39 |
Canada | 1.76 |
Cayman Islands | 8.22 |
Central African Republic | 20.12 |
Chile | 4.40 |
China | 0.53 |
Colombia | 25.34 |
Cook Islands | 3.49 |
Costa Rica | 11.26 |
Croatia | 0.58 |
Cuba | 5.05 |
Curacao | 19.04 |
Cyprus | 1.26 |
Denmark | 1.01 |
Dominica | 26.59 |
Dominican Republic | 10.05 |
Ecuador | 5.80 |
Egypt | 2.55 |
El Salvador | 52.02 |
Estonia | 2.12 |
Eswatini | 11.56 |
Ethiopia | 8.79 |
Fiji | 2.31 |
Finland | 1.63 |
France | 1.20 |
French Guiana | 13.18 |
French Polynesia | 0.38 |
Georgia | 2.22 |
Germany | 0.95 |
Ghana | 2.09 |
Gibraltar | 2.98 |
Greece | 0.94 |
Greenland | 5.32 |
Grenada | 10.82 |
Guadeloupe | 5.75 |
Guam | 2.50 |
Guatemala | 22.50 |
Guinea Bissau | 1.15 |
Guyana | 14.25 |
Haiti | 6.68 |
Honduras | 38.93 |
Hong Kong | 0.65 |
Hungary | 2.49 |
Iceland | 0.89 |
India | 3.08 |
Indonesia | 0.43 |
Iran | 2.50 |
Iraq | 10.07 |
Ireland | 0.87 |
Isle Of Man | 0.00 |
Israel | 1.49 |
Italy | 0.57 |
Jamaica | 43.85 |
Japan | 0.26 |
Jordan | 1.36 |
Kazakhstan | 5.06 |
Kenya | 4.93 |
Kiribati | 7.52 |
Kuwait | 1.82 |
Kyrgyzstan | 2.19 |
Latvia | 4.36 |
Lebanon | 2.49 |
Lesotho | 43.56 |
Liberia | 3.26 |
Liechtenstein | 2.64 |
Lithuania | 4.57 |
Luxembourg | 0.34 |
Malawi | 1.81 |
Malaysia | 2.13 |
Maldives | 0.72 |
Malta | 1.59 |
Marshall Islands | 3.98 |
Martinique | 2.77 |
Mauritius | 2.92 |
Mayotte | 5.93 |
Mexico | 29.07 |
Moldova | 4.10 |
Monaco | 0.00 |
Mongolia | 6.18 |
Montenegro | 2.23 |
Montserrat | 20.28 |
Morocco | 1.42 |
Mozambique | 3.51 |
Myanmar | 2.26 |
Namibia | 17.68 |
Nepal | 2.30 |
Netherlands | 0.59 |
New Caledonia | 3.20 |
New Zealand | 0.74 |
Nicaragua | 7.19 |
Niger | 4.43 |
Nigeria | 34.52 |
North Macedonia | 1.20 |
Norway | 0.47 |
Oman | 0.27 |
Pakistan | 3.88 |
Palau | 11.17 |
Palestine | 0.49 |
Panama | 9.39 |
Papua New Guinea | 9.75 |
Paraguay | 7.14 |
Peru | 7.91 |
Philippines | 6.46 |
Poland | 0.73 |
Portugal | 0.79 |
Puerto Rico | 21.09 |
Qatar | 0.37 |
Reunion | 1.82 |
Romania | 1.28 |
Russia | 8.21 |
Rwanda | 2.58 |
Saint Kitts and Nevis | 36.09 |
Saint Lucia | 21.44 |
Saint Martin | 27.73 |
Saint Pierre and Miquelon | 15.77 |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 36.54 |
Samoa | 3.15 |
San Marino | 0.00 |
Sao Tome and Principe | 3.25 |
Saudi Arabia | 1.27 |
Senegal | 0.27 |
Serbia | 1.23 |
Seychelles | 12.54 |
Sierra Leone | 1.73 |
Singapore | 0.16 |
Slovakia | 1.14 |
Slovenia | 0.48 |
Solomon Islands | 3.77 |
South Africa | 36.40 |
South Korea | 0.60 |
South Sudan | 14.87 |
Spain | 0.62 |
Sri Lanka | 2.42 |
Sudan | 5.15 |
Suriname | 5.43 |
Sweden | 1.08 |
Switzerland | 0.59 |
Syria | 0.88 |
Taiwan | 0.82 |
Tajikistan | 1.64 |
Tanzania | 6.48 |
Thailand | 2.58 |
Timor Leste | 4.10 |
Tonga | 0.97 |
Trinidad and Tobago | 30.65 |
Tunisia | 3.06 |
Turkey | 2.59 |
Turkmenistan | 4.22 |
Turks and Caicos Islands | 5.65 |
Tuvalu | 18.62 |
Uganda | 10.52 |
Ukraine | 6.18 |
United Arab Emirates | 0.46 |
United Kingdom | 1.20 |
United States | 4.96 |
Uruguay | 12.06 |
Uzbekistan | 1.14 |
Venezuela | 36.69 |
Vietnam | 1.53 |
Yemen | 6.77 |
Zambia | 5.37 |
Zimbabwe | 7.48 |