Homicide Rate by Country
What Is Homicide Rate?
Homicide Rate measures the number of intentional homicides per 100,000 people in a given year. It reflects the prevalence of lethal violence and risks to public safety. By standardizing per 100,000 population, this rate allows comparisons across countries with different population sizes.
Why Homicide Rate Matters to a Country’s Progress
- Indicates public safety, since high homicide rates often signal weak rule of law and social instability.
- Reflects broader social conditions, as elevated violence can stem from poverty, inequality, or illicit activity.
- Informs policy priorities, because governments and law enforcement use it to allocate resources for crime prevention and justice programs.
Implications for Policy & Society
- High homicide rates often prompt governments to strengthen policing, improve community programs, and reform the justice system.
- Lower rates free up resources for other social services, as reduced violence lowers healthcare and legal costs.
- Persistent regional or demographic disparities highlight the need for targeted interventions addressing root causes like poverty and gang activity.
- Monitoring year-over-year changes helps evaluate the effectiveness of crime prevention strategies, such as community policing and social outreach.
How to Read the Rankings
- A lower Homicide Rate indicates fewer homicides per 100,000 people, signaling greater public safety.
- “Most Recent Year” shows the latest annual rate; “Change” shows the difference from the prior year’s value.
- Short-term spikes can result from isolated conflicts or outbreaks of violence rather than long-term trends.
Ranking Highlights
- Tuvalu tops the progress rankings in Homicide Rate, recording a drop from 18.43 to 0.00. Maldives follows with a reduction from 7.20 to 0.59, while Tonga rounds out the top three, falling from 9.51 to 0.95.
- Across all 149 countries, the average year-over-year change was +2.69% with a median change of -2.96%.
- Overall, 80 countries improved in this area while 66 worsened. Click on a country to open the full country scorecard and see how it performs across a range of key indicators.
| Rank | Country | Most Recent Year | Previous Year | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Tuvalu | 0.00 (2019) | 18.43 (2012) | -100.00% |
| 2 |  Maldives | 0.59 (2019) | 7.20 (2017) | -91.81% |
| 3 |  Tonga | 0.95 (2019) | 9.51 (2018) | -90.01% |
| 4 |  Malta | 0.38 (2021) | 1.36 (2020) | -72.06% |
| 5 |  Guinea-Bissau | 1.12 (2017) | 3.49 (2016) | -67.91% |
| 6 |  Grenada | 4.01 (2021) | 11.32 (2020) | -64.58% |
| 7 |  Iceland | 0.54 (2021) | 1.36 (2020) | -60.29% |
| 8 |  Vanuatu | 0.32 (2020) | 0.66 (2019) | -51.52% |
| 9 |  Brunei | 0.49 (2013) | 0.98 (2012) | -50.00% |
| 10 |  Seychelles | 4.70 (2021) | 8.53 (2020) | -44.90% |
| 11 |  Tajikistan | 0.91 (2020) | 1.62 (2011) | -43.83% |
| 12 |  Singapore | 0.10 (2021) | 0.17 (2020) | -41.18% |
| 13 |  Afghanistan | 4.02 (2021) | 6.59 (2020) | -39.00% |
| 14 |  Czech Republic | 0.45 (2021) | 0.73 (2020) | -38.36% |
| 15 |  Estonia | 1.96 (2021) | 3.16 (2020) | -37.97% |
| 16 |  Suriname | 5.71 (2021) | 9.06 (2020) | -36.98% |
| 17 |  Kazakhstan | 3.19 (2020) | 5.00 (2017) | -36.20% |
| 18 |  Nigeria | 21.74 (2019) | 33.60 (2016) | -35.30% |
| 19 |  Venezuela | 19.31 (2021) | 29.43 (2020) | -34.39% |
| 20 |  Ireland | 0.44 (2021) | 0.67 (2020) | -34.33% |
| 21 |  Dominica | 13.81 (2021) | 20.83 (2020) | -33.70% |
| 22 |  United Arab Emirates | 0.47 (2021) | 0.70 (2020) | -32.86% |
| 23 |  Turkmenistan | 1.09 (2015) | 1.57 (2014) | -30.57% |
| 24 |  Kuwait | 0.25 (2020) | 0.36 (2019) | -30.56% |
| 25 |  Kiribati | 7.17 (2012) | 10.01 (2011) | -28.37% |
| 26 |  Lebanon | 2.26 (2020) | 3.15 (2019) | -28.25% |
| 27 |  Lithuania | 2.58 (2021) | 3.58 (2020) | -27.93% |
| 28 |  Bosnia and Herzegovina | 0.98 (2021) | 1.30 (2020) | -24.62% |
| 29 |  Chile | 3.63 (2021) | 4.80 (2020) | -24.38% |
| 30 |  Qatar | 0.33 (2021) | 0.43 (2020) | -23.26% |
| 31 |  Moldova | 3.01 (2020) | 3.89 (2019) | -22.62% |
| 32 |  Oman | 0.24 (2021) | 0.31 (2020) | -22.58% |
| 33 |  Barbados | 11.38 (2021) | 14.61 (2020) | -22.11% |
| 34 |  Peru | 5.71 (2020) | 7.27 (2019) | -21.46% |
| 35 |  Malawi | 1.79 (2012) | 2.26 (2011) | -20.80% |
| 36 |  Kyrgyzstan | 1.75 (2020) | 2.20 (2019) | -20.45% |
| 37 |  Slovenia | 0.42 (2021) | 0.52 (2020) | -19.23% |
| 38 |  Liberia | 3.12 (2012) | 3.85 (2011) | -18.96% |
| 39 |  Tanzania | 3.70 (2020) | 4.54 (2019) | -18.50% |
| 40 |  Latvia | 3.04 (2021) | 3.69 (2020) | -17.62% |
| 41 |  Croatia | 0.81 (2021) | 0.98 (2020) | -17.35% |
| 42 |  Guyana | 16.28 (2021) | 19.69 (2020) | -17.32% |
| 43 |  Philippines | 4.32 (2019) | 5.20 (2018) | -16.92% |
| 44 |  Montenegro | 2.39 (2021) | 2.86 (2020) | -16.43% |
| 45 |  Uganda | 8.53 (2021) | 10.04 (2020) | -15.04% |
| 46 |  Denmark | 0.80 (2021) | 0.94 (2020) | -14.89% |
| 47 |  El Salvador | 18.17 (2021) | 21.31 (2020) | -14.73% |
| 48 |  Azerbaijan | 1.91 (2021) | 2.24 (2020) | -14.73% |
| 49 |  Argentina | 4.62 (2021) | 5.37 (2020) | -13.97% |
| 50 |  Australia | 0.74 (2021) | 0.86 (2020) | -13.95% |
| 51 |  Georgia | 2.04 (2019) | 2.36 (2018) | -13.56% |
| 52 |  Romania | 1.26 (2021) | 1.45 (2020) | -13.10% |
| 53 |  United Kingdom | 1.00 (2020) | 1.15 (2019) | -13.04% |
| 54 |  Egypt | 1.34 (2017) | 1.54 (2016) | -12.99% |
| 55 |  Slovakia | 1.01 (2021) | 1.15 (2020) | -12.17% |
| 56 |  South Korea | 0.52 (2021) | 0.59 (2020) | -11.86% |
| 57 |  Germany | 0.83 (2021) | 0.94 (2020) | -11.70% |
| 58 |  Switzerland | 0.48 (2021) | 0.54 (2020) | -11.11% |
| 59 |  Sweden | 1.08 (2021) | 1.20 (2020) | -10.00% |
| 60 |  Uruguay | 8.90 (2021) | 9.86 (2020) | -9.74% |
| 61 |  Niger | 4.39 (2012) | 4.81 (2011) | -8.73% |
| 62 |  Angola | 4.10 (2016) | 4.46 (2015) | -8.07% |
| 63 |  Japan | 0.23 (2021) | 0.25 (2020) | -8.00% |
| 64 |  Russia | 6.80 (2021) | 7.35 (2020) | -7.48% |
| 65 |  Serbia | 1.06 (2021) | 1.14 (2020) | -7.02% |
| 66 |  Iran | 2.42 (2014) | 2.60 (2013) | -6.92% |
| 67 |  Norway | 0.54 (2021) | 0.58 (2020) | -6.90% |
| 68 |  Mauritania | 1.02 (2020) | 1.09 (2019) | -6.42% |
| 69 |  Hungary | 0.77 (2021) | 0.82 (2020) | -6.10% |
| 70 |  Malaysia | 0.72 (2021) | 0.76 (2020) | -5.26% |
| 71 |  China | 0.50 (2020) | 0.52 (2019) | -3.85% |
| 72 |  Mexico | 28.18 (2021) | 29.19 (2020) | -3.46% |
| 73 |  North Macedonia | 1.14 (2019) | 1.18 (2018) | -3.39% |
| 74 |  Spain | 0.61 (2021) | 0.63 (2020) | -3.17% |
| 75 |  Mauritius | 2.62 (2021) | 2.70 (2020) | -2.96% |
| 76 |  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 30.67 (2021) | 31.54 (2020) | -2.76% |
| 77 |  Tunisia | 4.62 (2020) | 4.74 (2019) | -2.53% |
| 78 |  Mongolia | 6.15 (2021) | 6.22 (2020) | -1.13% |
| 79 |  Ukraine | 3.84 (2021) | 3.87 (2020) | -0.78% |
| 80 |  Fiji | 2.17 (2020) | 2.18 (2014) | -0.46% |
| 81 |  Austria | 0.73 (2021) | 0.73 (2020) | +0.00% |
| 82 |  Belarus | 2.33 (2019) | 2.33 (2018) | +0.00% |
| 83 |  Bolivia | 3.49 (2021) | 3.49 (2020) | +0.00% |
| 84 |  Zambia | 5.25 (2015) | 5.24 (2014) | +0.19% |
| 85 |  Türkiye | 2.52 (2021) | 2.51 (2020) | +0.40% |
| 86 |  India | 2.94 (2021) | 2.91 (2020) | +1.03% |
| 87 |  Portugal | 0.80 (2021) | 0.79 (2020) | +1.27% |
| 88 |  Cuba | 4.42 (2019) | 4.33 (2018) | +2.08% |
| 89 |  Namibia | 12.45 (2021) | 12.17 (2020) | +2.30% |
| 90 |  Yemen | 6.31 (2013) | 6.16 (2012) | +2.44% |
| 91 |  Costa Rica | 11.41 (2021) | 11.13 (2020) | +2.52% |
| 92 |  Poland | 0.71 (2021) | 0.69 (2020) | +2.90% |
| 93 |  Jordan | 1.02 (2021) | 0.99 (2020) | +3.03% |
| 94 |  Canada | 2.07 (2021) | 2.00 (2020) | +3.50% |
| 95 |  Nepal | 2.29 (2019) | 2.21 (2018) | +3.62% |
| 96 |  Algeria | 1.57 (2021) | 1.51 (2020) | +3.97% |
| 97 |  Uzbekistan | 1.41 (2021) | 1.34 (2020) | +5.22% |
| 98 |  Guatemala | 19.99 (2021) | 18.96 (2020) | +5.43% |
| 99 |  United States | 6.81 (2021) | 6.42 (2020) | +6.07% |
| 100 |  Italy | 0.51 (2021) | 0.48 (2020) | +6.25% |
| 101 |  Pakistan | 3.98 (2021) | 3.74 (2020) | +6.42% |
| 102 |  France | 1.14 (2021) | 1.07 (2020) | +6.54% |
| 103 |  Netherlands | 0.65 (2021) | 0.61 (2020) | +6.56% |
| 104 |  Cyprus | 1.29 (2021) | 1.21 (2020) | +6.61% |
| 105 |  Bangladesh | 2.34 (2018) | 2.19 (2017) | +6.85% |
| 106 |  Ghana | 1.84 (2021) | 1.72 (2020) | +6.98% |
| 107 |  Honduras | 38.34 (2021) | 35.79 (2020) | +7.12% |
| 108 |  Brazil | 22.38 (2020) | 20.81 (2019) | +7.54% |
| 109 |  Paraguay | 7.83 (2021) | 7.27 (2020) | +7.70% |
| 110 |  Cabo Verde | 6.18 (2020) | 5.72 (2019) | +8.04% |
| 111 |  Albania | 2.31 (2021) | 2.13 (2020) | +8.45% |
| 112 |  Panama | 12.73 (2021) | 11.64 (2020) | +9.36% |
| 113 |  Cameroon | 4.54 (2020) | 4.12 (2017) | +10.19% |
| 114 |  Jamaica | 52.13 (2021) | 47.26 (2020) | +10.30% |
| 115 |  Burkina Faso | 1.25 (2017) | 1.12 (2016) | +11.61% |
| 116 |  Trinidad and Tobago | 29.36 (2021) | 26.28 (2020) | +11.72% |
| 117 |  Eswatini | 12.66 (2021) | 11.29 (2017) | +12.13% |
| 118 |  Finland | 1.65 (2020) | 1.47 (2019) | +12.24% |
| 119 |  Colombia | 27.48 (2021) | 24.24 (2020) | +13.37% |
| 120 |  Rwanda | 3.59 (2020) | 3.15 (2019) | +13.97% |
| 121 |  Greece | 0.85 (2021) | 0.74 (2020) | +14.86% |
| 122 |  Haiti | 13.01 (2021) | 11.32 (2020) | +14.93% |
| 123 |  Iraq | 9.41 (2013) | 7.96 (2012) | +18.22% |
| 124 |  Armenia | 2.19 (2021) | 1.85 (2020) | +18.38% |
| 125 |  Dominican Republic | 10.54 (2021) | 8.74 (2020) | +20.59% |
| 126 |  Belize | 31.25 (2021) | 25.83 (2020) | +20.98% |
| 127 |  Botswana | 10.55 (2021) | 8.68 (2020) | +21.54% |
| 128 |  South Africa | 41.87 (2021) | 33.96 (2020) | +23.29% |
| 129 |  Zimbabwe | 6.14 (2021) | 4.98 (2020) | +23.29% |
| 130 |  Saudi Arabia | 0.80 (2019) | 0.64 (2018) | +25.00% |
| 131 |  Sierra Leone | 2.14 (2020) | 1.70 (2015) | +25.88% |
| 132 |  Bulgaria | 1.28 (2021) | 0.99 (2020) | +29.29% |
| 133 |  Luxembourg | 0.63 (2021) | 0.48 (2020) | +31.25% |
| 134 |  Saint Lucia | 38.96 (2021) | 29.01 (2020) | +34.30% |
| 135 |  Burundi | 5.82 (2016) | 4.30 (2015) | +35.35% |
| 136 |  Israel | 1.94 (2021) | 1.43 (2020) | +35.66% |
| 137 |  Saint Kitts and Nevis | 29.41 (2021) | 20.99 (2020) | +40.11% |
| 138 |  Nicaragua | 11.01 (2021) | 7.73 (2019) | +42.43% |
| 139 |  Sri Lanka | 3.43 (2019) | 2.38 (2018) | +44.12% |
| 140 |  Kenya | 5.27 (2021) | 3.58 (2020) | +47.21% |
| 141 |  Morocco | 1.93 (2021) | 1.25 (2020) | +54.40% |
| 142 |  Bahamas | 29.17 (2021) | 17.96 (2020) | +62.42% |
| 143 |  New Zealand | 2.60 (2019) | 1.55 (2018) | +67.74% |
| 144 |  Antigua and Barbuda | 17.16 (2021) | 9.71 (2020) | +76.73% |
| 145 |  Ecuador | 14.02 (2021) | 7.80 (2020) | +79.74% |
| 146 |  Samoa | 6.20 (2018) | 3.37 (2017) | +83.98% |
| 147 |  Liechtenstein | 5.12 (2021) | 2.58 (2020) | +98.45% |
| 148 |  Bhutan | 2.46 (2020) | 1.04 (2019) | +136.54% |
| 149 |  Myanmar | 28.44 (2021) | 2.94 (2020) | +867.35% |
Source: World Bank. Only countries with complete data (both points within the past 10 years) are shown.