Murder Rate by Country

Updated On November 12, 2023
Murder Rate by Country

Living in a country with the highest murder rate is, well, murder to many people.

However, to travel to a country with a high murder rate may not even be possible.

Prepare for a visit or move, or reinvent your current life, if you are about to reside in a country with a lot of murder reports.

Keep in mind, that every country on this list, including South Africa and the United States, has cities that are equally murder-free.

Consider how to live in the countries with the highest murder rate safely, before deciding to give up and go back home.

Murder Rate by Country

CountryMurder Rate (per 100k)Murder CountYear Updated
Afghanistan6.6555624742018
Albania2.28949662018
Algeria1.364285422015
American Samoa5.3822332016
Andorra002015
Angola4.8470812172012
Anguilla28.3406542014
Antigua and Barbuda11.06109102012
Argentina5.3244823622018
Armenia1.69392502018
Aruba1.9272322014
Australia0.891632222018
Austria0.96723862018
Azerbaijan2.201112192018
Bahamas31.958171222017
Bahrain0.5239272014
Bangladesh2.3733338302018
Barbados9.76835282018
Belarus2.390872262018
Belgium1.690051932017
Belize37.788571422017
Benin1.12751262017
Bermuda8.1428952017
Bhutan1.1930192018
Bolivia6.218376862016
Bosnia and Herzegovina1.17331392018
Botswana15.248313032010
Brazil27.38253573582018
British Virgin Islands8.325722006
Brunei0.4945422013
Bulgaria1.30467922018
Burkina Faso1.250442402017
Burundi6.054546352016
Cambodia1.843012682011
Cameroon1.388093412017
Canada1.755926512018
Cayman Islands8.217252014
Central African Republic20.12049132016
Chile4.404898252018
China0.5270975252018
Colombia25.3438125862018
Cook Islands3.4876712012
Costa Rica11.261255632018
Croatia0.57742242018
Cuba5.046275722016
Curacao19.0366262007
Cyprus1.26129152018
Denmark1.00832582018
Dominica26.5883192017
Dominican Republic10.0497310682018
Ecuador5.800639912018
Egypt2.5537422072012
El Salvador52.0189333402018
Estonia2.11654282018
Eswatini11.557531302017
Ethiopia8.7924881532012
Fiji2.30828202014
Finland1.62967902018
France1.198647792018
French Guiana13.18438302009
French Polynesia0.3769912009
Georgia2.22336892018
Germany0.947987882018
Ghana2.091246092017
Gibraltar2.9775212010
Greece0.94086992018
Greenland5.3183932016
Grenada10.8231122017
Guadeloupe5.75345232016
Guam2.5048542011
Guatemala22.5013538812018
Guinea-Bissau1.1487212017
Guyana14.248911112018
Haiti6.679747432018
Honduras38.9255937322018
Hong Kong0.65114482018
Hungary2.48722422017
Iceland0.8909732018
India3.07923416512018
Indonesia0.4345311502017
Iran2.4991719362014
Iraq10.0702533392013
Ireland0.87161422018
Isle of Man002016
Israel1.492021232017
Italy0.569053452018
Jamaica43.8522812872018
Japan0.262573342018
Jordan1.359111332017
Kazakhstan5.060839152017
Kenya4.9287325332018
Kiribati7.521782012
Kuwait1.82152612012
Kyrgyzstan2.189081382018
Latvia4.3558842018
Lebanon2.492931712018
Lesotho43.56468972015
Liberia3.264291352012
Liechtenstein2.6372712018
Lithuania4.569361282018
Luxembourg0.3378922017
Malawi1.812162792012
Malaysia2.127676272013
Maldives0.7218632013
Malta1.5936172018
Marshall Islands3.9829521994
Martinique2.77385112009
Mauritius2.91986372018
Mayotte5.9261122009
Mexico29.07106366852018
Moldova4.096791662018
Monaco002015
Mongolia6.182551962018
Montenegro2.23142018
Montserrat20.2839812012
Morocco1.415525102018
Mozambique3.510088492011
Myanmar2.2584511982016
Namibia17.678333882012
Nepal2.299786272016
Netherlands0.586181002018
New Caledonia3.1989582009
New Zealand0.74436352017
Nicaragua7.185954532016
Niger4.428167882012
Nigeria34.52405642012016
North Macedonia1.20022252018
Norway0.46834252018
Oman0.26918132018
Pakistan3.8830882412018
Palau11.1663222018
Palestine0.49352242018
Panama9.385023922018
Papua New Guinea9.753087132010
Paraguay7.144844972018
Peru7.9092224872017
Philippines6.4649968952018
Poland0.730452772018
Portugal0.78977812018
Puerto Rico21.088316412018
Qatar0.3659792014
Reunion1.82143152009
Romania1.281652502018
Russia8.20948119642018
Rwanda2.577172932015
Saint Kitts and Nevis36.08588182012
Saint Lucia21.44153392018
Saint Martin27.73079102016
Saint Pierre and Miquelon15.7654112009
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines36.54069402016
Samoa3.1461162013
San Marino002011
Sao Tome and Principe3.2516662011
Saudi Arabia1.265824192017
Senegal0.26752392015
Serbia1.226891082018
Seychelles12.53774122016
Sierra Leone1.728971242015
Singapore0.1563292018
Slovakia1.13699622018
Slovenia0.48127102018
Solomon Islands3.77459192008
South Africa36.39917210362018
South Korea0.603853092018
South Sudan14.8709915042012
Spain0.621082902018
Sri Lanka2.421245142018
Sudan5.1480817022008
Suriname5.43382312017
Sweden1.083071082018
Switzerland0.58647502018
Syria0.879311492018
Taiwan0.815031922015
Tajikistan1.636891262011
Tanzania6.4826634392016
Thailand2.58217872017
Timor-Leste4.09598492015
Tonga0.9733712012
Trinidad and Tobago30.649514202015
Tunisia3.060763322012
Turkey2.5904821332018
Turkmenistan4.220272032006
Turks and Caicos Islands5.6543522014
Tuvalu18.6150422012
Uganda10.5244644972018
Ukraine6.1837327512017
United Arab Emirates0.46378442017
United Kingdom1.204918092018
United States4.95695162142018
Uruguay12.060454162018
Uzbekistan1.13583632017
Venezuela36.68763105982018
Vietnam1.5280513582011
Yemen6.7721517032013
Zambia5.371758532015
Zimbabwe7.47999812012

Am I Living in a High Murder Rate Country?

There are several ways to learn if your country has a high rate of murders.

First, there is the count of murders.

For example, in Nigeria, where there are the most murders per year, 64,201 people were murdered in one year.

That is a lot of people.

Many countries, including Dominica and the Marshall Islands, have about 60,000 for a total population.

If the entire population of Dominica was murdered in a year, that would be the same as how many people are murdered annually in Nigeria, where the population is 225 million.

Understanding the Murder Rate

The murder rate is another measurement to determine if a country has a lot of murders happening per population.

This statistical rate is calculated by the number of individual murders per 100,000 people.

As a result, this rate is more comparable between larger countries and smaller and less populated countries.

The murder rates vary from 52.01893 to 0 in Andorra, Isle of Man, San Marino, and Monaco.

When Murder Rates are Skewed

Sometimes the murder rate is skewed when comparing two countries.

This has to do with the land size along with the total population count.

For example, the murder rate of Singapore was 0.15632 compared to the murder rate of Japan, which is 0.26257.

However, Singapore is 283 square miles compared to more than 5,000 square miles of Japan.

Therefore, the number of murders in Japan–334–is much higher than the murder count of Singapore at 9 bodies in 2018.

As a result, the country of Japan has many more murders compared to the safer country of Singapore.

But you wouldn’t know this just by looking at the murder rate.

You also need to see the total count of murders and the land size for comparison purposes.

What Countries Have the Most Murders Per Year?

Nigeria, Brazil, India, Mexico, and South Africa, in order from the most, have the highest murder rates.

Nigeria experienced 64,201 murders in one year, while South Africa suffered 21,036 murders in that same year.

The United States is next on the list at #6 with 16,214 murders.

Can I Travel to an Unsafe Country from the US?

Not likely.

The US Department of State maintains a list of travel advisories.

This list includes those countries that are levels 1 to 4:

  • Level 1 Exercise normal precautions
  • Level 2 Exercise increased caution
  • Level 3 Reconsider travel
  • Level 4 Do not travel

For example, Belarus is ranked Level 4 for Americans to not travel there.

Belarus has a murder count of 226 as of 2018 and a murder rate of 2.39 per 100,000 people.

However, Belarus is way down on the list from the top country, which is El Salvador, with a murder rate of 52 per 100,000.

The US Department of State ranks El Salvador as a Level 3 country and suggests you reconsider travel.

At the same time, you will need to do your research to determine whether the country you are visiting will be on the unsafe travel advisories list by the US Department of State.

It is advised to prevent arriving at the airport and being detained due to adverse travel conditions.

How Can I Protect Myself When Living in a Country With a High Murder Rate?

Besides moving, if you are forced to live in a country like Jamaica, which has the second-highest murder rate, you will need to be proactive for safety.

Understand the local laws, and be aware of the types of crime that are the most prevalent.

Keep you and your household safe by avoiding any criminals or illegal activities.

2 Comments on Murder Rate by Country

  1. Living in a country with a high murder rate can be a scary and dangerous experience, but it’s important to remember that not every city or area within that country is equally dangerous.

    It’s important to research and understand the specific risks and take necessary precautions before traveling or moving to a high-risk country. Ultimately, safety should always be a top priority, and it’s important to stay informed and aware of potential dangers in any location.

  2. Living in a country with a high murder rate can be dangerous and unsettling.

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