Countries with the Highest Homicide Rates by Region

What We’re Showing

The countries with the highest homicide rate per 100,000 people by region, based on data from UNODC. Figures are as of 2022 with the exception of South Africa, where the latest data is from 2020.

Key Takeaways

• The most violent countries worldwide are in South America and the Caribbean, driven by a surge in illegal firearms across Jamaica, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago.
• A majority of these illegal lethal weapons are smuggled out of America, particularly from Florida.
• Mexico ranks as the most dangerous country in North America, with more than 30,000 murders each year since 2017. The Mexican government has sued two American gun manufacturers due to their alleged role in selling guns to traffickers, which subsequently reach criminal organizations.
• South Africa has the highest murder rate in Africa, at nearly six times the global average. Amid ongoing violent crime, recorded kidnapping rates increased by 41.7% between 2022-2023 in the country.