Countries with the Highest Homicide Rates

What We’re Showing

The top 10 most dangerous countries according to homicide rates per 100,000 people, based on data from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

Jamaica Ranks at the Top

After 65 murders took place in January alone, the U.S. State Department heightened travel warnings to Jamaica. Last year, there were 1,393 homicides reported on the Caribbean island of just 2.8 million people.

South Africa: Hotbed for Organized Crime

As one of the most dangerous countries in the world, an average of 75 people were killed each day in South Africa last year. The country serves as a transit point for illicit drugs going from Afghanistan to Europe, and is known for its rampant criminal activity.

Ecuador the Highest in South America

In 2019, Ecuador had a homicide rate of 6.8 per 100,000 people, among the lowest in Latin America. But since then, murder rates have jumped by nearly fourfold. Earlier this year, gunmen stormed a news station as the president declared a national state of emergency, which is extending until April 2024.