Global homicide: murder rates around the world

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Guardian

Global homicide: murder rates around the world
Which countries have the highest murder rates? Find out with the latest data
Simon Rogers guardian.co.uk,
Tuesday 13 October 2009 08.00 BST

What do murder rates tell us about a country? When they are as extreme as Colombia's or South Africa's, do they shape our perceptions of the place?

Crime is rising in South Africa less than nine months before the country hosts the football World Cup. But even with a murder rate dropping some 3% in recent years, South Africa still has one of the higher rates in the world.

So, who are the others? These figures, from the fantastic UNdata give us an insight into the latest figures. But, of course, the results can offer different interpretations. If there's one area where you can find a figure to suit your prejudices this is it. The UN data includes figures from the World Health Organisation, the UN and local police forces. So there is the South Africa murder rate on the summary chart below of 39.5 - and there is also a hugely different WHO figure of 69 murders per 100,000.

So, how did we choose what to summarise here? Where there is a conflict, ie two sets of numbers for the same year, we've put them in this order: Average figures first, then Eurostat (the EU's statistics service) followed by the UN, WHO and then individual country reports. We've tried to be consistent in summarising the figures below - but if you want the full data, go to the Google spreadsheet and find out for yourself.






Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2009/oct/13/homicide-rates-country-murder-data

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http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=tAJzrYuGxXOGbU_HO2s_PrQ

[denem]

1. Gold: Columbia-61.1, Silver: El Salvador-56.4, Bronze: Ivory Coast-45.7,

Runner Up: South Africa-39.5, Wooden Spoon: Luxembourg-0.4 (all per 100,000).

Of Interest:

Afghanistan-3.4* Excludes War;
Iraq-6.7* Excludes Mission Accomplished;
United States-5.9* Excludes Health Care.

[Festivito]

2. Sad, true, cute comments. /\/\ We're number 101. /nt

[excess_3]

8. Venezuela just missed pedastal postiton, kind of sad ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_rate

[denem]

13. Different stats. The Guardian is reporting Eurostat/UN-WHO.

Wiki is reporting local numbers, not necessarily comparable to other raw reports.

[Unicron1978]

3. I KNOW US CANADIANS CAN GET OUR STATS UP.....

I'm truly dissapointed that we only average about 1.5 people murdered for every 100,000. That's about 450 per year. Hopefully next year we can do better.

[pattmarty]

4. Compared to the European countries, the US really blows,

[denem]

6. Not EASTERN Europe: Russia-29.7 , Kazakhstan-11.9, Lithuania-9.1, Lativa-8.6, Ukraine-8.0

Turkmenistan-7.8, Turkey 6.9, Estonia-6.7.

[pattmarty]

9. I MEANT "old Europe". Those are mostly "old" Soviet states.

And, I don't believe Turkey was/is considered part of Europe. Either way, most anyone that read my response would have known "which" Europe I meant. My POINT was that the US compared to most industrialized countries sucks. The point is why do we have a 6 when we are the wealthiest country in the world? Why don't you work on that instead of coming back with what are mostly "old" Soviet states?

[denem]

12. What do you think the USSR homicide rate was?

Turn the place over to gangsters, who needs a gulag?

[pattmarty]

16. That was my point, using "old" Europe. Italy & Spain 2.1%, Germany 2.0% (cant remember......

......but it was LOW) against the "old" Soviet empire, just like the US with our 6% how did you say? Gangsters??

[Unicron1978]

5. Actually, Canada's stats are higher except......

That we're better at driving people to suicide which doesn't counts as murders.

[denem]

7. I wanna to see Wasilla's stats.

[pattmarty]

10. Did you know I can see it from here????

[pattmarty]

11. That's only because of your "shitty" Socialist healthcare system..........

..........You can't fool me, I'm an American that watches Fox "news".:sarcasm: :sarcasm:

[LeftinOH]

14. Afghanistan, Pakistan & Haiti have lower homicide rates than the US?

Afghanistan? Pakistan? Really?

[denem]

15. Don't mention the war ...

signed Basil.