South Africa vs World: Intentional homicides

South Africa
43.72 per 100,000 people
in 2022
World
5.2 per 100,000 people
in 2023
South Africa rank
7th
World rank
11th

Intentional homicides over time

  • South Africa
  • World
0204060199420082023

How they compare

South Africa currently reports 43.72 per 100,000 people against 5.2 per 100,000 people in World, a difference of 38.52 per 100,000 people.

That makes South Africa's figure about 8.4 times World's.

Across all 23 years both countries report, South Africa has been ahead every year.

South Africa ranks 7th and World ranks 11th of 172 countries.

South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade South Africa World Difference Ahead
2000s 39.51 per 100,000 people 6.45 per 100,000 people 33.06 per 100,000 people South Africa
2010s 32.61 per 100,000 people 5.96 per 100,000 people 26.65 per 100,000 people South Africa
2020s 39.21 per 100,000 people 5.37 per 100,000 people 33.85 per 100,000 people South Africa

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher intentional homicides, South Africa or World?
South Africa, at 43.72 per 100,000 people against 5.2 per 100,000 people in World as of 2022.
What is the difference in intentional homicides between South Africa and World?
38.52 per 100,000 people, with South Africa ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and World?
23 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2022.
How do South Africa and World rank globally for intentional homicides?
South Africa ranks 7th and World ranks 11th of 172 countries.
Where does this data come from?
UNODC Research - Data Portal – Intentional Homicide, UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), published as Intentional homicides (per 100,000 people). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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South Africa vs World: Intentional homicides. Statizoid, drawing on UNODC Research - Data Portal – Intentional Homicide, UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Retrieved 03 September 2026, from https://public-sector.statizoid.com/compare/intentional-homicides-per-100-000-people/south-africa/world/

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About this data

Indicator
Intentional homicides (per 100,000 people)
Unit
per 100,000 people
Source
UNODC Research - Data Portal – Intentional Homicide, UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
190 places, 4,286 data points, 1990–2023
Last refreshed

An intentional homicide is defined as an unlawful death inflicted upon a person with the intent to cause death or serious injury.