Intentional homicides in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Intentional homicides was 12.2 per 100,000 people in 2023. ▼ Falling
Intentional homicides in Sub-Saharan Africa, 2010–2023
Source: UNODC Research - Data Portal – Intentional Homicide, UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Measured in per 100,000 people.
Analysis
In 2023, intentional homicides in Sub-Saharan Africa stood at 12.2 per 100,000 people. That is the lowest value across all 14 years on record.
The figure is down 3.2% on the previous year and down 14.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, intentional homicides in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 14.4 per 100,000 people in 2014 and was at its lowest, 12.2 per 100,000 people, in 2023.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 14 years of available data.
Intentional homicides in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | per 100,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 14.2 per 100,000 people | — |
| 2011 | 14.2 per 100,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 14.3 per 100,000 people | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 14.3 per 100,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 14.4 per 100,000 people | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 14.3 per 100,000 people | -0.7% |
| 2016 | 14.3 per 100,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 14.1 per 100,000 people | -1.4% |
| 2018 | 13.5 per 100,000 people | -4.3% |
| 2019 | 13.1 per 100,000 people | -3.0% |
| 2020 | 12.5 per 100,000 people | -4.6% |
| 2021 | 12.8 per 100,000 people | +2.4% |
| 2022 | 12.6 per 100,000 people | -1.6% |
| 2023 | 12.2 per 100,000 people | -3.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 14.07 per 100,000 people | 13.1 per 100,000 people | 14.4 per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 12.53 per 100,000 people | 12.2 per 100,000 people | 12.8 per 100,000 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 1 Turks and Caicos Islands 76.34 per 100,000 people compare
- 2 Saint Kitts and Nevis 64.16 per 100,000 people compare
- 3 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 51.32 per 100,000 people compare
- 4 United States Virgin Islands 49.86 per 100,000 people
- 5 Jamaica 49.44 per 100,000 people compare
- 6 Ecuador 45.72 per 100,000 people compare
More public sector data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Arms imports 731.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2023)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 0.5807 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2023)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0003 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate 25.82 % change on previous year (2023)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), gaps filled 731.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2023)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per capita 16.8 current USD per person (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per unit of GDP 0.0109 current USD per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), annual growth rate -6.41 % change on previous year (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), gaps filled 21.67 billion current USD (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per square kilometre 30.58 SIPRI trend indicator values per square kilometre (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is intentional homicides in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Intentional homicides in Sub-Saharan Africa was 12.2 per 100,000 people in 2023, according to UNODC Research - Data Portal – Intentional Homicide, UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
- What is the highest intentional homicides recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 14.4 per 100,000 people in 2014.
- What is the lowest intentional homicides recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.2 per 100,000 people in 2023.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for intentional homicides?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 3rd out of 18 groups with data for 2023.
- Is intentional homicides rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNODC Research - Data Portal – Intentional Homicide, UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), published as part of Intentional homicides (per 100,000 people). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 14 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
An intentional homicide is defined as an unlawful death inflicted upon a person with the intent to cause death or serious injury.