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Murders Happen Most Frequently in These Countries

Crime scene investigation - collecting evidence

Murders Happen Most Frequently in These Countries

Where do murders happen most frequently? It is a sad part of life, but some countries are more prone to violent crimes than others. The UN Office on Drug and Crime’s International Homicide Statistics collated data from 2021, which paints a horrifying picture for some countries.

United States of America

The United States isn’t leading the pack when it comes to homicides annually.

Haiti

Haiti’s homicides have come down over the last couple of decades.
  • Murders per 100,000 people: 13

The Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic’s homicide rate is right in line with Haiti but has dropped over the years.
  • Murders per 100,000 people: 14

Ecuador

Ecuador’s homicide rate is on the lower side, despite being somewhat higher.
  • Murders per 100,000 people: 14

Guyana

Guyana’s homicide rate is considerably higher than Australia’s.
  • Murders per 100,000 people: 16

Antigua and Barbuda

This Caribbean paradise sadly has a higher homicide rate than the global average.
  • Murders per 100,000 people: 17

El Salvador

El Salvador’s homicide rate has dropped dramatically over the years.
  • Murders per 100,000 people: 18

Venezuela

Civil unrest and scarcity of commodities might be fueling Venezuela’s homicide rate.
  • Murders per 100,000 people: 19

Guatemala

Guatemala’s homicide rate might be higher than the average, but it isn’t astronomical.
  • Murders per 100,000 people: 20

Colombia

Colombia’s homicide rate has come down dramatically over the last 30 years.
  • Murders per 100,000 people: 27

Mexico

Interestingly, Mexico has the highest homicide rate in North America.
  • Murders per 100,000 people: 28

Myanmar

Myanmar is currently undergoing massive civil unrest, which might account for this number.
  • Murders per 100,000 people: 28

The Bahamas

The Bahamas have a higher homicide rate than the national average.
  • Murders per 100,000 people: 29

Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago are tied with three other countries for homicides per 100,000 people.
  • Murders per 100,000 people: 29

St. Kitts and Nevis

Homicides seem to be common in the Caribbean islands.
  • Murders per 100,000 people: 29

St. Vincent and the Grenadines

St. Vincent and the Grenadines is another Caribbean country with a high homicide rate.
  • Murders per 100,000 people: 31

Belize

Despite being a tourist destination, you might want to keep an eye out in Belize.
  • Murders per 100,000 people: 31

Honduras

Sadly, this list has a fair amount of representation from South America.
  • Murders per 100,000 people: 38

St. Lucia

Saint Lucia might not be on your mind as a destination with multiple homicides per year.
  • Murders per 100,000 people: 39

South Africa

South Africa may rank second, but it has a slew of other violent crimes to contend with.
  • Murders per 100,000 people: 42

Jamaica

Jamaica is where murders happen most frequently, at least when looking at the rest of the planet.
  • Murders per 100,000 people: 52

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