The 15 Most Murderous Countries in the World

Published on November 12, 2014 at 11:55 am by Milagros Valdez in Lists

Did you ever wonder which are the most murderous countries in the world? Safety is an issue of the utmost importance for all of us in every corner of the globe, and you must surely be interested in knowing which kind of country you live in (or thankfully, don’t). You might be living in a country with the highest homicide rates without even knowing it or maybe you are planning on relocating to a murderous nation without even being aware of it… That’s why we decided to bring this information to light and go through the most murderous countries in the world.

Most Murderous Countries in the World

Certainly, homicide is not the most usual thing to analyze about a country, but it is certainly an important one. Not only does it reflect the violence that may reign in a certain region, but it could also be a mirror for a particular political conflict. A figure that is more often examined in countries is that of life expectancy, the average period of time that people of that country are expected to live. This figure can be slightly affected by murder rate, but much more so by other factors such as health care and the overall development of the country. If you are intrigued by this notion, do not miss our list on Country-by-Country Life Expectancy: The World’s 15 Healthiest Countries.

Now, let us return to the murder issue that afflicts our world. In compiling this list we used the data published in the Global Study on Homicide 2013, a report published by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Established in 1997, the UNODC’s aim is to carry out research, provide guidance, and support governments in adopting and implementing certain conventions, treaties and protocols regarding crime, drugs, terrorism and corruption.

As defined by the UNODC, homicide is the “unlawful death purposefully inflicted on a person by another person.” Moreover, the Global Study on Homicide 2013 intends to study this beastly crime due to the effects it has beyond death itself; the consequences suffered by the bereaved and even the community, who become secondary victims. The information gathered for this report mainly comes from the World Health Organization estimates, and the public health and criminal justice systems of each country. For our countdown, we used the data regarding intentional homicide rate and count per 100,000 persons, and countries were ranked by murder rate according to the most recent figures available for each nation.

Some of the general findings included in the UNODC’s report include: in 2012, half a million people in the world were murdered. 41% of these crimes were committed using firearms and 24% with the aid of sharp objects. And the Americas, followed by Africa, are the regions with the highest homicide rates.

Now then, are you curious about the most murderous countries in the world? Let’s take a look at the countdown.