Homicide rate 1990 vs 2020 in South Africa

South Africa: Homicide rate 1990 vs 2020 was 43.72 in 2022. ▼ Falling

Latest (2022)
43.72
Change on year
up 6.8%
World rank
7th
of 175 countries
All-time high
60.34
in 1995
All-time low
29.35
in 2011
Years of data
29
1994–2022

Homicide rate 1990 vs 2020 in South Africa, 1994–2022

02040601994200820221994: 591995: 60.31996: 56.41997: 53.61998: 54.41999: 48.42000: 46.12001: 452002: 44.92003: 40.92004: 38.42005: 37.42006: 38.22007: 36.42008: 35.42009: 32.42010: 30.42011: 29.32012: 30.12013: 31.12014: 322015: 32.92016: 33.22017: 35.32018: 35.92019: 35.82020: 332021: 40.92022: 43.7

Source: Our World in Data.

Analysis

South Africa recorded 43.72 for homicide rate 1990 vs 2020 in 2022.

The figure is up 6.8% on the previous year and up 45.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, homicide rate 1990 vs 2020 in South Africa peaked at 60.34 in 1995 and was at its lowest, 29.35, in 2011.

South Africa ranks 7th of 175 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 29 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 55.36 48.37 60.34 6
2000s 39.51 32.41 46.14 10
2010s 32.61 29.35 35.87 10
2020s 39.21 32.98 43.72 3

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 4 United States Virgin Islands 49.86 compare
  2. 5 Jamaica 49.44 compare
  3. 6 Ecuador 45.72 compare
  4. 8 Haiti 41.15 compare
  5. 9 Trinidad and Tobago 40.44 compare
  6. 10 Saint Lucia 39.04 compare

See the full ranking of 178 places →

More social development data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is homicide rate 1990 vs 2020 in South Africa?
Homicide rate 1990 vs 2020 in South Africa was 43.72 in 2022, according to Our World in Data.
What is the highest homicide rate 1990 vs 2020 recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 60.34 in 1995.
What is the lowest homicide rate 1990 vs 2020 recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 29.35 in 2011.
How does South Africa rank for homicide rate 1990 vs 2020?
South Africa ranks 7th out of 175 countries with data for 2022.
Is homicide rate 1990 vs 2020 rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 45.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Homicide rate 1990 vs 2020. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Homicide rate 1990 vs 2020 in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on Our World in Data. Retrieved 21 August 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/stat/homicide-rate-1990-vs-2020/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Homicide rate 1990 vs 2020
Source
Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
178 places, 4,128 data points, 1990–2024
Last refreshed