Homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020 in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020 was 1.12 homicides per 100,000 population in 2021. ▼ Falling
Latest (2021)
1.12 homicides per 100,000 population
Change on year
up 18.3%
World rank
127th
of 178 countries
All-time high
1.86 homicides per 100,000 population
in 2002
All-time low
0.9003 homicides per 100,000 population
in 2014
Years of data
30
1990–2021
Homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020 in United Kingdom, 1990–2021
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in homicides per 100,000 population.
Analysis
In 2021, homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020 in United Kingdom stood at 1.12 homicides per 100,000 population.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 18.3% on the previous year and up 11.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020 in United Kingdom peaked at 1.86 homicides per 100,000 population in 2002 and was at its lowest, 0.9003 homicides per 100,000 population, in 2014.
United Kingdom ranks 127th of 178 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 30 years of available data.
Homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020 in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | homicides per 100,000 population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 1.27 homicides per 100,000 population | — |
| 1991 | 1.39 homicides per 100,000 population | +9.2% |
| 1992 | 1.38 homicides per 100,000 population | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 1.35 homicides per 100,000 population | -2.5% |
| 1994 | 1.42 homicides per 100,000 population | +5.4% |
| 1995 | 1.39 homicides per 100,000 population | -2.2% |
| 1996 | 1.28 homicides per 100,000 population | -7.9% |
| 1997 | 1.25 homicides per 100,000 population | -2.1% |
| 1998 | 1.38 homicides per 100,000 population | +10.3% |
| 1999 | 1.4 homicides per 100,000 population | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 1.54 homicides per 100,000 population | +10.1% |
| 2001 | 1.63 homicides per 100,000 population | +5.4% |
| 2002 | 1.86 homicides per 100,000 population | +14.3% |
| 2005 | 1.38 homicides per 100,000 population | -25.9% |
| 2006 | 1.41 homicides per 100,000 population | +2.5% |
| 2007 | 1.42 homicides per 100,000 population | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 1.23 homicides per 100,000 population | -13.7% |
| 2009 | 1.12 homicides per 100,000 population | -8.2% |
| 2010 | 1.2 homicides per 100,000 population | +6.7% |
| 2011 | 1.01 homicides per 100,000 population | -16.0% |
| 2012 | 0.9803 homicides per 100,000 population | -2.7% |
| 2013 | 0.9349 homicides per 100,000 population | -4.6% |
| 2014 | 0.9003 homicides per 100,000 population | -3.7% |
| 2015 | 0.9483 homicides per 100,000 population | +5.3% |
| 2016 | 1.17 homicides per 100,000 population | +23.7% |
| 2017 | 1.18 homicides per 100,000 population | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 1.09 homicides per 100,000 population | -7.2% |
| 2019 | 1.15 homicides per 100,000 population | +5.5% |
| 2020 | 0.9458 homicides per 100,000 population | -17.8% |
| 2021 | 1.12 homicides per 100,000 population | +18.3% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 1.12 homicides per 100,000 population is below the median for high income countries, which is 1.12 homicides per 100,000 population, 100% of the median. (76 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 1.12 homicides per 100,000 population is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1.12 homicides per 100,000 population, 100% of the median. (52 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.35 homicides per 100,000 population | 1.25 homicides per 100,000 population | 1.42 homicides per 100,000 population | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.45 homicides per 100,000 population | 1.12 homicides per 100,000 population | 1.86 homicides per 100,000 population | 8 |
| 2010s | 1.06 homicides per 100,000 population | 0.9003 homicides per 100,000 population | 1.2 homicides per 100,000 population | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.03 homicides per 100,000 population | 0.9458 homicides per 100,000 population | 1.12 homicides per 100,000 population | 2 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
- 124 Sweden 1.15 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 125 Slovakia 1.12 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 126 Romania 1.12 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 128 Bulgaria 1.09 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 129 Belgium 1.08 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 130 Turkmenistan 1.01 homicides per 100,000 population compare
More social development data for United Kingdom
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 581,072 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 517 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 517 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0084 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020 in United Kingdom?
- Homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020 in United Kingdom was 1.12 homicides per 100,000 population in 2021, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020 recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 1.86 homicides per 100,000 population in 2002.
- What is the lowest homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020 recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.9003 homicides per 100,000 population in 2014.
- How does United Kingdom rank for homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020?
- United Kingdom ranks 127th out of 178 countries with data for 2021.
- Is homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020 rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Intentional homicide rate per 100,000 population.