Homicide rate by sex of the victim in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Homicide rate by sex of the victim was 4.54 homicides per 100,000 population in 2019. ◆ Volatile
Homicide rate by sex of the victim in Sri Lanka, 2008–2019
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
The most recent figure for homicide rate by sex of the victim in Sri Lanka is 4.54 homicides per 100,000 population, measured in 2019.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 19.1% on the previous year and down 48.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, homicide rate by sex of the victim in Sri Lanka peaked at 16.37 homicides per 100,000 population in 2008 and was at its lowest, 3.57 homicides per 100,000 population, in 2015.
That places Sri Lanka 61st out of 138 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Homicide rate by sex of the victim in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | homicides per 100,000 population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 16.37 homicides per 100,000 population | — |
| 2009 | 8.84 homicides per 100,000 population | -46.0% |
| 2010 | 5.85 homicides per 100,000 population | -33.8% |
| 2011 | 5.36 homicides per 100,000 population | -8.4% |
| 2012 | 4.91 homicides per 100,000 population | -8.3% |
| 2013 | 4.56 homicides per 100,000 population | -7.1% |
| 2014 | 4.09 homicides per 100,000 population | -10.3% |
| 2015 | 3.57 homicides per 100,000 population | -12.9% |
| 2016 | 3.77 homicides per 100,000 population | +5.5% |
| 2017 | 3.73 homicides per 100,000 population | -1.0% |
| 2018 | 3.81 homicides per 100,000 population | +2.3% |
| 2019 | 4.54 homicides per 100,000 population | +19.1% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 4.54 homicides per 100,000 population is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 7.5 homicides per 100,000 population, 61% of the median. (44 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 12.61 homicides per 100,000 population | 8.84 homicides per 100,000 population | 16.37 homicides per 100,000 population | 2 |
| 2010s | 4.42 homicides per 100,000 population | 3.57 homicides per 100,000 population | 5.85 homicides per 100,000 population | 10 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
- 58 Liechtenstein 5.16 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 59 Andorra 5.08 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 60 Turkey 4.78 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 62 Myanmar 4.25 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 63 Egypt 4.13 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 64 Aruba 4.07 homicides per 100,000 population compare
More social development data for Sri Lanka
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 213 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 148,369 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 3 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 3 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0068 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 148,369 (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 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is homicide rate by sex of the victim in Sri Lanka?
- Homicide rate by sex of the victim in Sri Lanka was 4.54 homicides per 100,000 population in 2019, 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 by sex of the victim recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 16.37 homicides per 100,000 population in 2008.
- What is the lowest homicide rate by sex of the victim recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.57 homicides per 100,000 population in 2015.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for homicide rate by sex of the victim?
- Sri Lanka ranks 61st out of 138 countries with data for 2019.
- Is homicide rate by sex of the victim rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 48.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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 by sex of the victim. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 12 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Intentional homicide rate per 100,000 populationof male victims.