Homicide rate in Samoa
Samoa: Homicide rate was 2.38 deaths per 100,000 people in 2021. ▼ Falling
Latest (2021)
2.38 deaths per 100,000 people
Change on year
down 5.2%
World rank
126th
of 194 countries
All-time high
5.91 deaths per 100,000 people
in 2000
All-time low
2.38 deaths per 100,000 people
in 2021
Years of data
22
2000–2021
Homicide rate in Samoa, 2000–2021
Source: World Health Organization (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100,000 people.
Analysis
In 2021, homicide rate in Samoa stood at 2.38 deaths per 100,000 people. That is the lowest value across all 22 years on record.
The figure is down 5.2% on the previous year and down 35.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, homicide rate in Samoa peaked at 5.91 deaths per 100,000 people in 2000 and was at its lowest, 2.38 deaths per 100,000 people, in 2021.
That places Samoa 126th out of 194 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 22 years of available data.
Homicide rate in Samoa, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 5.91 deaths per 100,000 people | — |
| 2001 | 5.69 deaths per 100,000 people | -3.7% |
| 2002 | 5.46 deaths per 100,000 people | -4.0% |
| 2003 | 5.26 deaths per 100,000 people | -3.7% |
| 2004 | 5.03 deaths per 100,000 people | -4.4% |
| 2005 | 4.81 deaths per 100,000 people | -4.4% |
| 2006 | 4.59 deaths per 100,000 people | -4.6% |
| 2007 | 4.39 deaths per 100,000 people | -4.4% |
| 2008 | 4.18 deaths per 100,000 people | -4.8% |
| 2009 | 3.69 deaths per 100,000 people | -11.7% |
| 2010 | 3.83 deaths per 100,000 people | +3.8% |
| 2011 | 3.67 deaths per 100,000 people | -4.2% |
| 2012 | 3.32 deaths per 100,000 people | -9.5% |
| 2013 | 3.29 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.9% |
| 2014 | 3.22 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.1% |
| 2015 | 3.15 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.2% |
| 2016 | 3.07 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.5% |
| 2017 | 3 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.3% |
| 2018 | 2.75 deaths per 100,000 people | -8.3% |
| 2019 | 2.63 deaths per 100,000 people | -4.4% |
| 2020 | 2.51 deaths per 100,000 people | -4.6% |
| 2021 | 2.38 deaths per 100,000 people | -5.2% |
Samoa compared with similar countries
- Samoa's 2.38 deaths per 100,000 people is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 4.79 deaths per 100,000 people, 50% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Samoa's 2.38 deaths per 100,000 people is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3.82 deaths per 100,000 people, 62% of the median. (30 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 4.9 deaths per 100,000 people | 3.69 deaths per 100,000 people | 5.91 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.19 deaths per 100,000 people | 2.63 deaths per 100,000 people | 3.83 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.44 deaths per 100,000 people | 2.38 deaths per 100,000 people | 2.51 deaths per 100,000 people | 2 |
Countries ranked near Samoa
- 123 Malaysia 2.56 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 124 Azerbaijan 2.44 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 125 Syria 2.43 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 127 Saudi Arabia 2.35 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 128 Jordan 2.31 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 128 Nepal 2.31 deaths per 100,000 people compare
More social development data for Samoa
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 17 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0001 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 17 (2025)
- Sovereign state gleditsch ward, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, per square kilometre 0.0007 units per square kilometre (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is homicide rate in Samoa?
- Homicide rate in Samoa was 2.38 deaths per 100,000 people in 2021, according to World Health Organization (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest homicide rate recorded in Samoa?
- The highest recorded value was 5.91 deaths per 100,000 people in 2000.
- What is the lowest homicide rate recorded in Samoa?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.38 deaths per 100,000 people in 2021.
- How does Samoa rank for homicide rate?
- Samoa ranks 126th out of 194 countries with data for 2021.
- Is homicide rate rising or falling in Samoa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 35.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Samoa data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Homicide rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated number of deaths from interpersonal violence in both sexes, per 100,000 people.