Homicide rate (UN, World) in Colombia
Colombia: Homicide rate (UN, World) was 24.91 homicides per 100,000 population in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
24.91 homicides per 100,000 population
Change on year
down 0.1%
World rank
18th
of 179 countries
All-time high
85.88 homicides per 100,000 population
in 1991
All-time low
22.64 homicides per 100,000 population
in 2020
Years of data
34
1990–2023
Homicide rate in Colombia, 1990–2023
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
Colombia recorded 24.91 homicides per 100,000 population for homicide rate in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.1% on the previous year and down 25.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, homicide rate in Colombia peaked at 85.88 homicides per 100,000 population in 1991 and was at its lowest, 22.64 homicides per 100,000 population, in 2020.
That places Colombia 18th out of 179 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 34 years of available data.
Homicide rate (UN, World) in Colombia, year by year
| Year | homicides per 100,000 population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 75 homicides per 100,000 population | — |
| 1991 | 85.88 homicides per 100,000 population | +14.5% |
| 1992 | 83.48 homicides per 100,000 population | -2.8% |
| 1993 | 82.58 homicides per 100,000 population | -1.1% |
| 1994 | 77.09 homicides per 100,000 population | -6.6% |
| 1995 | 62.34 homicides per 100,000 population | -19.1% |
| 1996 | 64.04 homicides per 100,000 population | +2.7% |
| 1997 | 62.5 homicides per 100,000 population | -2.4% |
| 1998 | 61.09 homicides per 100,000 population | -2.2% |
| 1999 | 63.33 homicides per 100,000 population | +3.7% |
| 2000 | 67.89 homicides per 100,000 population | +7.2% |
| 2001 | 70.11 homicides per 100,000 population | +3.3% |
| 2002 | 70.4 homicides per 100,000 population | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 57.46 homicides per 100,000 population | -18.4% |
| 2004 | 48.65 homicides per 100,000 population | -15.3% |
| 2005 | 42.99 homicides per 100,000 population | -11.6% |
| 2006 | 40.94 homicides per 100,000 population | -4.8% |
| 2007 | 39.78 homicides per 100,000 population | -2.8% |
| 2008 | 36.88 homicides per 100,000 population | -7.3% |
| 2009 | 35.73 homicides per 100,000 population | -3.1% |
| 2010 | 34.52 homicides per 100,000 population | -3.4% |
| 2011 | 35.63 homicides per 100,000 population | +3.2% |
| 2012 | 35.96 homicides per 100,000 population | +0.9% |
| 2013 | 33.42 homicides per 100,000 population | -7.1% |
| 2014 | 28.65 homicides per 100,000 population | -14.2% |
| 2015 | 27.22 homicides per 100,000 population | -5.0% |
| 2016 | 26.14 homicides per 100,000 population | -3.9% |
| 2017 | 25.55 homicides per 100,000 population | -2.3% |
| 2018 | 23.82 homicides per 100,000 population | -6.8% |
| 2019 | 23.4 homicides per 100,000 population | -1.8% |
| 2020 | 22.64 homicides per 100,000 population | -3.2% |
| 2021 | 25.58 homicides per 100,000 population | +13.0% |
| 2022 | 24.95 homicides per 100,000 population | -2.5% |
| 2023 | 24.91 homicides per 100,000 population | -0.1% |
Colombia compared with similar countries
- Colombia's 24.91 homicides per 100,000 population is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 4.06 homicides per 100,000 population, 6.1× the median. (52 countries reporting)
- Colombia's 24.91 homicides per 100,000 population is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 16.92 homicides per 100,000 population, 1.5× the median. (41 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 71.73 homicides per 100,000 population | 61.09 homicides per 100,000 population | 85.88 homicides per 100,000 population | 10 |
| 2000s | 51.08 homicides per 100,000 population | 35.73 homicides per 100,000 population | 70.4 homicides per 100,000 population | 10 |
| 2010s | 29.43 homicides per 100,000 population | 23.4 homicides per 100,000 population | 35.96 homicides per 100,000 population | 10 |
| 2020s | 24.52 homicides per 100,000 population | 22.64 homicides per 100,000 population | 25.58 homicides per 100,000 population | 4 |
Countries ranked near Colombia
- 15 Belize 28.06 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 16 Dominica 27.06 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 17 Saint Martin (French part) 26.9 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 19 Mexico 24.86 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 20 Guatemala 23.37 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 21 Brazil 19.28 homicides per 100,000 population compare
More social development data for Colombia
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,464 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 79,669 (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 0.0015 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 79,669 (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 in Colombia?
- Homicide rate in Colombia was 24.91 homicides per 100,000 population in 2023, 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 recorded in Colombia?
- The highest recorded value was 85.88 homicides per 100,000 population in 1991.
- What is the lowest homicide rate recorded in Colombia?
- The lowest recorded value was 22.64 homicides per 100,000 population in 2020.
- How does Colombia rank for homicide rate?
- Colombia ranks 18th out of 179 countries with data for 2023.
- Is homicide rate rising or falling in Colombia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 25.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Colombia 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. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Intentional homicide rate per 100,000 population.