Homicide rate in Greenland
Greenland: Homicide rate was 5.35 homicides per 100,000 population in 2016. ▼ Falling
Homicide rate in Greenland, 1992–2016
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
Greenland recorded 5.35 homicides per 100,000 population for homicide rate in 2016.
The figure is down 25.1% on the previous year and down 62.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, homicide rate in Greenland peaked at 30.14 homicides per 100,000 population in 2001 and was at its lowest, 1.76 homicides per 100,000 population, in 2011.
That places Greenland 60th out of 179 countries with data for 2016, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Homicide rate in Greenland, year by year
| Year | homicides per 100,000 population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 23.32 homicides per 100,000 population | — |
| 1993 | 21.52 homicides per 100,000 population | -7.7% |
| 1994 | 10.76 homicides per 100,000 population | -50.0% |
| 1995 | 19.7 homicides per 100,000 population | +83.0% |
| 1996 | 5.36 homicides per 100,000 population | -72.8% |
| 1997 | 19.61 homicides per 100,000 population | +266.0% |
| 1998 | 10.69 homicides per 100,000 population | -45.5% |
| 1999 | 19.6 homicides per 100,000 population | +83.4% |
| 2000 | 23.13 homicides per 100,000 population | +18.0% |
| 2001 | 30.14 homicides per 100,000 population | +30.3% |
| 2002 | 21.2 homicides per 100,000 population | -29.6% |
| 2003 | 8.81 homicides per 100,000 population | -58.5% |
| 2004 | 19.33 homicides per 100,000 population | +119.4% |
| 2005 | 17.56 homicides per 100,000 population | -9.2% |
| 2006 | 14.06 homicides per 100,000 population | -19.9% |
| 2007 | 14.09 homicides per 100,000 population | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 14.12 homicides per 100,000 population | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 17.69 homicides per 100,000 population | +25.3% |
| 2010 | 19.43 homicides per 100,000 population | +9.8% |
| 2011 | 1.76 homicides per 100,000 population | -90.9% |
| 2012 | 14.09 homicides per 100,000 population | +700.8% |
| 2013 | 12.39 homicides per 100,000 population | -12.1% |
| 2014 | 7.12 homicides per 100,000 population | -42.5% |
| 2015 | 7.14 homicides per 100,000 population | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 5.35 homicides per 100,000 population | -25.1% |
Greenland compared with similar countries
- Greenland's 5.35 homicides per 100,000 population is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.12 homicides per 100,000 population, 4.8× the median. (76 countries reporting)
- Greenland's 5.35 homicides per 100,000 population is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1.12 homicides per 100,000 population, 4.8× the median. (52 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Homicide rate in Greenland changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | +700.8% | 1.76 homicides per 100,000 population | 14.09 homicides per 100,000 population |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 16.32 homicides per 100,000 population | 5.36 homicides per 100,000 population | 23.32 homicides per 100,000 population | 8 |
| 2000s | 18.01 homicides per 100,000 population | 8.81 homicides per 100,000 population | 30.14 homicides per 100,000 population | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.61 homicides per 100,000 population | 1.76 homicides per 100,000 population | 19.43 homicides per 100,000 population | 7 |
Countries ranked near Greenland
- 57 Guadeloupe 5.68 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 58 Burundi 5.65 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 59 Mongolia 5.64 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 61 Zambia 5.2 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 62 Liechtenstein 5.12 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 63 Kenya 4.87 homicides per 100,000 population compare
More social development data for Greenland
- Number of armed conflicts 0 conflicts (2025)
- Number of state-based conflicts 0 conflicts (2025)
- Countries where armed conflicts took place 0 (2025)
- Homicides 3 homicides (2016)
- Homicide rate, WHO vs. UNODC 5.35 homicides per 100,000 population (2016)
- Homicide rate in 1990 vs. 2020 5.35 homicides per 100,000 population (2016)
- Share of prisoners that are pre-trial detainees 22.8% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is homicide rate in Greenland?
- Homicide rate in Greenland was 5.35 homicides per 100,000 population in 2016, 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 Greenland?
- The highest recorded value was 30.14 homicides per 100,000 population in 2001.
- What is the lowest homicide rate recorded in Greenland?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.76 homicides per 100,000 population in 2011.
- How does Greenland rank for homicide rate?
- Greenland ranks 60th out of 179 countries with data for 2016.
- Is homicide rate rising or falling in Greenland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 62.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Greenland 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.