Homicide rate in Iceland
Iceland: Homicide rate was 1.29 homicides per 100,000 population in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Homicide rate in Iceland, 1994–2023
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
In 2023, homicide rate in Iceland stood at 1.29 homicides per 100,000 population.
The figure is up 22.7% on the previous year and up 317.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, homicide rate in Iceland peaked at 1.78 homicides per 100,000 population in 2000 and was at its lowest, 0 homicides per 100,000 population, in 1994.
That places Iceland 122nd out of 179 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.305 homicides per 100,000 population | 0 homicides per 100,000 population | 0.7375 homicides per 100,000 population | 6 |
| 2000s | 0.6857 homicides per 100,000 population | 0 homicides per 100,000 population | 1.78 homicides per 100,000 population | 8 |
| 2010s | 0.57 homicides per 100,000 population | 0.2772 homicides per 100,000 population | 0.94 homicides per 100,000 population | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.06 homicides per 100,000 population | 0.5367 homicides per 100,000 population | 1.36 homicides per 100,000 population | 4 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
- 119 France 1.35 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 120 Serbia 1.31 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 121 Egypt 1.31 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 123 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1.22 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 124 Algeria 1.16 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 125 Sweden 1.15 homicides per 100,000 population compare
More social development data for Iceland
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy 8,459 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 0 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
- Freedom of Association Index 0.917 (2025)
- Human Rights Index 0.95 (2025)
- Liberal Democracy Index 0.72 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 2 (2025)
- Participatory Democracy Index 0.565 (2025)
- Key features of human rights 0.95 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is homicide rate in Iceland?
- Homicide rate in Iceland was 1.29 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 Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 1.78 homicides per 100,000 population in 2000.
- What is the lowest homicide rate recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 homicides per 100,000 population in 1994.
- How does Iceland rank for homicide rate?
- Iceland ranks 122nd out of 179 countries with data for 2023.
- Is homicide rate rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 317.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iceland 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.