Homicide rate in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Homicide rate was 2.22 homicides per 100,000 population in 2020. ▬ Flat
Homicide rate in Sierra Leone, 2004–2020
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
Sierra Leone recorded 2.22 homicides per 100,000 population for homicide rate in 2020.
The figure is down 15.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, homicide rate in Sierra Leone peaked at 3.12 homicides per 100,000 population in 2008 and was at its lowest, 1.72 homicides per 100,000 population, in 2012.
Sierra Leone ranks 97th of 179 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 2.29 homicides per 100,000 population | 1.8 homicides per 100,000 population | 3.12 homicides per 100,000 population | 6 |
| 2010s | 2.26 homicides per 100,000 population | 1.72 homicides per 100,000 population | 2.93 homicides per 100,000 population | 4 |
| 2020s | 2.22 homicides per 100,000 population | 2.22 homicides per 100,000 population | 2.22 homicides per 100,000 population | 1 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
- 94 Bangladesh 2.34 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 95 Mauritius 2.27 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 96 Lebanon 2.24 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 98 Armenia 2.21 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 99 Nepal 2.13 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 100 Syria 2.06 homicides per 100,000 population compare
More social development data for Sierra Leone
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy 0 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 8,925 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 4 (2025)
- Freedom of Association Index 0.837 (2025)
- Human Rights Index 0.792 (2025)
- Liberal Democracy Index 0.348 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Participatory Democracy Index 0.307 (2025)
- Key features of human rights 0.792 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is homicide rate in Sierra Leone?
- Homicide rate in Sierra Leone was 2.22 homicides per 100,000 population in 2020, 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 Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 3.12 homicides per 100,000 population in 2008.
- What is the lowest homicide rate recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.72 homicides per 100,000 population in 2012.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for homicide rate?
- Sierra Leone ranks 97th out of 179 countries with data for 2020.
- Is homicide rate rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Sierra Leone 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.