Homicide rate in Uganda
Uganda: Homicide rate was 8.97 homicides per 100,000 population in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
8.97 homicides per 100,000 population
Change on year
up 2.5%
World rank
39th
of 179 countries
All-time high
12.29 homicides per 100,000 population
in 2014
All-time low
8.27 homicides per 100,000 population
in 1995
Years of data
19
1995–2023
Homicide rate in Uganda, 1995–2023
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
The most recent figure for homicide rate in Uganda is 8.97 homicides per 100,000 population, measured in 2023.
The figure is up 2.5% on the previous year and down 17.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, homicide rate in Uganda peaked at 12.29 homicides per 100,000 population in 2014 and was at its lowest, 8.27 homicides per 100,000 population, in 1995.
That places Uganda 39th out of 179 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 19 years of available data.
Homicide rate in Uganda, year by year
| Year | homicides per 100,000 population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 8.27 homicides per 100,000 population | — |
| 1996 | 8.51 homicides per 100,000 population | +2.8% |
| 1997 | 8.78 homicides per 100,000 population | +3.2% |
| 2007 | 8.92 homicides per 100,000 population | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 9.15 homicides per 100,000 population | +2.5% |
| 2009 | 10.28 homicides per 100,000 population | +12.4% |
| 2010 | 9.76 homicides per 100,000 population | -5.1% |
| 2011 | 11.25 homicides per 100,000 population | +15.3% |
| 2012 | 11.84 homicides per 100,000 population | +5.2% |
| 2013 | 10.91 homicides per 100,000 population | -7.8% |
| 2014 | 12.29 homicides per 100,000 population | +12.6% |
| 2016 | 11.55 homicides per 100,000 population | -6.0% |
| 2017 | 11.79 homicides per 100,000 population | +2.0% |
| 2018 | 10.82 homicides per 100,000 population | -8.2% |
| 2019 | 10.97 homicides per 100,000 population | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 10.03 homicides per 100,000 population | -8.6% |
| 2021 | 8.52 homicides per 100,000 population | -15.1% |
| 2022 | 8.76 homicides per 100,000 population | +2.8% |
| 2023 | 8.97 homicides per 100,000 population | +2.5% |
Uganda compared with similar countries
- Uganda's 8.97 homicides per 100,000 population is above the median for low income countries, which is 3.6 homicides per 100,000 population, 2.5× the median. (10 countries reporting)
- Uganda's 8.97 homicides per 100,000 population is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.43 homicides per 100,000 population, 1.7× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 8.52 homicides per 100,000 population | 8.27 homicides per 100,000 population | 8.78 homicides per 100,000 population | 3 |
| 2000s | 9.45 homicides per 100,000 population | 8.92 homicides per 100,000 population | 10.28 homicides per 100,000 population | 3 |
| 2010s | 11.24 homicides per 100,000 population | 9.76 homicides per 100,000 population | 12.29 homicides per 100,000 population | 9 |
| 2020s | 9.07 homicides per 100,000 population | 8.52 homicides per 100,000 population | 10.03 homicides per 100,000 population | 4 |
Countries ranked near Uganda
- 36 Antigua and Barbuda 10.72 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 37 Iraq 9.46 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 38 Papua New Guinea 9.34 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 40 Peru 8.6 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 41 British Virgin Islands 8.17 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 42 Seychelles 7.97 homicides per 100,000 population compare
More social development data for Uganda
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1.94 million (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 12,792 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 6 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 6 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0002 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 12,792 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0377 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 Uganda?
- Homicide rate in Uganda was 8.97 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 Uganda?
- The highest recorded value was 12.29 homicides per 100,000 population in 2014.
- What is the lowest homicide rate recorded in Uganda?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.27 homicides per 100,000 population in 1995.
- How does Uganda rank for homicide rate?
- Uganda ranks 39th out of 179 countries with data for 2023.
- Is homicide rate rising or falling in Uganda?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Uganda 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.