Homicide rate in Hong Kong
Hong Kong: Homicide rate was 0.1894 deaths per 100,000 people in 2017. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2017)
0.1894 deaths per 100,000 people
Change on year
down 7.4%
World rank
103rd
of 111 countries
All-time high
4.05 deaths per 100,000 people
in 1976
All-time low
0.1798 deaths per 100,000 people
in 2014
Years of data
63
1955–2017
Homicide rate in Hong Kong, 1955–2017
Source: WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100,000 people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for homicide rate in Hong Kong is 0.1894 deaths per 100,000 people, measured in 2017.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 7.4% on the previous year and down 43.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, homicide rate in Hong Kong peaked at 4.05 deaths per 100,000 people in 1976 and was at its lowest, 0.1798 deaths per 100,000 people, in 2014.
Hong Kong ranks 103rd of 111 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Homicide rate in Hong Kong, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1955 | 1.33 deaths per 100,000 people | — |
| 1956 | 3.44 deaths per 100,000 people | +157.4% |
| 1957 | 0.8488 deaths per 100,000 people | -75.3% |
| 1958 | 1.2 deaths per 100,000 people | +41.7% |
| 1959 | 1.09 deaths per 100,000 people | -9.5% |
| 1960 | 0.9432 deaths per 100,000 people | -13.3% |
| 1961 | 0.8838 deaths per 100,000 people | -6.3% |
| 1962 | 0.6656 deaths per 100,000 people | -24.7% |
| 1963 | 0.9062 deaths per 100,000 people | +36.1% |
| 1964 | 1.26 deaths per 100,000 people | +38.5% |
| 1965 | 0.8894 deaths per 100,000 people | -29.2% |
| 1966 | 1.05 deaths per 100,000 people | +17.7% |
| 1967 | 2.12 deaths per 100,000 people | +102.7% |
| 1968 | 1.79 deaths per 100,000 people | -15.7% |
| 1969 | 0.9835 deaths per 100,000 people | -45.0% |
| 1970 | 1.44 deaths per 100,000 people | +46.4% |
| 1971 | 1.98 deaths per 100,000 people | +37.4% |
| 1972 | 1.84 deaths per 100,000 people | -7.0% |
| 1973 | 3.2 deaths per 100,000 people | +73.9% |
| 1974 | 2.45 deaths per 100,000 people | -23.4% |
| 1975 | 0.8709 deaths per 100,000 people | -64.4% |
| 1976 | 4.05 deaths per 100,000 people | +365.0% |
| 1977 | 1.42 deaths per 100,000 people | -65.0% |
| 1978 | 1.39 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.0% |
| 1979 | 1 deaths per 100,000 people | -28.0% |
| 1980 | 1.64 deaths per 100,000 people | +63.8% |
| 1981 | 2.02 deaths per 100,000 people | +23.2% |
| 1982 | 1.97 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.5% |
| 1983 | 1.41 deaths per 100,000 people | -28.3% |
| 1984 | 1.72 deaths per 100,000 people | +21.5% |
| 1985 | 1.48 deaths per 100,000 people | -14.0% |
| 1986 | 1.19 deaths per 100,000 people | -19.1% |
| 1987 | 1.18 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.4% |
| 1988 | 1.07 deaths per 100,000 people | -8.7% |
| 1989 | 1.25 deaths per 100,000 people | +16.4% |
| 1990 | 1.98 deaths per 100,000 people | +58.5% |
| 1991 | 1.77 deaths per 100,000 people | -10.5% |
| 1992 | 1.26 deaths per 100,000 people | -29.1% |
| 1993 | 1.23 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.8% |
| 1994 | 1.09 deaths per 100,000 people | -11.7% |
| 1995 | 1.25 deaths per 100,000 people | +14.9% |
| 1996 | 0.9789 deaths per 100,000 people | -21.7% |
| 1997 | 1.16 deaths per 100,000 people | +18.1% |
| 1998 | 1.01 deaths per 100,000 people | -12.7% |
| 1999 | 1.01 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 0.8702 deaths per 100,000 people | -14.2% |
| 2001 | 0.7745 deaths per 100,000 people | -11.0% |
| 2002 | 0.949 deaths per 100,000 people | +22.5% |
| 2003 | 0.9063 deaths per 100,000 people | -4.5% |
| 2004 | 0.6339 deaths per 100,000 people | -30.1% |
| 2005 | 0.5284 deaths per 100,000 people | -16.6% |
| 2006 | 0.5104 deaths per 100,000 people | -3.4% |
| 2007 | 0.3325 deaths per 100,000 people | -34.8% |
| 2008 | 0.3306 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.6% |
| 2009 | 0.5593 deaths per 100,000 people | +69.2% |
| 2010 | 0.5268 deaths per 100,000 people | -5.8% |
| 2011 | 0.3252 deaths per 100,000 people | -38.3% |
| 2012 | 0.2517 deaths per 100,000 people | -22.6% |
| 2013 | 0.3761 deaths per 100,000 people | +49.4% |
| 2014 | 0.1798 deaths per 100,000 people | -52.2% |
| 2015 | 0.3017 deaths per 100,000 people | +67.8% |
| 2016 | 0.2045 deaths per 100,000 people | -32.2% |
| 2017 | 0.1894 deaths per 100,000 people | -7.4% |
Hong Kong compared with similar countries
- Hong Kong's 0.1894 deaths per 100,000 people is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.7971 deaths per 100,000 people, 24% of the median. (57 countries reporting)
- Hong Kong's 0.1894 deaths per 100,000 people is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.7532 deaths per 100,000 people, 25% of the median. (12 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Homicide rate in Hong Kong 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | +365.0% | 0.8709 deaths per 100,000 people | 4.05 deaths per 100,000 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 1.58 deaths per 100,000 people | 0.8488 deaths per 100,000 people | 3.44 deaths per 100,000 people | 5 |
| 1960s | 1.15 deaths per 100,000 people | 0.6656 deaths per 100,000 people | 2.12 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.96 deaths per 100,000 people | 0.8709 deaths per 100,000 people | 4.05 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.49 deaths per 100,000 people | 1.07 deaths per 100,000 people | 2.02 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.27 deaths per 100,000 people | 0.9789 deaths per 100,000 people | 1.98 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.6395 deaths per 100,000 people | 0.3306 deaths per 100,000 people | 0.949 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.2944 deaths per 100,000 people | 0.1798 deaths per 100,000 people | 0.5268 deaths per 100,000 people | 8 |
Countries ranked near Hong Kong
- 100 Kuwait 0.3524 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 101 Barbados 0.3517 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 102 Azerbaijan 0.2214 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 104 Oman 0.1767 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 105 Japan 0.1754 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 106 Qatar 0.1651 deaths per 100,000 people compare
More social development data for Hong Kong
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 236 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 245 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 6 (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 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 245 (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)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of -9.23 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is homicide rate in Hong Kong?
- Homicide rate in Hong Kong was 0.1894 deaths per 100,000 people in 2017, according to WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest homicide rate recorded in Hong Kong?
- The highest recorded value was 4.05 deaths per 100,000 people in 1976.
- What is the lowest homicide rate recorded in Hong Kong?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1798 deaths per 100,000 people in 2014.
- How does Hong Kong rank for homicide rate?
- Hong Kong ranks 103rd out of 111 countries with data for 2017.
- Is homicide rate rising or falling in Hong Kong?
- Over the last ten years it is down 43.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Hong Kong data come from?
- The figures come from WHO Mortality Database (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
Annual number of homicides per 100,000 people.