Homicide rate, WHO vs. UNODC in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Homicide rate, WHO vs. UNODC was 4.03 homicides per 100,000 population in 2021. ▲ Rising
Latest (2021)
4.03 homicides per 100,000 population
Change on year
down 38.7%
World rank
74th
of 179 countries
All-time high
9.95 homicides per 100,000 population
in 2015
All-time low
3.48 homicides per 100,000 population
in 2010
Years of data
11
2009–2021
Homicide rate, WHO vs. UNODC in Afghanistan, 2009–2021
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
Afghanistan recorded 4.03 homicides per 100,000 population for homicide rate, who vs. unodc in 2021.
The figure is down 38.7% on the previous year and down 3.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, homicide rate, who vs. unodc in Afghanistan peaked at 9.95 homicides per 100,000 population in 2015 and was at its lowest, 3.48 homicides per 100,000 population, in 2010.
That places Afghanistan 74th out of 179 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 11 years of available data.
Homicide rate, WHO vs. UNODC in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | homicides per 100,000 population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 4.06 homicides per 100,000 population | — |
| 2010 | 3.48 homicides per 100,000 population | -14.4% |
| 2011 | 4.19 homicides per 100,000 population | +20.7% |
| 2012 | 6.37 homicides per 100,000 population | +52.0% |
| 2015 | 9.95 homicides per 100,000 population | +56.1% |
| 2016 | 6.68 homicides per 100,000 population | -32.9% |
| 2017 | 6.79 homicides per 100,000 population | +1.7% |
| 2018 | 6.73 homicides per 100,000 population | -0.9% |
| 2019 | 7.16 homicides per 100,000 population | +6.4% |
| 2020 | 6.58 homicides per 100,000 population | -8.2% |
| 2021 | 4.03 homicides per 100,000 population | -38.7% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 4.03 homicides per 100,000 population is above the median for low income countries, which is 3.6 homicides per 100,000 population, 1.1× the median. (10 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 4.03 homicides per 100,000 population is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 1.24 homicides per 100,000 population, 3.3× the median. (20 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 4.06 homicides per 100,000 population | 4.06 homicides per 100,000 population | 4.06 homicides per 100,000 population | 1 |
| 2010s | 6.42 homicides per 100,000 population | 3.48 homicides per 100,000 population | 9.95 homicides per 100,000 population | 8 |
| 2020s | 5.31 homicides per 100,000 population | 4.03 homicides per 100,000 population | 6.58 homicides per 100,000 population | 2 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
- 71 Pakistan 4.33 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 72 Guam 4.33 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 73 East Timor 4.07 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 75 Ukraine 3.78 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 76 Tanzania 3.75 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 77 Solomon Islands 3.73 homicides per 100,000 population
More social development data for Afghanistan
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 20,869 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 2.67 million (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 7 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 7 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0609 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 2.67 million (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0005 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is homicide rate, who vs. unodc in Afghanistan?
- Homicide rate, who vs. unodc in Afghanistan was 4.03 homicides per 100,000 population in 2021, 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, who vs. unodc recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 9.95 homicides per 100,000 population in 2015.
- What is the lowest homicide rate, who vs. unodc recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.48 homicides per 100,000 population in 2010.
- How does Afghanistan rank for homicide rate, who vs. unodc?
- Afghanistan ranks 74th out of 179 countries with data for 2021.
- Is homicide rate, who vs. unodc rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Afghanistan 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, WHO vs. UNODC. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Intentional homicide rate per 100,000 population.