Homicide rate, WHO vs. UNODC in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Homicide rate, WHO vs. UNODC was 0.9353 homicides per 100,000 population in 2019. ▼ Falling
Latest (2019)
0.9353 homicides per 100,000 population
Change on year
up 26.8%
World rank
136th
of 179 countries
All-time high
1.59 homicides per 100,000 population
in 2002
All-time low
0.7377 homicides per 100,000 population
in 2018
Years of data
11
1999–2019
Homicide rate, WHO vs. UNODC in Saudi Arabia, 1999–2019
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, who vs. unodc in Saudi Arabia is 0.9353 homicides per 100,000 population, measured in 2019.
The figure is up 26.8% on the previous year and down 21.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, homicide rate, who vs. unodc in Saudi Arabia peaked at 1.59 homicides per 100,000 population in 2002 and was at its lowest, 0.7377 homicides per 100,000 population, in 2018.
Saudi Arabia ranks 136th of 179 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 11 years of available data.
Homicide rate, WHO vs. UNODC in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | homicides per 100,000 population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 1.19 homicides per 100,000 population | — |
| 2000 | 1.07 homicides per 100,000 population | -10.1% |
| 2001 | 1.34 homicides per 100,000 population | +25.7% |
| 2002 | 1.59 homicides per 100,000 population | +18.4% |
| 2003 | 1.33 homicides per 100,000 population | -16.4% |
| 2004 | 1.53 homicides per 100,000 population | +15.0% |
| 2005 | 1.44 homicides per 100,000 population | -5.6% |
| 2006 | 1.19 homicides per 100,000 population | -17.7% |
| 2007 | 1.18 homicides per 100,000 population | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 0.7377 homicides per 100,000 population | -37.7% |
| 2019 | 0.9353 homicides per 100,000 population | +26.8% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 0.9353 homicides per 100,000 population is below the median for high income countries, which is 1.12 homicides per 100,000 population, 84% of the median. (76 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 0.9353 homicides per 100,000 population is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 1.24 homicides per 100,000 population, 76% of the median. (20 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.19 homicides per 100,000 population | 1.19 homicides per 100,000 population | 1.19 homicides per 100,000 population | 1 |
| 2000s | 1.34 homicides per 100,000 population | 1.07 homicides per 100,000 population | 1.59 homicides per 100,000 population | 8 |
| 2010s | 0.8365 homicides per 100,000 population | 0.7377 homicides per 100,000 population | 0.9353 homicides per 100,000 population | 2 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
- 133 Finland 0.9819 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 134 Cyprus 0.9571 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 135 Tonga 0.9463 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 137 Germany 0.9107 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 138 Tajikistan 0.8924 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 139 Austria 0.8762 homicides per 100,000 population compare
More social development data for Saudi Arabia
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 448 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 2,368 (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 0.0001 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 2,368 (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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is homicide rate, who vs. unodc in Saudi Arabia?
- Homicide rate, who vs. unodc in Saudi Arabia was 0.9353 homicides per 100,000 population in 2019, 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 Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 1.59 homicides per 100,000 population in 2002.
- What is the lowest homicide rate, who vs. unodc recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.7377 homicides per 100,000 population in 2018.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for homicide rate, who vs. unodc?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 136th out of 179 countries with data for 2019.
- Is homicide rate, who vs. unodc rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia 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.