Homicide rate, WHO vs. UNODC in Sweden
Sweden: Homicide rate, WHO vs. UNODC was 1.15 homicides per 100,000 population in 2023. ▼ Falling
Homicide rate, WHO vs. UNODC in Sweden, 1990–2023
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, who vs. unodc in Sweden is 1.15 homicides per 100,000 population, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.7% on the previous year and up 26.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, homicide rate, who vs. unodc in Sweden peaked at 1.33 homicides per 100,000 population in 1991 and was at its lowest, 0.7143 homicides per 100,000 population, in 2012.
That places Sweden 125th out of 179 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 34 years of available data.
Homicide rate, WHO vs. UNODC in Sweden, year by year
| Year | homicides per 100,000 population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 1.11 homicides per 100,000 population | — |
| 1991 | 1.33 homicides per 100,000 population | +20.2% |
| 1992 | 1.32 homicides per 100,000 population | -1.4% |
| 1993 | 1.24 homicides per 100,000 population | -5.8% |
| 1994 | 1.14 homicides per 100,000 population | -8.1% |
| 1995 | 0.9857 homicides per 100,000 population | -13.5% |
| 1996 | 1.12 homicides per 100,000 population | +13.6% |
| 1997 | 0.9835 homicides per 100,000 population | -12.2% |
| 1998 | 1.04 homicides per 100,000 population | +5.7% |
| 1999 | 1.14 homicides per 100,000 population | +9.7% |
| 2000 | 1.08 homicides per 100,000 population | -5.1% |
| 2001 | 0.978 homicides per 100,000 population | -9.6% |
| 2002 | 1.13 homicides per 100,000 population | +15.7% |
| 2003 | 0.9488 homicides per 100,000 population | -16.2% |
| 2004 | 1.19 homicides per 100,000 population | +25.4% |
| 2005 | 0.9192 homicides per 100,000 population | -22.7% |
| 2006 | 1 homicides per 100,000 population | +9.0% |
| 2007 | 1.21 homicides per 100,000 population | +21.1% |
| 2008 | 0.8894 homicides per 100,000 population | -26.7% |
| 2009 | 1 homicides per 100,000 population | +12.5% |
| 2010 | 0.9703 homicides per 100,000 population | -3.0% |
| 2011 | 0.8572 homicides per 100,000 population | -11.7% |
| 2012 | 0.7143 homicides per 100,000 population | -16.7% |
| 2013 | 0.9062 homicides per 100,000 population | +26.9% |
| 2014 | 0.8972 homicides per 100,000 population | -1.0% |
| 2015 | 1.14 homicides per 100,000 population | +27.4% |
| 2016 | 1.07 homicides per 100,000 population | -6.5% |
| 2017 | 1.12 homicides per 100,000 population | +5.2% |
| 2018 | 1.06 homicides per 100,000 population | -5.5% |
| 2019 | 1.08 homicides per 100,000 population | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 1.2 homicides per 100,000 population | +10.9% |
| 2021 | 1.08 homicides per 100,000 population | -9.4% |
| 2022 | 1.11 homicides per 100,000 population | +2.0% |
| 2023 | 1.15 homicides per 100,000 population | +3.7% |
Sweden compared with similar countries
- Sweden's 1.15 homicides per 100,000 population is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.12 homicides per 100,000 population, 1.0× the median. (76 countries reporting)
- Sweden's 1.15 homicides per 100,000 population is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1.12 homicides per 100,000 population, 1.0× the median. (52 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.14 homicides per 100,000 population | 0.9835 homicides per 100,000 population | 1.33 homicides per 100,000 population | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.04 homicides per 100,000 population | 0.8894 homicides per 100,000 population | 1.21 homicides per 100,000 population | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.9821 homicides per 100,000 population | 0.7143 homicides per 100,000 population | 1.14 homicides per 100,000 population | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.13 homicides per 100,000 population | 1.08 homicides per 100,000 population | 1.2 homicides per 100,000 population | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sweden
- 122 Iceland 1.29 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 123 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1.22 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 124 Algeria 1.16 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 126 Slovakia 1.12 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 127 Romania 1.12 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 128 United Kingdom 1.12 homicides per 100,000 population compare
More social development data for Sweden
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 144,116 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 128 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 1 (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 128 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0136 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 Sweden?
- Homicide rate, who vs. unodc in Sweden was 1.15 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, who vs. unodc recorded in Sweden?
- The highest recorded value was 1.33 homicides per 100,000 population in 1991.
- What is the lowest homicide rate, who vs. unodc recorded in Sweden?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.7143 homicides per 100,000 population in 2012.
- How does Sweden rank for homicide rate, who vs. unodc?
- Sweden ranks 125th out of 179 countries with data for 2023.
- Is homicide rate, who vs. unodc rising or falling in Sweden?
- Over the last ten years it is up 26.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sweden 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.