Homicide rate, WHO vs. UNODC in Zambia
Zambia: Homicide rate, WHO vs. UNODC was 5.2 homicides per 100,000 population in 2015. ▼ Falling
Latest (2015)
5.2 homicides per 100,000 population
Change on year
up 0.2%
World rank
61st
of 179 countries
All-time high
11.01 homicides per 100,000 population
in 1999
All-time low
5.19 homicides per 100,000 population
in 2014
Years of data
16
1990–2015
Homicide rate, WHO vs. UNODC in Zambia, 1990–2015
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 Zambia is 5.2 homicides per 100,000 population, measured in 2015.
That represents a change of up 0.2% on the previous year and down 2.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, homicide rate, who vs. unodc in Zambia peaked at 11.01 homicides per 100,000 population in 1999 and was at its lowest, 5.19 homicides per 100,000 population, in 2014.
Zambia ranks 61st of 179 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 16 years of available data.
Homicide rate, WHO vs. UNODC in Zambia, year by year
| Year | homicides per 100,000 population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 7.06 homicides per 100,000 population | — |
| 1991 | 8.57 homicides per 100,000 population | +21.3% |
| 1992 | 9.39 homicides per 100,000 population | +9.6% |
| 1993 | 8.9 homicides per 100,000 population | -5.3% |
| 1994 | 9.69 homicides per 100,000 population | +8.9% |
| 1998 | 9.2 homicides per 100,000 population | -5.1% |
| 1999 | 11.01 homicides per 100,000 population | +19.7% |
| 2000 | 7.96 homicides per 100,000 population | -27.7% |
| 2008 | 5.33 homicides per 100,000 population | -33.0% |
| 2009 | 6.02 homicides per 100,000 population | +12.9% |
| 2010 | 5.83 homicides per 100,000 population | -3.2% |
| 2011 | 5.98 homicides per 100,000 population | +2.6% |
| 2012 | 5.93 homicides per 100,000 population | -0.7% |
| 2013 | 5.63 homicides per 100,000 population | -5.1% |
| 2014 | 5.19 homicides per 100,000 population | -7.8% |
| 2015 | 5.2 homicides per 100,000 population | +0.2% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 5.2 homicides per 100,000 population is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 4.07 homicides per 100,000 population, 1.3× the median. (33 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 5.2 homicides per 100,000 population is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.43 homicides per 100,000 population, 96% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 9.12 homicides per 100,000 population | 7.06 homicides per 100,000 population | 11.01 homicides per 100,000 population | 7 |
| 2000s | 6.43 homicides per 100,000 population | 5.33 homicides per 100,000 population | 7.96 homicides per 100,000 population | 3 |
| 2010s | 5.63 homicides per 100,000 population | 5.19 homicides per 100,000 population | 5.98 homicides per 100,000 population | 6 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
- 58 Burundi 5.65 homicides per 100,000 population
- 59 Mongolia 5.64 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 60 Greenland 5.35 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 62 Liechtenstein 5.12 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 63 Kenya 4.87 homicides per 100,000 population compare
- 64 Thailand 4.79 homicides per 100,000 population compare
More social development data for Zambia
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 83,225 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 346 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 4 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 4 (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 346 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0038 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 Zambia?
- Homicide rate, who vs. unodc in Zambia was 5.2 homicides per 100,000 population in 2015, 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 11.01 homicides per 100,000 population in 1999.
- What is the lowest homicide rate, who vs. unodc recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.19 homicides per 100,000 population in 2014.
- How does Zambia rank for homicide rate, who vs. unodc?
- Zambia ranks 61st out of 179 countries with data for 2015.
- Is homicide rate, who vs. unodc rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Zambia 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.