Homicides by firearm in Colombia
Colombia: Homicides by firearm was 9,340 homicides in 2023. ▼ Falling
Homicides by firearm in Colombia, 2005–2023
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.
Analysis
Colombia recorded 9,340 homicides for homicides by firearm in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.5% on the previous year and down 21.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, homicides by firearm in Colombia peaked at 14,763 homicides in 2005 and was at its lowest, 8,046 homicides, in 2018.
That places Colombia 3rd out of 82 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 19 years of available data.
Homicides by firearm in Colombia, year by year
| Year | homicides | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 14,763 homicides | — |
| 2006 | 13,915 homicides | -5.7% |
| 2007 | 13,962 homicides | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 12,958 homicides | -7.2% |
| 2009 | 12,808 homicides | -1.2% |
| 2010 | 12,528 homicides | -2.2% |
| 2011 | 12,768 homicides | +1.9% |
| 2012 | 12,925 homicides | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 11,918 homicides | -7.8% |
| 2014 | 9,861 homicides | -17.3% |
| 2015 | 9,274 homicides | -6.0% |
| 2016 | 8,824 homicides | -4.9% |
| 2017 | 8,876 homicides | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 8,046 homicides | -9.4% |
| 2019 | 8,046 homicides | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 8,342 homicides | +3.7% |
| 2021 | 9,333 homicides | +11.9% |
| 2022 | 9,298 homicides | -0.4% |
| 2023 | 9,340 homicides | +0.5% |
Colombia compared with similar countries
- Colombia's 9,340 homicides is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 30 homicides, 311.3× the median. (34 countries reporting)
- Colombia's 9,340 homicides is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 253 homicides, 36.9× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 13,681 homicides | 12,808 homicides | 14,763 homicides | 5 |
| 2010s | 10,307 homicides | 8,046 homicides | 12,925 homicides | 10 |
| 2020s | 9,078 homicides | 8,342 homicides | 9,340 homicides | 4 |
Countries ranked near Colombia
- 1 Mexico 22,355 homicides compare
- 2 United States 15,186 homicides compare
- 4 Ecuador 7,108 homicides compare
- 5 India 3,781 homicides compare
- 6 Philippines 2,690 homicides compare
More social development data for Colombia
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,464 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 79,669 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0015 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 79,669 (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 homicides by firearm in Colombia?
- Homicides by firearm in Colombia was 9,340 homicides 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 homicides by firearm recorded in Colombia?
- The highest recorded value was 14,763 homicides in 2005.
- What is the lowest homicides by firearm recorded in Colombia?
- The lowest recorded value was 8,046 homicides in 2018.
- How does Colombia rank for homicides by firearm?
- Colombia ranks 3rd out of 82 countries with data for 2023.
- Is homicides by firearm rising or falling in Colombia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Colombia 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 Homicides by firearm. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of intentional homicides where the weapon was a firearm.