Homicides by firearm in El Salvador
El Salvador: Homicides by firearm was 303 homicides in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Homicides by firearm in El Salvador, 2007–2022
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
In 2022, homicides by firearm in El Salvador stood at 303 homicides. That is the lowest value across all 16 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 57.1% on the previous year and down 81.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, homicides by firearm in El Salvador peaked at 5,536 homicides in 2015 and was at its lowest, 303 homicides, in 2022.
El Salvador ranks 19th of 82 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Homicides by firearm in El Salvador, year by year
| Year | homicides | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 2,795 homicides | — |
| 2008 | 2,117 homicides | -24.3% |
| 2009 | 3,321 homicides | +56.9% |
| 2010 | 2,922 homicides | -12.0% |
| 2011 | 3,046 homicides | +4.2% |
| 2012 | 1,604 homicides | -47.3% |
| 2013 | 1,678 homicides | +4.6% |
| 2014 | 3,005 homicides | +79.1% |
| 2015 | 5,536 homicides | +84.2% |
| 2016 | 4,257 homicides | -23.1% |
| 2017 | 3,007 homicides | -29.4% |
| 2018 | 2,601 homicides | -13.5% |
| 2019 | 1,754 homicides | -32.6% |
| 2020 | 926 homicides | -47.2% |
| 2021 | 706 homicides | -23.8% |
| 2022 | 303 homicides | -57.1% |
El Salvador compared with similar countries
- El Salvador's 303 homicides is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 30 homicides, 10.1× the median. (34 countries reporting)
- El Salvador's 303 homicides is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 253 homicides, 1.2× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 2,744 homicides | 2,117 homicides | 3,321 homicides | 3 |
| 2010s | 2,941 homicides | 1,604 homicides | 5,536 homicides | 10 |
| 2020s | 645 homicides | 303 homicides | 926 homicides | 3 |
Countries ranked near El Salvador
More social development data for El Salvador
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 182 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 68,182 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 5 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 5 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0107 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 68,182 (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 El Salvador?
- Homicides by firearm in El Salvador was 303 homicides in 2022, 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 El Salvador?
- The highest recorded value was 5,536 homicides in 2015.
- What is the lowest homicides by firearm recorded in El Salvador?
- The lowest recorded value was 303 homicides in 2022.
- How does El Salvador rank for homicides by firearm?
- El Salvador ranks 19th out of 82 countries with data for 2022.
- Is homicides by firearm rising or falling in El Salvador?
- Over the last ten years it is down 81.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this El Salvador 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.