Homicides by firearm in Guatemala

Guatemala: Homicides by firearm was 799 homicides in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)
799 homicides
Change on year
up 8.7%
World rank
13th
of 82 countries
All-time high
5,438 homicides
in 2016
All-time low
605 homicides
in 2021
Years of data
16
2007–2023

Homicides by firearm in Guatemala, 2007–2023

1.0k2.0k3.0k4.0k5.0k2007201520232007: 4.8k homicides2008: 5.2k homicides2009: 5.4k homicides2010: 5.0k homicides2011: 4.7k homicides2012: 4.2k homicides2013: 4.3k homicides2014: 4.1k homicides2016: 5.4k homicides2017: 1.4k homicides2018: 1.1k homicides2019: 1.1k homicides2020: 618 homicides2021: 605 homicides2022: 735 homicides2023: 799 homicides

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

Guatemala recorded 799 homicides for homicides by firearm in 2023.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 8.7% on the previous year and down 81.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, homicides by firearm in Guatemala peaked at 5,438 homicides in 2016 and was at its lowest, 605 homicides, in 2021.

Guatemala ranks 13th 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.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 5,139 homicides 4,776 homicides 5,405 homicides 3
2010s 3,481 homicides 1,061 homicides 5,438 homicides 9
2020s 689.25 homicides 605 homicides 799 homicides 4

Countries ranked near Guatemala

  1. 10 Jamaica 1,189 homicides compare
  2. 11 Argentina 1,185 homicides compare
  3. 12 Thailand 1,034 homicides compare
  4. 14 Dominican Republic 735 homicides compare
  5. 15 Costa Rica 727 homicides compare
  6. 16 Chile 653 homicides compare

See the full ranking of 82 places →

More social development data for Guatemala

All data for Guatemala →

Frequently asked questions

What is homicides by firearm in Guatemala?
Homicides by firearm in Guatemala was 799 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 Guatemala?
The highest recorded value was 5,438 homicides in 2016.
What is the lowest homicides by firearm recorded in Guatemala?
The lowest recorded value was 605 homicides in 2021.
How does Guatemala rank for homicides by firearm?
Guatemala ranks 13th out of 82 countries with data for 2023.
Is homicides by firearm rising or falling in Guatemala?
Over the last ten years it is down 81.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Guatemala 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

Indicator
Homicides by firearm
Unit
homicides
Source
UN, World Population Prospects (2024); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
82 places, 1,019 data points, 2005–2023
Last refreshed

Number of intentional homicides where the weapon was a firearm.