Homicides in Ecuador
Ecuador: Homicides was 8,221 homicides in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Homicides in Ecuador, 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.
Analysis
The most recent figure for homicides in Ecuador is 8,221 homicides, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 30 years on record.
That represents a change of up 68.3% on the previous year and up 376.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, homicides in Ecuador peaked at 8,221 homicides in 2023 and was at its lowest, 892 homicides, in 1990.
That places Ecuador 9th out of 179 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Homicides in Ecuador, year by year
| Year | homicides | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 892 homicides | — |
| 1991 | 1,153 homicides | +29.3% |
| 1992 | 935 homicides | -18.9% |
| 1993 | 926 homicides | -1.0% |
| 1994 | 1,139 homicides | +23.0% |
| 1995 | 1,372 homicides | +20.5% |
| 1996 | 1,463 homicides | +6.6% |
| 1997 | 1,317 homicides | -10.0% |
| 1998 | 1,643 homicides | +24.8% |
| 1999 | 1,682 homicides | +2.4% |
| 2000 | 1,833 homicides | +9.0% |
| 2001 | 1,658 homicides | -9.5% |
| 2002 | 1,906 homicides | +15.0% |
| 2007 | 2,273 homicides | +19.3% |
| 2008 | 2,607 homicides | +14.7% |
| 2009 | 2,625 homicides | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 2,624 homicides | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 2,343 homicides | -10.7% |
| 2012 | 1,922 homicides | -18.0% |
| 2013 | 1,725 homicides | -10.2% |
| 2014 | 1,310 homicides | -24.1% |
| 2015 | 1,050 homicides | -19.8% |
| 2016 | 959 homicides | -8.7% |
| 2017 | 970 homicides | +1.1% |
| 2018 | 994 homicides | +2.5% |
| 2019 | 1,187 homicides | +19.4% |
| 2020 | 1,372 homicides | +15.6% |
| 2021 | 2,496 homicides | +81.9% |
| 2022 | 4,886 homicides | +95.8% |
| 2023 | 8,221 homicides | +68.3% |
Ecuador compared with similar countries
- Ecuador's 8,221 homicides is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 241.5 homicides, 34.0× the median. (52 countries reporting)
- Ecuador's 8,221 homicides is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 489 homicides, 16.8× the median. (41 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1,252 homicides | 892 homicides | 1,682 homicides | 10 |
| 2000s | 2,150 homicides | 1,658 homicides | 2,625 homicides | 6 |
| 2010s | 1,508 homicides | 959 homicides | 2,624 homicides | 10 |
| 2020s | 4,244 homicides | 1,372 homicides | 8,221 homicides | 4 |
Countries ranked near Ecuador
More social development data for Ecuador
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 26,428 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 5,723 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 3 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 3 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0003 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 5,723 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0014 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 in Ecuador?
- Homicides in Ecuador was 8,221 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 recorded in Ecuador?
- The highest recorded value was 8,221 homicides in 2023.
- What is the lowest homicides recorded in Ecuador?
- The lowest recorded value was 892 homicides in 1990.
- How does Ecuador rank for homicides?
- Ecuador ranks 9th out of 179 countries with data for 2023.
- Is homicides rising or falling in Ecuador?
- Over the last ten years it is up 376.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ecuador 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. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of intentional homicides.