Homicides in Uruguay
Uruguay: Homicides was 381 homicides in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
381 homicides
Change on year
down 0.5%
World rank
65th
of 179 countries
All-time high
421 homicides
in 2018
All-time low
182 homicides
in 1992
Years of data
32
1990–2023
Homicides in Uruguay, 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 Uruguay is 381 homicides, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of down 0.5% on the previous year and up 46.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, homicides in Uruguay peaked at 421 homicides in 2018 and was at its lowest, 182 homicides, in 1992.
Uruguay ranks 65th of 179 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 32 years of available data.
Homicides in Uruguay, year by year
| Year | homicides | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 206 homicides | — |
| 1991 | 194 homicides | -5.8% |
| 1992 | 182 homicides | -6.2% |
| 1995 | 191 homicides | +4.9% |
| 1996 | 205 homicides | +7.3% |
| 1997 | 243 homicides | +18.5% |
| 1998 | 244 homicides | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 216 homicides | -11.5% |
| 2000 | 214 homicides | -0.9% |
| 2001 | 218 homicides | +1.9% |
| 2002 | 231 homicides | +6.0% |
| 2003 | 197 homicides | -14.7% |
| 2004 | 200 homicides | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 190 homicides | -5.0% |
| 2006 | 202 homicides | +6.3% |
| 2007 | 194 homicides | -4.0% |
| 2008 | 221 homicides | +13.9% |
| 2009 | 226 homicides | +2.3% |
| 2010 | 205 homicides | -9.3% |
| 2011 | 199 homicides | -2.9% |
| 2012 | 267 homicides | +34.2% |
| 2013 | 260 homicides | -2.6% |
| 2014 | 268 homicides | +3.1% |
| 2015 | 293 homicides | +9.3% |
| 2016 | 267 homicides | -8.9% |
| 2017 | 283 homicides | +6.0% |
| 2018 | 421 homicides | +48.8% |
| 2019 | 394 homicides | -6.4% |
| 2020 | 341 homicides | -13.5% |
| 2021 | 306 homicides | -10.3% |
| 2022 | 383 homicides | +25.2% |
| 2023 | 381 homicides | -0.5% |
Uruguay compared with similar countries
- Uruguay's 381 homicides is above the median for high income countries, which is 52.5 homicides, 7.3× the median. (76 countries reporting)
- Uruguay's 381 homicides is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 489 homicides, 78% of the median. (41 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 210.12 homicides | 182 homicides | 244 homicides | 8 |
| 2000s | 209.3 homicides | 190 homicides | 231 homicides | 10 |
| 2010s | 285.7 homicides | 199 homicides | 421 homicides | 10 |
| 2020s | 352.75 homicides | 306 homicides | 383 homicides | 4 |
Countries ranked near Uruguay
More social development data for Uruguay
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 3,195 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 126 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 1 (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 126 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0009 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 Uruguay?
- Homicides in Uruguay was 381 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 Uruguay?
- The highest recorded value was 421 homicides in 2018.
- What is the lowest homicides recorded in Uruguay?
- The lowest recorded value was 182 homicides in 1992.
- How does Uruguay rank for homicides?
- Uruguay ranks 65th out of 179 countries with data for 2023.
- Is homicides rising or falling in Uruguay?
- Over the last ten years it is up 46.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Uruguay 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.