Homicides in Zambia
Zambia: Homicides was 853 homicides in 2015. ▲ Rising
Homicides in Zambia, 1990–2015
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 2015, homicides in Zambia stood at 853 homicides.
The figure is up 3.4% on the previous year and up 22.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, homicides in Zambia peaked at 1,072 homicides in 1999 and was at its lowest, 550 homicides, in 1990.
That places Zambia 38th out of 179 countries with data for 2015, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 16 years of available data.
Homicides in Zambia, year by year
| Year | homicides | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 550 homicides | — |
| 1991 | 684 homicides | +24.4% |
| 1992 | 768 homicides | +12.3% |
| 1993 | 745 homicides | -3.0% |
| 1994 | 831 homicides | +11.5% |
| 1998 | 872 homicides | +4.9% |
| 1999 | 1,072 homicides | +22.9% |
| 2000 | 797 homicides | -25.7% |
| 2008 | 694 homicides | -12.9% |
| 2009 | 812 homicides | +17.0% |
| 2010 | 814 homicides | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 863 homicides | +6.0% |
| 2012 | 885 homicides | +2.5% |
| 2013 | 867 homicides | -2.0% |
| 2014 | 825 homicides | -4.8% |
| 2015 | 853 homicides | +3.4% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 853 homicides is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 635 homicides, 1.3× the median. (33 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 853 homicides is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 539.5 homicides, 1.6× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 788.86 homicides | 550 homicides | 1,072 homicides | 7 |
| 2000s | 767.67 homicides | 694 homicides | 812 homicides | 3 |
| 2010s | 851.17 homicides | 814 homicides | 885 homicides | 6 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More social development data for Zambia
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 83,225 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 346 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 4 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 4 (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 346 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0038 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 Zambia?
- Homicides in Zambia was 853 homicides in 2015, 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 1,072 homicides in 1999.
- What is the lowest homicides recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 550 homicides in 1990.
- How does Zambia rank for homicides?
- Zambia ranks 38th out of 179 countries with data for 2015.
- Is homicides rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 22.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zambia 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.