Homicides in Spain
Spain: Homicides was 316 deaths in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
316 deaths
Change on year
up 3.6%
World rank
31st
of 113 countries
All-time high
585 deaths
in 2004
All-time low
20 deaths
in 1964
Years of data
73
1951–2023
Homicides in Spain, 1951–2023
Source: WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths.
Analysis
The most recent figure for homicides in Spain is 316 deaths, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of up 3.6% on the previous year and up 0.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, homicides in Spain peaked at 585 deaths in 2004 and was at its lowest, 20 deaths, in 1964.
That places Spain 31st out of 113 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Homicides in Spain, year by year
| Year | deaths | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 138 deaths | — |
| 1952 | 123 deaths | -10.9% |
| 1953 | 91 deaths | -26.0% |
| 1954 | 99 deaths | +8.8% |
| 1955 | 90 deaths | -9.1% |
| 1956 | 130 deaths | +44.4% |
| 1957 | 150 deaths | +15.4% |
| 1958 | 153 deaths | +2.0% |
| 1959 | 133 deaths | -13.1% |
| 1960 | 84 deaths | -36.8% |
| 1961 | 56 deaths | -33.3% |
| 1962 | 31 deaths | -44.6% |
| 1963 | 42 deaths | +35.5% |
| 1964 | 20 deaths | -52.4% |
| 1965 | 44 deaths | +120.0% |
| 1966 | 54 deaths | +22.7% |
| 1967 | 39 deaths | -27.8% |
| 1968 | 33 deaths | -15.4% |
| 1969 | 83 deaths | +151.5% |
| 1970 | 214 deaths | +157.8% |
| 1971 | 83 deaths | -61.2% |
| 1972 | 104 deaths | +25.3% |
| 1973 | 103 deaths | -1.0% |
| 1974 | 123 deaths | +19.4% |
| 1975 | 225 deaths | +82.9% |
| 1976 | 187 deaths | -16.9% |
| 1977 | 240 deaths | +28.3% |
| 1978 | 338 deaths | +40.8% |
| 1979 | 393 deaths | +16.3% |
| 1980 | 374 deaths | -4.8% |
| 1981 | 321 deaths | -14.2% |
| 1982 | 307 deaths | -4.4% |
| 1983 | 390 deaths | +27.0% |
| 1984 | 453 deaths | +16.2% |
| 1985 | 405 deaths | -10.6% |
| 1986 | 407 deaths | +0.5% |
| 1987 | 457 deaths | +12.3% |
| 1988 | 349 deaths | -23.6% |
| 1989 | 341 deaths | -2.3% |
| 1990 | 381 deaths | +11.7% |
| 1991 | 346 deaths | -9.2% |
| 1992 | 347 deaths | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 373 deaths | +7.5% |
| 1994 | 353 deaths | -5.4% |
| 1995 | 353 deaths | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 343 deaths | -2.8% |
| 1997 | 342 deaths | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 355 deaths | +3.8% |
| 1999 | 347 deaths | -2.3% |
| 2000 | 411 deaths | +18.4% |
| 2001 | 418 deaths | +1.7% |
| 2002 | 433 deaths | +3.6% |
| 2003 | 446 deaths | +3.0% |
| 2004 | 585 deaths | +31.2% |
| 2005 | 389 deaths | -33.5% |
| 2006 | 376 deaths | -3.3% |
| 2007 | 349 deaths | -7.2% |
| 2008 | 378 deaths | +8.3% |
| 2009 | 337 deaths | -10.8% |
| 2010 | 329 deaths | -2.4% |
| 2011 | 335 deaths | +1.8% |
| 2012 | 303 deaths | -9.6% |
| 2013 | 315 deaths | +4.0% |
| 2014 | 317 deaths | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 285 deaths | -10.1% |
| 2016 | 282 deaths | -1.1% |
| 2017 | 325 deaths | +15.2% |
| 2018 | 275 deaths | -15.4% |
| 2019 | 292 deaths | +6.2% |
| 2020 | 291 deaths | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 283 deaths | -2.7% |
| 2022 | 305 deaths | +7.8% |
| 2023 | 316 deaths | +3.6% |
Spain compared with similar countries
- Spain's 316 deaths is above the median for high income countries, which is 63 deaths, 5.0× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Spain's 316 deaths is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 63.5 deaths, 5.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Homicides in Spain changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | +157.8% | 83 deaths | 214 deaths |
| 1969 | +151.5% | 33 deaths | 83 deaths |
| 1965 | +120.0% | 20 deaths | 44 deaths |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 123 deaths | 90 deaths | 153 deaths | 9 |
| 1960s | 48.6 deaths | 20 deaths | 84 deaths | 10 |
| 1970s | 201 deaths | 83 deaths | 393 deaths | 10 |
| 1980s | 380.4 deaths | 307 deaths | 457 deaths | 10 |
| 1990s | 354 deaths | 342 deaths | 381 deaths | 10 |
| 2000s | 412.2 deaths | 337 deaths | 585 deaths | 10 |
| 2010s | 305.8 deaths | 275 deaths | 335 deaths | 10 |
| 2020s | 298.75 deaths | 283 deaths | 316 deaths | 4 |
Countries ranked near Spain
- 28 Trinidad and Tobago 392 deaths compare
- 29 Germany 371 deaths compare
- 30 South Korea 320 deaths compare
- 32 Canada 306 deaths compare
- 33 Belarus 305 deaths compare
- 34 United Kingdom 258 deaths compare
More social development data for Spain
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 511,079 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 186 (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 186 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0104 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 Spain?
- Homicides in Spain was 316 deaths in 2023, according to WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest homicides recorded in Spain?
- The highest recorded value was 585 deaths in 2004.
- What is the lowest homicides recorded in Spain?
- The lowest recorded value was 20 deaths in 1964.
- How does Spain rank for homicides?
- Spain ranks 31st out of 113 countries with data for 2023.
- Is homicides rising or falling in Spain?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Spain data come from?
- The figures come from WHO Mortality Database (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
Annual number of homicides.