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Crime > Prisoners > Per capita: Countries Compared

DEFINITION: Data for 2003. Number of prisoners held per 100,000 population.

CONTENTS

#
COUNTRY
AMOUNT
DATE
GRAPH
1 United StatesUnited States 715 per 100,000 people 2003
2 RussiaRussia 584 per 100,000 people 2003
3 BelarusBelarus 554 per 100,000 people 2003
4 PalauPalau 523 per 100,000 people 2003
5 BelizeBelize 459 per 100,000 people 2003
6 SurinameSuriname 437 per 100,000 people 2003
7 DominicaDominica 420 per 100,000 people 2003
8 UkraineUkraine 416 per 100,000 people 2003
9 The BahamasThe Bahamas 410 per 100,000 people 2003
10 South AfricaSouth Africa 402 per 100,000 people 2003
11 KyrgyzstanKyrgyzstan 390 per 100,000 people 2003
12 SingaporeSingapore 388 per 100,000 people 2003
13 KazakhstanKazakhstan 386 per 100,000 people 2003
14 BarbadosBarbados 367 per 100,000 people 2003
15 PanamaPanama 354 per 100,000 people 2003
16 Trinidad and TobagoTrinidad+ 351 per 100,000 people 2003
17 ThailandThailand 340 per 100,000 people 2003
=18 EstoniaEstonia 339 per 100,000 people 2003
=18 LatviaLatvia 339 per 100,000 people 2003
20 Saint Kitts and NevisSt Kitts+ 338 per 100,000 people 2003
21 GrenadaGrenada 333 per 100,000 people 2003
22 BotswanaBotswana 327 per 100,000 people 2003
23 SwazilandSwaziland 324 per 100,000 people 2003
24 MongoliaMongolia 303 per 100,000 people 2003
Former Soviet republics averageFormer Soviet republics average (profile) 287.5 per 100,000 people 2003
25 Antigua and BarbudaAntigua and Barbuda 278 per 100,000 people 2003
26 Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesSt Vincent+ 270 per 100,000 people 2003
27 NamibiaNamibia 267 per 100,000 people 2003
28 TunisiaTunisia 253 per 100,000 people 2003
29 TaiwanTaiwan 250 per 100,000 people 2003
30 Saint LuciaSaint Lucia 243 per 100,000 people 2003
31 LithuaniaLithuania 234 per 100,000 people 2003
32 Costa RicaCosta Rica 229 per 100,000 people 2003
33 IranIran 226 per 100,000 people 2003
34 MauritiusMauritius 214 per 100,000 people 2003
Latin America and Caribbean averageLatin America and Caribbean average (profile) 211.85 per 100,000 people 2003
35 PolandPoland 210 per 100,000 people 2003
36 UruguayUruguay 209 per 100,000 people 2003
37 SeychellesSeychelles 207 per 100,000 people 2003
38 ChileChile 204 per 100,000 people 2003
39 AzerbaijanAzerbaijan 198 per 100,000 people 2003
Group of 7 countries (G7) averageGroup of 7 countries (G7) average (profile) 196 per 100,000 people 2003
Emerging markets averageEmerging markets average (profile) 195.84 per 100,000 people 2003
40 RomaniaRomania 193 per 100,000 people 2003
41 UzbekistanUzbekistan 184 per 100,000 people 2003
42 Czech RepublicCzech Republic 178 per 100,000 people 2003
Former British colonies averageFormer British colonies average (profile) 176.29 per 100,000 people 2003
=43 MoroccoMorocco 176 per 100,000 people 2003
=43 JamaicaJamaica 176 per 100,000 people 2003
Heavily indebted countries averageHeavily indebted countries average (profile) 175.54 per 100,000 people 2003
45 GuyanaGuyana 175 per 100,000 people 2003
46 IsraelIsrael 174 per 100,000 people 2003
47 LibyaLibya 173 per 100,000 people 2003
48 HondurasHonduras 172 per 100,000 people 2003
=49 MexicoMexico 169 per 100,000 people 2003
=49 BrazilBrazil 169 per 100,000 people 2003
=51 SlovakiaSlovakia 165 per 100,000 people 2003
=51 HungaryHungary 165 per 100,000 people 2003
=53 TajikistanTajikistan 161 per 100,000 people 2003
=53 MalaysiaMalaysia 161 per 100,000 people 2003
55 New ZealandNew Zealand 160 per 100,000 people 2003
56 El SalvadorEl Salvador 158 per 100,000 people 2003
57 Dominican RepublicDominican Rep. 157 per 100,000 people 2003
58 BahrainBahrain 155 per 100,000 people 2003
Europe averageEurope average (profile) 150.47 per 100,000 people 2003
59 GeorgiaGeorgia 148 per 100,000 people 2003
60 LebanonLebanon 146 per 100,000 people 2003
61 SpainSpain 144 per 100,000 people 2003
=62 LesothoLesotho 143 per 100,000 people 2003
=62 NicaraguaNicaragua 143 per 100,000 people 2003
High income OECD countries averageHigh income OECD countries average (profile) 140.82 per 100,000 people 2003
Former Spanish colonies averageFormer Spanish colonies average (profile) 137.16 per 100,000 people 2003
NATO countries averageNATO average (profile) 135.42 per 100,000 people 2003
European Union averageEuropean Union average (profile) 133.54 per 100,000 people 2003
=64 MadagascarMadagascar 130 per 100,000 people 2003
=64 PortugalPortugal 130 per 100,000 people 2003
=66 CameroonCameroon 129 per 100,000 people 2003
=66 BurundiBurundi 129 per 100,000 people 2003
68 BulgariaBulgaria 127 per 100,000 people 2003
Eurozone averageEurozone average (profile) 126.71 per 100,000 people 2003
69 ColombiaColombia 126 per 100,000 people 2003
Middle Eastern and North Africa averageMiddle Eastern and North Africa average (profile) 122.53 per 100,000 people 2003
70 ZambiaZambia 121 per 100,000 people 2003
71 ChinaChina 119 per 100,000 people 2003
72 FijiFiji 117 per 100,000 people 2003
=73 CanadaCanada 116 per 100,000 people 2003
=73 TanzaniaTanzania 116 per 100,000 people 2003
=73 AustraliaAustralia 116 per 100,000 people 2003
76 NetherlandsNetherlands 112 per 100,000 people 2003
=77 LuxembourgLuxembourg 111 per 100,000 people 2003
=77 KenyaKenya 111 per 100,000 people 2003
Non-religious countries averageNon-religious countries average (profile) 110.5 per 100,000 people 2003
=79 Central African RepublicCentral Africa 110 per 100,000 people 2003
=79 Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia 110 per 100,000 people 2003
=79 AlgeriaAlgeria 110 per 100,000 people 2003
82 RwandaRwanda 109 per 100,000 people 2003
83 ArgentinaArgentina 107 per 100,000 people 2003
=84 JordanJordan 106 per 100,000 people 2003
=84 TongaTonga 106 per 100,000 people 2003
=86 AlbaniaAlbania 105 per 100,000 people 2003
=86 Sri LankaSri Lanka 105 per 100,000 people 2003
88 PeruPeru 104 per 100,000 people 2003
Muslim countries averageMuslim countries average (profile) 102.53 per 100,000 people 2003
=89 BoliviaBolivia 102 per 100,000 people 2003
=89 KuwaitKuwait 102 per 100,000 people 2003
=91 ItalyItaly 100 per 100,000 people 2003
=91 AustriaAustria 100 per 100,000 people 2003
OPEC countries averageOPEC countries average (profile) 96.9 per 100,000 people 2003
93 GermanyGermany 96 per 100,000 people 2003
=94 FranceFrance 95 per 100,000 people 2003
=94 QatarQatar 95 per 100,000 people 2003
96 PhilippinesPhilippines 94 per 100,000 people 2003
97 SyriaSyria 93 per 100,000 people 2003
=98 TurkeyTurkey 92 per 100,000 people 2003
=98 ArmeniaArmenia 92 per 100,000 people 2003
100 AndorraAndorra 90 per 100,000 people 2003
101 BelgiumBelgium 88 per 100,000 people 2003
=102 GreeceGreece 83 per 100,000 people 2003
=102 YemenYemen 83 per 100,000 people 2003
Former French colonies averageFormer French colonies average (profile) 81.64 per 100,000 people 2003
=104 OmanOman 81 per 100,000 people 2003
=104 BeninBenin 81 per 100,000 people 2003
106 Sao Tome and PrincipeSoa Tome+ 79 per 100,000 people 2003
107 VenezuelaVenezuela 76 per 100,000 people 2003
=108 ParaguayParaguay 75 per 100,000 people 2003
=108 SwedenSweden 75 per 100,000 people 2003
=110 DenmarkDenmark 72 per 100,000 people 2003
=110 SwitzerlandSwitzerland 72 per 100,000 people 2003
=110 MaltaMalta 72 per 100,000 people 2003
=113 FinlandFinland 71 per 100,000 people 2003
=113 VietnamVietnam 71 per 100,000 people 2003
115 MalawiMalawi 70 per 100,000 people 2003
116 GuatemalaGuatemala 68 per 100,000 people 2003
117 Papua New GuineaPapua NG 66 per 100,000 people 2003
=118 NorwayNorway 64 per 100,000 people 2003
=118 CroatiaCroatia 64 per 100,000 people 2003
120 DjiboutiDjibouti 61 per 100,000 people 2003
=121 EcuadorEcuador 59 per 100,000 people 2003
=121 SloveniaSlovenia 59 per 100,000 people 2003
=121 PakistanPakistan 59 per 100,000 people 2003
=124 TuvaluTuvalu 56 per 100,000 people 2003
=124 KiribatiKiribati 56 per 100,000 people 2003
=126 SenegalSenegal 54 per 100,000 people 2003
=126 JapanJapan 54 per 100,000 people 2003
=128 LiechtensteinLiechtenstein 53 per 100,000 people 2003
=128 HaitiHaiti 53 per 100,000 people 2003
130 GhanaGhana 52 per 100,000 people 2003
=131 BangladeshBangladesh 50 per 100,000 people 2003
=131 CyprusCyprus 50 per 100,000 people 2003
=131 MozambiqueMozambique 50 per 100,000 people 2003
=134 NauruNauru 48 per 100,000 people 2003
=134 MauritaniaMauritania 48 per 100,000 people 2003
=136 TogoTogo 46 per 100,000 people 2003
=136 ChadChad 46 per 100,000 people 2003
138 CambodiaCambodia 45 per 100,000 people 2003
=139 VanuatuVanuatu 44 per 100,000 people 2003
=139 AngolaAngola 44 per 100,000 people 2003
=139 Marshall IslandsMarshall Isl. 44 per 100,000 people 2003
142 IcelandIceland 40 per 100,000 people 2003
143 MonacoMonaco 39 per 100,000 people 2003
=144 IndonesiaIndonesia 38 per 100,000 people 2003
=144 Democratic Republic of the CongoCongo, DR. 38 per 100,000 people 2003
146 GuineaGuinea 37 per 100,000 people 2003
=147 Federated States of MicronesiaMicronesia 34 per 100,000 people 2003
=147 MaliMali 34 per 100,000 people 2003
149 NigeriaNigeria 33 per 100,000 people 2003
150 The GambiaThe Gambia 32 per 100,000 people 2003
151 Solomon IslandsSolomon Islands 31 per 100,000 people 2003
=152 NepalNepal 29 per 100,000 people 2003
=152 IndiaIndia 29 per 100,000 people 2003
154 Burkina FasoBurkina Faso 23 per 100,000 people 2003
=155 TurkmenistanTurkmenistan 0.0 2003
=155 EthiopiaEthiopia 0.0 2003
=155 SudanSudan 0.0 2003
=155 ZimbabweZimbabwe 0.0 2003
=155 United Arab EmiratesUAE 0.0 2003
=155 CubaCuba 0.0 2003
=155 UgandaUganda 0.0 2003
=155 NigerNiger 0.0 2003
=155 EgyptEgypt 0.0 2003
=155 ComorosComoros 0.0 2003

Citation

Crime > Prisoners > Per capita: Countries Compared Map

NationMaster
+

Interesting observations about Crime > Prisoners > Per capita

  • United States ranked first for prisoners > per capita amongst Christian countries in 2003.
  • Russia ranked first for prisoners > per capita amongst Europe in 2003.
  • Belize ranked first for prisoners > per capita amongst Hot countries in 2003.
  • Kyrgyzstan ranked first for prisoners > per capita amongst Muslim countries in 2003.
  • South Africa ranked first for prisoners > per capita amongst Sub-Saharan Africa in 2003.
  • Latvia ranked first for prisoners > per capita amongst European Union in 2003.
  • Palau ranked first for prisoners > per capita amongst Catholic countries in 2003.
  • Ukraine ranked second for prisoners > per capita amongst Emerging markets in 2003.
  • Belarus ranked first for prisoners > per capita amongst Landlocked countries in 2003.
  • Panama ranked first for prisoners > per capita amongst Former Spanish colonies in 2003.

0

New and updated data on prisons from 34 countries in the Western Hemisphere:
The Organization of American States (OAS) Inter-American Observatory on Public Security (www.alertamerica.org) has just released new and updated regional, sub regional and national information on prisons from 34 OAS Member Countries. The Observatory collects official data and works together with UNODC in the implementation of the CTS process. The Observatory has posted new data on adults held in prisons; children deprived of liberty; untried persons held; prisoners sentenced for illicit drugs, robbery and homicide; and occupancy rates, by gender and age for all 34 countries of North, South, Central America and the Caribbean.
For more data and information please visit the following URL:
http://www.oas.org/dsp/observatorio/database/indicators.aspx?lang=en

Do nor hesitate to contact me in case you need more information.

Kind regards,

Luiz O. Coimbra
Head, Information on Public Security Unit
Department of Public Security
Organization of American States
1889 F Street, NW, 20006
Washington, DC
Office phone: +1 (202) 370 5083
Cell phone: +1 (202) 538 0515
Email: lcoimbra@oas.org
Visit the OAS Inter-American Observatory on Public Security

Posted on 17 Dec 2013

Luiz O. Coimbra

Luiz O. Coimbra

0

In answer to all of those questions about Cuba, there were 57,337 prisoners in Cuba in May 2010 according to the Cuban Ministry responsible.

These are figures compiled by the respected International Centre for Prison Studies in London in association with University of Essex and can be accessed here: http://www.prisonstudies.org/info/worldbrief/wpb_country.php?country=61

In a population of 11,250,000 that equates to 0.5 persons per 100,000.

Statisticians among you may be able to explain why only whole numbers are reported in the data.

That puts the US figure of 715 into stark relief.

Posted on 17 Jul 2013

SMcG

SMcG

0

The number 1 thru 3 reasons
1/ Differences in drug laws many are misdemeanors in Canada
2/ Minimum sentencing means longer prison stays for lessor crimes.
3/ Privatization of the prison system these have to produce a profit so the large companies are promoting longer prison terms and more minimum sentencing for minor crimes etc

bob

Posted on 28 Oct 2011

bob

bob

0

I am wondering why there is so big difference between USA and Canada.
What is the main cause of this difference?

Posted on 25 Sep 2011

AR-15

AR-15

0

For more current data, look at http://www.prisonstudies.org/info/worldbrief/wpb_stats.php which is where this info originally came from

Posted on 06 Apr 2011

Jason Henwood

Jason Henwood

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