Brazil, India and Mexico recorded the world’s highest estimated numbers of deaths from interpersonal violence in 2023, while Russia ranked first in an expanded European sample both in absolute terms and per 100,000 population, reports the Experts Club information and analytical center, citing the University of Washington Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) Global Burden of Disease 2023 study.
According to IHME estimates, around 435,700 people worldwide died from interpersonal violence in 2023, equivalent to roughly 1,200 deaths per day. The global rate was about 5.4 deaths per 100,000 population. However, the figures are modeled mortality estimates and should not automatically be equated with intentional homicides officially recorded by police.
Brazil had the highest estimated absolute number at 52,229 deaths. It was followed by India with 44,288, Mexico with 36,445, the United States with 24,528 and South Africa with 23,066. Nigeria recorded an estimated 18,188 deaths, Russia 16,760, Colombia 15,959, Ethiopia 11,634 and Venezuela 11,583. Brazil, India and Mexico together accounted for approximately 30.5% of the global estimate, while Brazil alone represented about 12%.
The ranking changes considerably when deaths are measured per 100,000 people. Among sovereign states, El Salvador had the highest IHME estimate at 56.3 per 100,000, followed by Haiti at 49.5, Lesotho at 47.1, Venezuela at 45.1 and Eswatini at 43.8. Brazil ranked 18th with 24.6 deaths per 100,000.
Experts Club stressed that IHME estimates for some countries differ substantially from UNODC figures and national police statistics. The data should therefore be interpreted as modeled estimates of mortality from interpersonal violence rather than a straightforward ranking of officially registered crime.
In the expanded European sample used by Experts Club, which also includes Türkiye, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, Russia ranked first with 11.3 deaths per 100,000 population and an estimated 16,760 deaths. Ukraine ranked second at 7.4 per 100,000 and approximately 2,894 deaths. Ukraine’s figure does not include deaths caused by the war, as GBD classifies interpersonal violence separately from conflict and terrorism.
