In Europe, the Baltic countries of Latvia and Lithuania had the highest and third highest homicide rates respectively in 2023. Latvia had the highest rate at over four per 100,000 inhabitants. Meanwhile, the lowest homicide rate was found in Liechtenstein, with zero murders The most dangerous country worldwide Saint Kitts and Nevis is the world's most dangerous country to live in in terms of murder rate. The Caribbean country had a homicide rate of 65 per 100,000 inhabitants. Nine of the 10 countries with the highest murder rates worldwide are located in Latin America and the Caribbean. Whereas Celaya in Mexico was listed as the city with the highest murder rate worldwide, Colima in Mexico was the city with the highest homicide rate in Latin America, so the numbers vary from source to source. Nevertheless, several Mexican cities rank among the deadliest in the world when it comes to intentional homicides. Violent conflicts worldwide Notably, these figures do not include deaths that resulted from war or a violent conflict. While there is a persistent number of conflicts worldwide, resulting casualties are not considered murders. Partially due to this reason, homicide rates in Latin America are higher than those in countries such as Ukraine or the DR Congo. A different definition of murder in these circumstances could change the rate significantly.

Historical dataset showing Iceland crime rate per 100K population by year from 1994 to 2021.

Iceland IS: Intentional Homicides: Female: per 100,000 Female data was reported at 0.603 Ratio in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 0.000 Ratio for 2015. Iceland IS: Intentional Homicides: Female: per 100,000 Female data is updated yearly, averaging 0.000 Ratio from Dec 2005 (Median) to 2016, with 10 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.223 Ratio in 2014 and a record low of 0.000 Ratio in 2015. Iceland IS: Intentional Homicides: Female: per 100,000 Female data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Iceland – Table IS.World Bank: Health Statistics. Intentional homicides, female are estimates of unlawful female homicides purposely inflicted as a result of domestic disputes, interpersonal violence, violent conflicts over land resources, intergang violence over turf or control, and predatory violence and killing by armed groups. Intentional homicide does not include all intentional killing; the difference is usually in the organization of the killing. Individuals or small groups usually commit homicide, whereas killing in armed conflict is usually committed by fairly cohesive groups of up to several hundred members and is thus usually excluded.; ; UN Office on Drugs and Crime's International Homicide Statistics database.; ;

Since 2014, Eurostat and the UNODC have launched a joint annual data collection on crime and criminal justice statistics, using the UN crime trends questionnaire and complementary Eurostat requests

for specific areas of interest to the European Commission. The data and metadata are collected from National Statistical Institutes or other relevant authorities (mainly police and justice departments) in each EU Member State, EFTA country and EU potential members. On the Eurostat website, data are available for 41 jurisdictions since 2008 until 2018 data and for 38 jurisdictions since 2019 data (EU-27, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Serbia, Turkey, Kosovo(1)), having drop the data for the United Kingdom separately owing to three separate jurisdictions England and Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland.

This joint data collection and other data collections carried out by Eurostat allows to gather information on:

• police-recorded offences by type of crime
• police-recorded offences by NUTS3 region
• intentional homicide and sexual violence victims and perpetrators (suspected, prosecuted, convicted) by sex
• intentional homicide victims by age, sex, and relationship to the offender
• intentional homicide victims and offences in largest cities
• offenders by justice legal status (suspected, prosecuted, convicted), age, sex, and citizenship
• persons brought before criminal courts by legal status (convicted persons/acquitted)
• personnel by institution (police, courts, and prisons) by sex
• legal cases in first instance courts by type and stage
• prisoners by age, sex, citizenship, and status of the trial process
• prison capacity and occupancy
• people involved in human trafficking by legal status (victims, suspected and convicted traffickers) and victims of human trafficking by all forms of exploitation and citizenship

Where available, data are broken down by sex, age groups (adults/juveniles), country of citizenship (foreigners or nationals) and other relevant variables. National data are available and for intentional homicide offences, city level data (largest cities) are available for some countries. Regional data at NUTS3 level are also available for some police-recorded offences.

Some historical series are available:

• Number of police-recorded crimes by type (intentional homicide, violence, robbery, home burglary, car thefts, and drug crimes) for the period 1993 – 2007
• Number of police-recorded homicide in cities for the period 1993 – 2007
• Number of police officers for the period 1993 – 2007
• Prison population for the period 1993 – 2007

Total number of police-recorded crimes for the period 1950 – 2000

(1) under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244/99

Iceland IS: Intentional Homicides: per 100,000 People data was reported at 0.900 Ratio in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 0.300 Ratio for 2014. Iceland IS: Intentional Homicides: per 100,000 People data is updated yearly, averaging 0.400 Ratio from Dec 1995 (Median) to 2015, with 21 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.800 Ratio in 2000 and a record low of 0.000 Ratio in 2008. Iceland IS: Intentional Homicides: per 100,000 People data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Iceland – Table IS.World Bank: Health Statistics. Intentional homicides are estimates of unlawful homicides purposely inflicted as a result of domestic disputes, interpersonal violence, violent conflicts over land resources, intergang violence over turf or control, and predatory violence and killing by armed groups. Intentional homicide does not include all intentional killing; the difference is usually in the organization of the killing. Individuals or small groups usually commit homicide, whereas killing in armed conflict is usually committed by fairly cohesive groups of up to several hundred members and is thus usually excluded.; ; UN Office on Drugs and Crime's International Homicide Statistics database.; Weighted average;

Iceland IS: Intentional Homicides: Male: per 100,000 Male data was reported at 0.000 Ratio in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1.811 Ratio for 2015. Iceland IS: Intentional Homicides: Male: per 100,000 Male data is updated yearly, averaging 0.928 Ratio from Dec 2005 (Median) to 2016, with 10 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2.028 Ratio in 2005 and a record low of 0.000 Ratio in 2016. Iceland IS: Intentional Homicides: Male: per 100,000 Male data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Iceland – Table IS.World Bank: Health Statistics. Intentional homicides, male are estimates of unlawful male homicides purposely inflicted as a result of domestic disputes, interpersonal violence, violent conflicts over land resources, intergang violence over turf or control, and predatory violence and killing by armed groups. Intentional homicide does not include all intentional killing; the difference is usually in the organization of the killing. Individuals or small groups usually commit homicide, whereas killing in armed conflict is usually committed by fairly cohesive groups of up to several hundred members and is thus usually excluded.; ; UN Office on Drugs and Crime's International Homicide Statistics database.; ;

In the third quarter of 2024, over ******* personal data points were exposed to data breaches in Iceland, marking a considerable increase compared to the quarter prior. In the measured period, the highest number of exposed data records was registered in the third quarter of 2022, more than ***********.

The Security System Services industry has received a boost from European government security expenditure, an uptick in public and private sector demand, and high-profile events like the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, which pumped significant resources into modern alarm installations, AI surveillance and drone detection. Hiking crime rates across Europe, including spikes in theft and burglaries, have spurred both households and businesses to prioritise robust security, underpinning steady sales for providers. Overall, security systems revenue in Europe is projected to rise at a compound annual rate of 0.5% over the five years through 2025, including an estimated jump of 3% in 2025 to €22.7 billion. Innovative businesses like Verisure and Ajax Systems have improved their product offerings, bringing AI-enabled sensors, digital locks and highly responsive monitoring to a wider customer base. The industry’s focus on automation, integration and remote monitoring, supported by the proliferation of IoT devices, has redefined security provision and provided a platform for growth. The industry’s profit has remained steady amid recurring monitoring contracts, heightening sales from government and commercial clients and tech-driven efficiencies. Furthermore, strained police resources and EU policy initiatives to bolster public safety have allowed security system services to fill critical security gaps, particularly in retail and urban environments. Security system revenue in Europe is forecast to swell at a compound annual rate of 4.8% over the five years through 2030, reaching €28.8 billion. The European Commission forecasts modest yet reliable GDP growth and easing inflation across major markets like France, Italy and Spain, which should release pent-up consumer and commercial spending on security infrastructure. Sustained public investment in construction and critical infrastructure, backed by landmark EU projects and increased EIB lending, is set to drive installations of CCTV, access control and 24/7 monitoring in both new and refurbished sites. The integration of AI is expected to transform intrusion detection, alarm accuracy and monitoring services. As the industry leverages AI-powered solutions and subscription-based models, it’s likely to see both higher penetration and recurring revenue streams, even as competition and demand for end-to-end, compliant systems intensify.

Since 2014, Eurostat and the UNODC have launched a joint annual data collection on crime and criminal justice statistics, using the UN crime trends questionnaire and complementary Eurostat requests

for specific areas of interest to the European Commission. The data and metadata are collected from National Statistical Institutes or other relevant authorities (mainly police and justice departments) in each EU Member State, EFTA country and EU potential members. On the Eurostat website, data are available for 41 jurisdictions since 2008 until 2018 data and for 38 jurisdictions since 2019 data (EU-27, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Serbia, Turkey, Kosovo(1)), having drop the data for the United Kingdom separately owing to three separate jurisdictions England and Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland.

This joint data collection and other data collections carried out by Eurostat allows to gather information on:

• police-recorded offences by type of crime
• police-recorded offences by NUTS3 region
• intentional homicide and sexual violence victims and perpetrators (suspected, prosecuted, convicted) by sex
• intentional homicide victims by age, sex, and relationship to the offender
• intentional homicide victims and offences in largest cities
• offenders by justice legal status (suspected, prosecuted, convicted), age, sex, and citizenship
• persons brought before criminal courts by legal status (convicted persons/acquitted)
• personnel by institution (police, courts, and prisons) by sex
• legal cases in first instance courts by type and stage
• prisoners by age, sex, citizenship, and status of the trial process
• prison capacity and occupancy
• people involved in human trafficking by legal status (victims, suspected and convicted traffickers) and victims of human trafficking by all forms of exploitation and citizenship

Where available, data are broken down by sex, age groups (adults/juveniles), country of citizenship (foreigners or nationals) and other relevant variables. National data are available and for intentional homicide offences, city level data (largest cities) are available for some countries. Regional data at NUTS3 level are also available for some police-recorded offences.

Some historical series are available:

• Number of police-recorded crimes by type (intentional homicide, violence, robbery, home burglary, car thefts, and drug crimes) for the period 1993 – 2007
• Number of police-recorded homicide in cities for the period 1993 – 2007
• Number of police officers for the period 1993 – 2007
• Prison population for the period 1993 – 2007

Total number of police-recorded crimes for the period 1950 – 2000

(1) under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244/99

The number of violent crimes in Iceland increased over the past 10 years, from ***** reported cases in 2012 to ***** cases in 2022. However, the total number of committed crimes decreased somewhat in recent years.

Since 2014, Eurostat and the UNODC have launched a joint annual data collection on crime and criminal justice statistics, using the UN crime trends questionnaire and complementary Eurostat requests

for specific areas of interest to the European Commission. The data and metadata are collected from National Statistical Institutes or other relevant authorities (mainly police and justice departments) in each EU Member State, EFTA country and EU potential members. On the Eurostat website, data are available for 41 jurisdictions since 2008 until 2018 data and for 38 jurisdictions since 2019 data (EU-27, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Serbia, Turkey, Kosovo(1)), having drop the data for the United Kingdom separately owing to three separate jurisdictions England and Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland.

This joint data collection and other data collections carried out by Eurostat allows to gather information on:

• police-recorded offences by type of crime
• police-recorded offences by NUTS3 region
• intentional homicide and sexual violence victims and perpetrators (suspected, prosecuted, convicted) by sex
• intentional homicide victims by age, sex, and relationship to the offender
• intentional homicide victims and offences in largest cities
• offenders by justice legal status (suspected, prosecuted, convicted), age, sex, and citizenship
• persons brought before criminal courts by legal status (convicted persons/acquitted)
• personnel by institution (police, courts, and prisons) by sex
• legal cases in first instance courts by type and stage
• prisoners by age, sex, citizenship, and status of the trial process
• prison capacity and occupancy
• people involved in human trafficking by legal status (victims, suspected and convicted traffickers) and victims of human trafficking by all forms of exploitation and citizenship

Where available, data are broken down by sex, age groups (adults/juveniles), country of citizenship (foreigners or nationals) and other relevant variables. National data are available and for intentional homicide offences, city level data (largest cities) are available for some countries. Regional data at NUTS3 level are also available for some police-recorded offences.

Some historical series are available:

• Number of police-recorded crimes by type (intentional homicide, violence, robbery, home burglary, car thefts, and drug crimes) for the period 1993 – 2007
• Number of police-recorded homicide in cities for the period 1993 – 2007
• Number of police officers for the period 1993 – 2007
• Prison population for the period 1993 – 2007

Total number of police-recorded crimes for the period 1950 – 2000

(1) under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244/99

The highest number of drug-related offenses reported by the police in Iceland was possession and/or usage of drugs, amounting to more than ***** delicts. The second most common drug offense was importing narcotics.

Since 2014, Sweden has the highest rate of reported serious assaults of the Nordic countries. In 2022, 44.4 serious assaults per 100,000 citizens were reported in the country, compared to 38.8 in Iceland in second. Sweden has experienced increasing problems with gang violence in recent years.

In 2023, the number of sexual crimes had decreased from the previous year by more than a hundred cases. 2013 had the largest number of violations, with 724 such reported crimes.

In 2022, the number of homicides in Denmark increased again after years of decline. That year, 55 homicides were registered. According to the Danish Penal Code, the penalty for homicide ranges from a minimum of a five-year prison sentence to imprisonment for life. Imprisonment for life implies 12 years in prison, before the inmate can apply for probation. Over the past decade, the total number of reported crimes in Denmark decreased.

Victims of crime  In 2021, the number of victims of criminal offences reported in Denmark fell below 60,000. This was the lowest number over the past 10 years. The most common type of crime experienced by Danes was violent crimes. The number was higher for men than for women.

Peaceful country  In general, Denmark is considered a safe and peaceful country. In 2022, the country was ranked the sixth most peaceful country in the world, only behind Iceland, New Zealand, Ireland, Austria, and Portugal. This ranking is measured by the level of social safety and security, the extent of ongoing domestic and international conflicts, and the degree of militarization.

Iceland was the most peaceful country in the world in 2025 with an index value of 1.1. Ireland, New Zealand, and Austria followed behind.What is the Global Peace Index? The Global Peace Index is an effort by the Institute for Economics and Peace to measure the degree of peacefulness in countries across the world and rank them accordingly. The first list was created in 2007 and has since then been published annually. The index includes a number of indicators relating to both domestic and international peacefulness. International indicators In regards to international affairs the majority of indicators relate to involvement in military conflict or the efforts of the state in question to resolve conflict and ensure the safety of those affected. For example those states that give more financial support to UN peacekeeping missions are considered to be more peaceful while those who have a higher military expenditure as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) are considered to be less peaceful. The United States never reached the top 20 of the list, in part due to it having a high level of military spending as a percentage of GDP. Domestic factors Domestic indicators focus on both the amount of violence and crime in addition to incarceration rates. Again, the United States fails to reach levels akin to other countries. The country’s incarceration rates are significantly higher than in other OEDC countries. Moreover, the number of deaths from gun violence also contributes to the relatively low peacefulness ranking of the United States.