The countries with the highest suicide mortality rate worldwide in 2021 included Lesotho, South Korea, and Eswatini. In 2021, there were around 27.5 suicide deaths per 100,000 population in South Korea. Suicide in the United States Although the United States is not among the countries with the highest suicide mortality rate, suicide is still a major issue in the country. As with other countries, the suicide rate among males in the U.S. is much higher than among females. In 2022, there were around 23 suicide deaths among males in the United States per 100,000 population, compared to 5.9 deaths per 100,000 females. The states with the highest suicide rates are Montana, Wyoming, and Alaska, while New Jersey and Massachusetts have the lowest rates. Risk factors and help Major risk factors for suicide include mental health issues and substance abuse problems; however, it can be difficult to predict who is at risk. Warning signs such as talking about wanting to die, expressing feelings of depression, suicidal ideation, and abusing drugs or alcohol should be taken seriously and help should be sought as soon as possible. Suicide hotlines exist in many countries around the world and one should not hesitate to discuss such issues and feelings with a health care provider.

South Korea currently has the highest overall suicide rate among OECD countries worldwide. The suicide rate among women in South Korea is significantly higher than that of women in any other country. Nevertheless, suicide is commonly more prevalent among men than women. Suicide in the U.S. The suicide rate in the United States has risen since the year 2000. As of 2022, there were around **** deaths from suicide per 100,000 population. The suicide rate among men in the U.S. is over ***** times what it is for females, a considerable and troubling difference. The suicide rate among men increases with age, with the highest rates found among men aged 75 years and older. Adolescent suicide Adolescent suicide is always a serious and difficult topic. A recent survey found that around ** percent of female high school students in the United States had seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year, compared to ** percent of male students. On average, there are around ** suicide deaths among adolescents per 100,000 population in the United States. The states with the highest rates of adolescent suicide include New Mexico, Idaho, and Oklahoma.

The average for 2019 based on 41 countries was 12.93 suicides per 100,000 people. The highest value was in Lithuania: 26.1 suicides per 100,000 people and the lowest value was in Turkey: 2.4 suicides per 100,000 people. The indicator is available from 2000 to 2019. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

The average for 2019 based on 180 countries was 9.49 suicides per 100,000 people. The highest value was in Lesotho: 72.4 suicides per 100,000 people and the lowest value was in Antigua and Barbuda: 0.4 suicides per 100,000 people. The indicator is available from 2000 to 2019. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

World suicide rate for 2021 was 9.13, a 0.82% increase from 2020.

<ul style='margin-top:20px;'>

<li>World suicide rate for 2020 was <strong>9.06</strong>, a <strong>3.87% decline</strong> from 2019.</li>
<li>World suicide rate for 2019 was <strong>9.42</strong>, a <strong>1.24% decline</strong> from 2018.</li>
<li>World suicide rate for 2018 was <strong>9.54</strong>, a <strong>0.61% decline</strong> from 2017.</li>
</ul>Suicide mortality rate is the number of suicide deaths in a year per 100,000 population. Crude suicide rate (not age-adjusted).

In 2024, Japan reported 16.4 suicides per 100,000 inhabitants. The country's suicide rate resumed its downward trend after an unexpected surge in recent years, likely connected to the COVID-19 pandemic. What are the reasons behind Japan’s high suicide rates?  While the majority of suicides in Japan stemmed from health reasons, existential concerns and problems directly related to work also accounted for thousands of self-inflicted deaths in the past years. One of the most profound issues faced by employees in Japan leading to self-harm is exhaustion. “Karoshi,” or death by overwork, is a well-known phenomenon in Japanese society. In addition to physical fatigue, karoshi may be precipitated by mental stress resulting from employment. Occupational stress or overwork-induced suicide is referred to as “karojisatsu (overwork suicide)” in Japan. Which demographic groups are affected? Although *************** are frequently depicted as the most at-risk demographic for suicide in Japan, the increasing occurrence of suicides among the elderly people and schoolchildren is causing concern. Bullying, isolation, and the lack of a proficient mental healthcare system can be additional factors contributing to the country’s high suicide rates among all age groups.

Japan suicide rate for 2021 was 17.43, a 1.57% increase from 2020.

<ul style='margin-top:20px;'>

<li>Japan suicide rate for 2020 was <strong>17.16</strong>, a <strong>4.19% increase</strong> from 2019.</li>
<li>Japan suicide rate for 2019 was <strong>16.47</strong>, a <strong>2.37% decline</strong> from 2018.</li>
<li>Japan suicide rate for 2018 was <strong>16.87</strong>, a <strong>1.86% decline</strong> from 2017.</li>
</ul>Suicide mortality rate is the number of suicide deaths in a year per 100,000 population. Crude suicide rate (not age-adjusted).

The average for 2019 based on 7 countries was 11.99 suicides per 100,000 people. The highest value was in the USA: 16.1 suicides per 100,000 people and the lowest value was in Italy: 6.7 suicides per 100,000 people. The indicator is available from 2000 to 2019. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

In 2024, the 50- to 59-year-old age group had the highest suicide rate in Japan, with **** suicides per 100,000 inhabitants. The self-inflicted death rate among young people under 20 years was ***. Japan's recent suicide rates While the country's suicide rate had initially shown a downward trend in the most recent decade, 2020 marked the first year that the suicide numbers rose again. The COVID-19 pandemic likely caused this unexpected upward trend. From a gender perspective, Japanese men were more likely to commit suicide than women. **** deaths per 100,000 male inhabitants were reported in 2024, compared to a female suicide rate of **** in the same year. What are the reasons behind Japan’s high suicide rates?  Many factors are being blamed for the Japan's high suicide rates, including bullying, isolation, and a lack of a proficient mental healthcare system. Among others, financial worries and problems directly related to work have been one of the main reasons for self-inflicted deaths in the past years. Historically, the country's high suicide rates have been closely linked to the economic situation of the individuals. Japan’s suicide numbers peaked in 2009 when the country experienced its worst recession since World War II.

South Korea Male Suicide Rates decreased by 1.1% in 2019, compared to a year earlier.

The average for 2019 based on 12 countries was 11.65 suicides per 100,000 people. The highest value was in Guyana: 40.3 suicides per 100,000 people and the lowest value was in Venezuela: 2.1 suicides per 100,000 people. The indicator is available from 2000 to 2019. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

New Mexico was the state with the highest rate of suicidal death among adolescents in the U.S. in 2023, with around 27.7 deaths per 100,000 adolescents. The overall suicide rate in the U.S. has increased over recent years. Suicide is more common among men than women with rates among men almost four times higher than among women. Risk factors Risk factors for suicide include mental disorders, such as depression, bipolar disorder, and personality disorders, as well as substance abuse. In fact, suicidal thoughts, plans to commit suicide, and suicide attempts are all more common among those with drug or alcohol dependence or abuse. In terms of suicides due to a known mental disorder, depression accounts for around 72 percent of all such suicides. Methods Most suicides in the United States are carried out by firearms, however, the most common method of suicide differs from country to country. In 2022, over 27,000 suicides in the United States were conducted by firearms, or just over half of all suicides that year. Firearms are the most common means of suicide among both men and women in the United States, but suicide by poisoning is much more common among women than men.

As of 2022, the U.S. states with the highest death rates from suicide were Montana, Alaska, and Wyoming. In Wyoming and Montana, there were around ** and ** suicide deaths per 100,000 population, respectively. In comparison, in New Jersey, the state with the lowest suicide death rate, there were only around * suicide deaths per 100,000 population. Differences in suicide rates by gender In the United States, there is a vast difference in suicide rates between men and women, with rates over *** times higher among men. However, rates of suicide for both men and women have increased over the past couple of decades. Among men, those aged 75 years and older have the highest suicide rates, with around ** deaths per 100,000 population in 2021. Among women, those aged 45 to 64 years have the highest rates of suicide death with *** deaths per 100,000 population. What is the most common method of suicide? In the United States, the most common method of suicide is with firearms, followed by suffocation and then poisoning. In 2022, there were around ****** suicide deaths from firearms in the United States, compared to ****** deaths from suffocation and ***** from drug poisoning. In 2021, firearms accounted for around ** percent of suicide deaths among men. In comparison, around ** percent of deaths from suicide among women were due to firearms, while suffocation and poisoning each accounted for ** percent of such deaths.

The average for 2019 based on 11 countries was 6.04 suicides per 100,000 people. The highest value was in India: 12.7 suicides per 100,000 people and the lowest value was in the Philippines: 2.2 suicides per 100,000 people. The indicator is available from 2000 to 2019. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

Russia suicide rate for 2021 was 21.37, a 1.71% increase from 2020.

<ul style='margin-top:20px;'>

<li>Russia suicide rate for 2020 was <strong>21.01</strong>, a <strong>14.14% decline</strong> from 2019.</li>
<li>Russia suicide rate for 2019 was <strong>24.47</strong>, a <strong>5.52% decline</strong> from 2018.</li>
<li>Russia suicide rate for 2018 was <strong>25.90</strong>, a <strong>5.13% decline</strong> from 2017.</li>
</ul>Suicide mortality rate is the number of suicide deaths in a year per 100,000 population. Crude suicide rate (not age-adjusted).

Switzerland suicide rate for 2021 was 14.02, a 2.41% increase from 2020.

<ul style='margin-top:20px;'>

<li>Switzerland suicide rate for 2020 was <strong>13.69</strong>, a <strong>3.79% decline</strong> from 2019.</li>
<li>Switzerland suicide rate for 2019 was <strong>14.23</strong>, a <strong>0.14% decline</strong> from 2018.</li>
<li>Switzerland suicide rate for 2018 was <strong>14.25</strong>, a <strong>1.04% decline</strong> from 2017.</li>
</ul>Suicide mortality rate is the number of suicide deaths in a year per 100,000 population. Crude suicide rate (not age-adjusted).

Norway suicide rate for 2021 was 13.19, a 5.35% increase from 2020.

<ul style='margin-top:20px;'>

<li>Norway suicide rate for 2020 was <strong>12.52</strong>, a <strong>0.4% decline</strong> from 2019.</li>
<li>Norway suicide rate for 2019 was <strong>12.57</strong>, a <strong>5.84% decline</strong> from 2018.</li>
<li>Norway suicide rate for 2018 was <strong>13.35</strong>, a <strong>13.62% increase</strong> from 2017.</li>
</ul>Suicide mortality rate is the number of suicide deaths in a year per 100,000 population. Crude suicide rate (not age-adjusted).

In March 2025, an estimated 1,254 people committed suicide in South Korea, a significant increase from the previous month. South Korea has the highest suicide rate among the member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

Vietnam suicide rate for 2021 was 7.30, a 6.88% increase from 2020.

<ul style='margin-top:20px;'>

<li>Vietnam suicide rate for 2020 was <strong>6.83</strong>, a <strong>9.3% decline</strong> from 2019.</li>
<li>Vietnam suicide rate for 2019 was <strong>7.53</strong>, a <strong>0.8% increase</strong> from 2018.</li>
<li>Vietnam suicide rate for 2018 was <strong>7.47</strong>, a <strong>0% increase</strong> from 2017.</li>
</ul>Suicide mortality rate is the number of suicide deaths in a year per 100,000 population. Crude suicide rate (not age-adjusted).

Over *** thousand deaths due to suicides were recorded in India in 2022. Furthermore, majority of suicides were reported in the state of Tamil Nadu, followed by Rajasthan. The number of suicides that year had increased from the previous year. Some of the causes for suicides in the country were due to professional problems, abuse, violence, family problems, financial loss, sense of isolation and mental disorders. Depressive disorders and suicide As of 2015, over ****** million people worldwide suffered from some kind of depressive disorder. Furthermore, over ** percent of the total population in India suffer from different forms of mental disorders as of 2017. There exists a positive correlation between the number of suicide mortality rates and people with select mental disorders as opposed to those without. Risk factors for mental disorders Every ******* person in India suffers from some form of mental disorder. Today, depressive disorders are regarded as the leading contributor not only to disease burden and morbidity worldwide, but even suicide if not addressed. In 2022, the leading cause for suicide deaths in India was due to family problems. The second leading cause was due to illness. Some of the risk factors, relative to developing mental disorders including depressive and anxiety disorders, include bullying victimization, poverty, unemployment, childhood sexual abuse and intimate partner violence.