In 2025, Pietermaritzburg in South Africa ranked as the world's most dangerous city with a crime rate of 82 per 100,000 inhabitants. Five of the 10 cities with the highest crime rates worldwide are found in South Africa. The list does not include countries where war and conflict exist. South Africa dominates crime statistics When looking at crime rates, among the 10 most dangerous cities in the world, half of them are found in South Africa. The country is struggling with extremely high levels of inequality, and is struggling with high levels of crime and power outages, harming the country's economy and driving more people into unemployment and poverty. Crime in Latin America On the other hand, when looking at murder rates, Latin America dominates the list of the world's most dangerous countries. Violence in Latin America is caused in great part by drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, and gang wars.

The average for 2017 based on 97 countries was 7.4 homicides per 100,000 people. The highest value was in El Salvador: 61.8 homicides per 100,000 people and the lowest value was in Japan: 0.2 homicides per 100,000 people. The indicator is available from 1990 to 2017. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

In 2024, the highest homicide rate among 22 Latin American and Caribbean countries surveyed was in Haiti, with around 62 murders committed per 100,000 inhabitants. Trinidad and Tobago came in second, with a homicide rate of 46, while Honduras ranked seventh, with 25. In the same year, the lowest rate was recorded in El Salvador, with a homicide rate of 1.9 per 100,000 inhabitants. A violence-ridden region Violence and crime are some of the most pressing problems affecting Latin American society nowadays. More than 40 of the 50 most dangerous cities in the world are located in this region, as well as one of the twenty countries with the least peace in the world according to the Global Peace Index. Despite governments’ large spending on security and high imprisonment rates, drug and weapon trafficking, organized crime, and gangs have turned violence into an epidemic that affects the whole region and a solution to this issue appears to be hardly attainable. The cost of violence in Mexico Mexico stands out as an example of the great cost that violence inflicts upon a country, since beyond claiming human lives, it also affects everyday life and has a negative impact on the economy. Mexicans have a high perceived level of insecurity, as they do not only fear becoming victims of homicide, but also of other common crimes, such as assault or rape. Such fear prevents people from performing everyday activities, for instance, going out at night, taking a taxi or going to the movies or the theater. Furthermore, the economic toll of violence in Mexico is more than considerable. For example, the cost of homicide and violent crime amounted to 2099.8 and 1778.1 billion Mexican pesos in 2023, respectively.

The United States had, by far, the highest homicide rate of the G7 countries between 2000 and 2023. In 2023, it reached 5.76 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants, a decrease from 6.78 in 2021. By comparison, Canada, the G7 nation with the second-highest homicide rate, had 1.98 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants in 2023. Out of each G7 nation, Japan had the lowest rate with 0.23 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants.

Turks and Caicos Islands saw a murder rate of ***** per 100,000 inhabitants, making it the most dangerous country for this kind of crime worldwide as of 2024. Interestingly, El Salvador, which long had the highest global homicide rates, has dropped out of the top 29 after a high number of gang members have been incarcerated. Meanwhile, Colima in Mexico was the most dangerous city for murders. 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 Afghanistan or Syria. A different definition of murder in these circumstances could change the rate significantly in some countries. Causes of death Also, noteworthy is that murders are usually not random events. In the United States, the circumstances of murders are most commonly arguments, followed by narcotics incidents and robberies. Additionally, murders are not a leading cause of death. Heart diseases, strokes and cancer pose a greater threat to life than violent crime.

In 2023, the District of Columbia had the highest reported violent crime rate in the United States, with 1,150.9 violent crimes per 100,000 of the population. Maine had the lowest reported violent crime rate, with 102.5 offenses per 100,000 of the population. Life in the District The District of Columbia has seen a fluctuating population over the past few decades. Its population decreased throughout the 1990s, when its crime rate was at its peak, but has been steadily recovering since then. While unemployment in the District has also been falling, it still has had a high poverty rate in recent years. The gentrification of certain areas within Washington, D.C. over the past few years has made the contrast between rich and poor even greater and is also pushing crime out into the Maryland and Virginia suburbs around the District. Law enforcement in the U.S. Crime in the U.S. is trending downwards compared to years past, despite Americans feeling that crime is a problem in their country. In addition, the number of full-time law enforcement officers in the U.S. has increased recently, who, in keeping with the lower rate of crime, have also made fewer arrests than in years past.

The average for 2017 based on 35 countries was 1.7 homicides per 100,000 people. The highest value was in Russia: 9.2 homicides per 100,000 people and the lowest value was in Luxembourg: 0.3 homicides per 100,000 people. The indicator is available from 1990 to 2017. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

The average for 2017 based on 79 countries was 105 robberies per 100,000 people. The highest value was in Costa Rica: 1587 robberies per 100,000 people and the lowest value was in Oman: 1 robberies per 100,000 people. The indicator is available from 2003 to 2017. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

The average for 2016 based on 74 countries was 783 thefts per 100,000 people. The highest value was in Denmark: 3949 thefts per 100,000 people and the lowest value was in Senegal: 1 thefts per 100,000 people. The indicator is available from 2003 to 2016. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

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.

The average for 2017 based on 23 countries was 2.3 homicides per 100,000 people. The highest value was in the Philippines: 8.4 homicides per 100,000 people and the lowest value was in Japan: 0.2 homicides per 100,000 people. The indicator is available from 1990 to 2017. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

The average for 2017 based on 9 countries was 7.6 homicides per 100,000 people. The highest value was in South Africa: 35.9 homicides per 100,000 people and the lowest value was in Benin: 1.1 homicides per 100,000 people. The indicator is available from 1990 to 2017. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

In 2024, South Africa ranked first in the crime index among African countries, with a score of **** index points. Nigeria was the second most dangerous country on the continent, obtaining **** points. The index evaluates the overall crime levels in a specific country. Several African countries scored between ** and ** points, indicating high crime levels. Escalating concerns: South Africans worry about crime and violence In 2024, South Africa had one of the highest proportions of respondents expressing concerns about crime and violence compared to other countries participating in an online study. Throughout the period examined, the percentage of participants worried about violence peaked at ** percent in March 2023. The escalating levels of violent crime currently witnessed in the country has caused this significant rise in concerned respondents. South Africa's organized crime landscape In 2023, South Africa ranked the ************* in organized crime compared to its African counterparts. The continent's most prevalent organized criminal activity was **************************************. Moreover, from a regional perspective, Southern African countries had the lowest organized crime rate.

The graph illustrates the murder rate in the United States from 1985 to 2025. The x-axis represents the years, labeled with two-digit abbreviations from '85 to '25, while the y-axis shows the annual murder rate per 100,000 individuals. Throughout this 41-year period, the murder rate fluctuates between a high of 10.66 in 1991 and a low of 4.7 in 2014. Overall, the data reveals a significant downward trend in the murder rate from the mid-1980s, reaching its lowest point in the mid-2010s, followed by slight increases in the most recent years.

Number and rate (per 100,000 population) of homicide victims, Canada and Census Metropolitan Areas, 1981 to 2024.

Several countries located in Central America and the Caribbean registered some of the highest homicide rates in the Latin American region in 2023. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines ranked first, with around 51.32 homicides committed per 100,000 inhabitants. Jamaica came in second with 49.44 homicides per 100,000 people. The source defines intentional homicide as the unlawful death inflicted upon a person with the intent to cause death or serious injury. When it comes to the total case count, Brazil was the Latin American country with the largest number of homicide victims. Central America and the falling rates El Salvador was commonly named the murder capital of the world for a few years. The inability of previous governments to control organized crime and gangs resulted in the highest homicide rate in the world for a couple of years. Nonetheless, the current administration and the measures applied during the emergency state had an incredibly positive impact in terms of the security of the Salvadorean citizens. But not only El Salvador has seen a considerable reduction in its murder rate in Central America. Honduras and Guatemala are also two great examples of crime reduction, introducing new policies, institutions, and changes to their judicial system to achieve better results. The Caribbean is still ridden by crime Some islands in the Caribbean are not only known as tax heavens, as some nations in the region are considered the main enablers of tax evasion in the world, but also for being ridden by crime. Haiti is one example of the still-rising levels of criminality. As a country with precarious conditions and extreme food insecurity, the homicide rate has been on the rise for almost four consecutive years. Another one is Jamaica, at the top of the Latin American ranking, that has also seen an increase in the youth involved in organized crime due to lack of employment and economic conditions.

In 2022, the New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro area recorded the highest homicide rate of U.S. cities with a population over 250,000, at **** homicides per 100,000 residents, followed by the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area. However, homicide data was not recorded in all U.S. metro areas, meaning that there may be some cities with a higher homicide rate. St. Louis St. Louis, which had a murder and nonnegligent manslaughter rate of **** in 2022, is the second-largest city by population in Missouri. It is home to many famous treasures, such as the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team, Washington University in St. Louis, the Saint Louis Zoo, and the renowned Gateway Arch. It is also home to many corporations, such as Monsanto, Arch Coal, and Emerson Electric. The economy of St. Louis is centered around business and healthcare, and boasts ten Fortune 500 companies. Crime in St. Louis Despite all of this, St. Louis suffers from high levels of crime and violence. As of 2023, it was listed as the seventh most dangerous city in the world as a result of their extremely high murder rate. Not only does St. Louis have one of the highest homicide rates in the United States, it also reports one of the highest numbers of violent crimes. Despite high crime levels, the GDP of the St. Louis metropolitan area has been increasing since 2001.

Annual ranking of countries based on crime rates, political stability, health safety, and environmental safety

This research study analysed the crime rate spatially and it examined the relationship between crime and spatial factors in Saudi Arabia. It reviewed the related literature that has utilised crime mapping techniques, such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing (RS); these techniques are a basic part of effectively helping security and authority agencies by providing them with a clear perception of crime patterns and a surveillance direction to track and tackle crime. This study analysed the spatial relationships between crime and place, immigration, changes in urban areas, weather and transportation networks. The research study was divided into six parts to investigate the correlation between crime and these factors. The first part of the research study examined the relationship between crime and place across the 13 provinces of Saudi Arabia using GIS techniques based on population density in order to identify and visualise the spatial distributions of national and regional crime rates for drug crimes, thefts, murders, assaults, and alcohol-related and ‘outrageous crimes’ (offences against Islam) over a 10-year period from 2003 to 2012. Social disorganisation theory was employed to guide the study and explain the diversity in crime patterns across the country. The highest rates of overall crimes were identified in the Northern Borders Province and Jizan, which are located in the northern and southern regions of the country, respectively; the eastern area of the country was found to have the lowest crime rate. Most drug offences occurred in the Northern Borders Province and Jizan; high rates of theft were recorded in the Northern Borders Province, Jouf Province and Makkah Province, while the highest rates of homicide occurred in Asir Province. The second part of the research study aimed to determine the trends of overall crime in relation to six crime categories: drug-related activity, theft, murder, assault, alcohol-related crimes and outrageous or sex-related crimes, in Saudi Arabia’s 13 provinces over a 10-year period from 2003 to 2012. The study analysed the spatial and temporal changes of criminal cases. Spatial changes were used to determine the differences over the time period of 2003–2012 to show the provincial rates of change for each crime category. Temporal changes were used to compute the trends of the overall crime rate and crimes in the six categories per 1,000 people per year. The results showed that the overall crime rate increased steadily until 2008; thereafter it decreased in all areas except for the Northern Borders Province and Jizan, which recorded the highest crime rates throughout the study period. We have explained that decrease in terms of changes in wages, support for the unemployed and service improvements, which were factors that previous studies also emphasised as being the primary cause for the decrease. This study includes a detailed discussion to contribute to the understanding of the changes in the crime rates in these categories throughout this period in the 13 provinces of Saudi Arabia. The third part of the research study aimed to explain the effects of immigration on the overall crime rate in the six most significant categories of crime in Saudi Arabia, which are drug-related activity, theft, murder, assault, alcohol-related crimes and outrageous crimes, during a 10-year period from 2003 to 2012, in all 13 administrative provinces. It also sought to identify the provinces most affected by the criminal activities of immigrants during this period. No positive association between immigrants and criminal cases was found. It was clearly visible that the highest rate of overall criminal activities was in the south, north and Makkah areas, where there is a high probability of illegal immigrants. This finding supports the basic criminological theory that areas with high levels of immigrants also experience high rates of crime. The study’s results provide recommendations to the Saudi government, policy-makers, decision-makers and immigration authorities, which could assist in reducing crimes perpetrated by immigrants. In the fourth part of the research study, urban areas were examined in relation to crime rates. Urban area expansion is one of the most critical types of worldwide change, and most urban areas are experiencing increased population growth and infrastructure development. Urban change leads to many changes in the daily activities of people living within an affected area. Many studies have suggested that urbanisation and crime are related. However, those studies focused on land uses, types of land use and urban forms, such as the physical features of neighbourhoods, roads, shopping centres and bus stations. It is very important for criminologists and urban planning decision-makers to understand the correlation between urban area expansion and crime. In this research, satellite images were used to measure urban expansion over a 10-year period; the study tested the correlations between these expansions and the number of criminal activities within these specific areas. The results show that there is a measurable relationship between urban expansion and criminal activities. The findings support the crime opportunity theory as one possibility, which suggests that population density and crime are conceptually related. Moreover, the results show that the correlations are stronger in areas that have undergone greater urban growth. This study did not evaluate many other factors that might affect the crime rate, such as information on the spatial details of the population, city planning, economic considerations, the distance from the city centre, the quality of neighbourhoods, and the number of police officers. However, this research will be of particular interest to those who aim to use remote sensing to study crime patterns. The fifth part of the research study investigated the impacts of weather on crime rates in two different cities: Riyadh and Makkah. While a number of studies have examined climate influences on crime and human behaviour by investigating the correlation between climate and weather elements, such as temperature, humidity and precipitation, and crime rates, few studies have focused on haze as a weather element and its correlation with crime. This research examined haze as a weather variable to investigate its effects on criminal activity and compare its effects with those of temperature and humidity. Monthly crime data and monthly weather records were used to build a regression model to predict crime cases based on three weather factors using temperature, humidity and haze values. This model was applied to two provinces in Saudi Arabia with different types of climates: Riyadh and Makkah. Riyadh Province is a desert area in which haze occurs approximately 17 days per month on average. Makkah Province is a coastal area where it is hazy an average of 4 days per month. A measurable relationship was found between each of these three variables and criminal activity. However, haze had a greater effect on theft, drug-related crimes and assault in Riyadh Province than temperature and humidity. Temperature and humidity were the efficacious variables in Makkah Province, while haze had no significant influence in that region. Finally, the sixth part of the research study examined the influence of the quality and extent of road networks on crime rates in both urban and rural areas in Jizan Province, Saudi Arabia. We performed both Ordinary Least Squares regression (OLS) and Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) where crime rate was the dependent variable and paved (sealed) roads, non-paved (unsealed/gravel) roads and population density were the explanatory variables. Population density was a control variable. The findings reveal that, across all 14 districts in that province, the districts with better quality paved road networks had lower rates of crime than the districts with unpaved roads. Furthermore, the more extensive the road networks, the lower the crime rate whether or not the roads were paved. These findings concur with those reported in studies conducted in other countries, which revealed that rural areas are not always the safe, crime-free places they are often believed to be. This research contributes knowledge about the geographical information of criminal movement, and it offers some conceivable reasons for crime rates and patterns in relation to the spatial factors and the socio-cultural perspectives of Saudi Arabian life. More geographical research is still needed in terms of criminology, which will provide a better understanding of crime patterns, particularly in Saudi Arabia, and across the globe, where the spatial distribution of criminal cases is an essential base in crime research. Furthermore, additional studies are needed to investigate the complex interventions of the effect of different spatial variables on crime and the uncertainties correlation with the impact of environmental factors. This can help predict the impact of socioeconomic and environmental factors. The greater part of such an investigation will enhance the understanding of crime patterns, which is imperative for advancing a framework that can be used to address crime reduction and crime prevention.

The average for 2017 based on 65 countries was 1.8 kidnappings per 100,000 people. The highest value was in Belgium: 10.3 kidnappings per 100,000 people and the lowest value was in Bermuda: 0 kidnappings per 100,000 people. The indicator is available from 2003 to 2017. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.