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The following are lists of countries by estimated suicide rates as published by the World Health Organization (WHO) and other sources.[note 1]
In many countries, suicide rates are underreported due to social stigma, cultural or legal concerns.[3] Thus, these figures cannot be used to compare real suicide rates, which are unknown in most countries.
As of 2016, there was an estimated global suicide rate of 10.5 per 100,000 population[4] down from 11.6 in 2008.[5] In high-income modernized countries male and female rates of suicidal behaviors differ much compared to those in the rest of the world: while women are reportedly more prone to suicidal thoughts, rates of suicide are higher among men, which has been described as a "silent epidemic".[6][7][8][9][10]
A study in 2019 found that between 1990 and 2016 global age-standardized suicide rates fell by a third; the rates in 2016 were about 16 deaths per 100,000 men and 7 deaths per 100,000 women. Women experienced a greater decrease compared with men over the study period.[11][12]
In much of the world, suicide is stigmatized and condemned for religious or cultural reasons. In some countries, suicidal behavior is a criminal offence punishable by law. Suicide is therefore often a secretive act surrounded by taboo, and may be unrecognized, misclassified or deliberately hidden in official records of death.[6]
— World Health Organization (2002)
As such, suicide rates may be higher than measured, with men more at risk of dying by suicide than women across nearly all cultures and backgrounds.[13]Suicide prevention and intervention is an important topic for all peoples, according to the WHO.[14]
Countries and territories by suicide rate
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The variability of suicide rates across different countries and territories highlights the complex interplay of socio-economic conditions, cultural attitudes, mental health services, and societal pressures. Recognizing and addressing these factors through targeted interventions and policies is essential for reducing the global burden of suicide and improving mental health outcomes worldwide.
Socio-Economic Conditions
Socio-economic conditions play a crucial role in influencing suicide rates. Countries experiencing economic instability, high unemployment rates, or significant income inequality often see higher rates of suicide. Economic distress can lead to feelings of hopelessness and depression, which are significant risk factors for suicide. Conversely, countries with strong social safety nets and lower levels of economic disparity tend to have lower suicide rates.
Cultural Attitudes
Cultural attitudes towards mental health and suicide also greatly impact suicide rates. In some cultures, mental health issues are stigmatized, discouraging individuals from seeking help. In contrast, cultures that promote open discussions about mental health and provide strong community support systems can help reduce suicide rates. Additionally, cultural factors such as religious beliefs, societal expectations, and historical contexts can either exacerbate or mitigate the prevalence of suicide.
Mental Health Services
The availability and quality of mental health services are critical in preventing suicides. Countries with comprehensive mental health care systems that provide accessible and affordable treatment options generally have lower suicide rates. These services include counseling, psychiatric care, crisis intervention, and preventive measures. In contrast, regions with limited access to mental health care, insufficient funding, and lack of trained professionals face higher suicide rates.
Societal Pressures
Societal pressures, including work stress, academic pressures, social isolation, and family expectations, can contribute to the incidence of suicide. In highly competitive societies, the pressure to succeed can lead to significant mental health challenges, increasing the risk of suicide. Social isolation and lack of supportive relationships further exacerbate this risk. Societal attitudes towards gender roles, sexuality, and other identity factors also influence suicide rates, particularly among marginalized groups.
Statistical Measurement
The measurement of suicide rates as the number of suicides per 100,000 inhabitants per year provides a standardized way to compare different regions. This metric helps identify trends and disparities, informing public health strategies and resource allocation. Accurate data collection and reporting are essential for understanding the true scope of the issue and implementing effective interventions.
Importance of Understanding Suicide Rates
Understanding suicide rates is crucial for developing targeted mental health interventions and policies. By analyzing the factors contributing to high suicide rates, governments and organizations can design and implement effective prevention strategies. These may include improving economic conditions, enhancing mental health services, promoting mental health awareness, and reducing stigma. Policies aimed at providing social support, crisis intervention, and comprehensive mental health care can significantly reduce suicide rates.
Highest Rates
Countries with the highest suicide rates often face severe economic challenges, limited access to mental health care, and social stigma around mental health issues. For instance, countries in Eastern Europe and parts of Asia historically report high suicide rates. Notable examples include Lithuania, Russia, and South Korea. These regions may experience high levels of stress, alcohol abuse, and historical factors contributing to elevated suicide rates.
Lowest Rates
Conversely, some countries with the lowest suicide rates may have strong social support systems, accessible mental health care, and cultural factors that discourage suicide. Examples include countries in the Mediterranean region, some Caribbean nations, and select Middle Eastern countries. Nations like Greece, and Kuwait report some of the lowest suicide rates globally.
However, some countries with little or no access to mental health care also have very low suicide rates.
Data Collection and Reporting
Suicide data is collected through various means, including national health records, police reports, and surveys. The accuracy of this data can vary due to differences in reporting standards and societal stigma associated with suicide. Organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Global Burden of Disease Study regularly publish and update suicide statistics.
Prevention Efforts
Efforts to reduce suicide rates include improving mental health services, implementing public health campaigns to reduce stigma, and creating supportive environments for individuals in distress. Countries with comprehensive mental health strategies, such as Norway and New Zealand, have seen success in reducing suicide rates through these measures.
Suicide rates by gender and country (age-standardized, per 100K population, World Health Organization, 2019)[15]
Male and female suicide rates are out of total male population and total female population, respectively (i.e. total number of male suicides divided by total male population). Age-standardized rates account for the influence that different population age distributions might have on the analysis of crude death rates, statistically addressing the prevailing trends by age-groups and populations' structures, to enhance long term cross-national comparability: based on age-groups' deviation from standardized population structures, rates are rounded up or down (age-adjustment). Basically, the presence of younger individuals in any given age structure carries more weight: if the rate is rounded up that means the median age is lower than average for that region (or country), and vice versa when rounded down.
Most countries listed above report a higher male suicide rate, as worldwide there are about 3 male suicides out of 4, or a factor of 3:1 (for example,[17] in the United States was 3.36 in 2015, and 3.53 in 2016).[a]
Though age-standardization is common statistical process to categorize mortality data for comparing purposes this approach by WHO is based on estimates which take into account issues such as under-reporting, resulting in rates differing from the official national statistics prepared and endorsed by individual countries (and revisions are also performed periodically). Also, age-adjusted rates are mortality rates that would have existed if all populations under study had the same age distribution as a "standard" population. Plain, crude estimated rates are available at here and here. Countries with a population less than 100 000 are excluded.
Countries with large internal discrepancies are complicated to assess. Canada, a country with a comparatively low suicide rate overall at 10.3 incidents per 100,000 people, exhibits one such discrepancy. When comparing the suicide rate of Indigenous peoples in Canada, the rate of suicide increases to 24.3 incidents per 100,000 people:[19] a rate among the ten highest in the world. There are numerous differences in living standards and income that contribute to this phenomenon, classed as an epidemic in Canada.[20]
List by other sources and years (1985–2019)
In the list below various sources from various years are included, mixing plain crude rates with age-adjusted rates and estimated rates, so cross-national comparability is somewhat skewed.
* indicates "Suicide in COUNTRY or TERRITORY" or "Mental Health in COUNTRY or TERRITORY" links.
^The male-female ratio shown below is based on the age-standardized rates: as compared to WHO world standard population, women's median age and life expectancy might be greater than that of men's for that country when rounded up, and vice versa when rounded down.[18]
^Nevertheless, jumping from a high building as well as drowning were common methods of suicide in Taiwan,[note 2][33][34] indicating the potential risks of type I and type II errors and misuse of statistics within the government's report. Hence, if halves of the death rates of the drowning and fall that were shown in government's report were extracted and added into the self-inflicted deaths (intentional injury death of self), it yields 0.0201% which is thought better reflecting the real case.
^Furthermore, jumping from a high building as well as drowning were common methods of suicide in Taiwan.[note 5][33][34]
^The first global estimates on suicide mortality began in the early 1980s, as a single World Bank-commissioned study on general mortality data compiled by the WHO as the first work of its kind on the global burden of disease (GBD).[1] In the following years, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation acted as the coordinating center for the study then resulted in the collaboration between several researchers and institutions from many countries.[2]
^In government's annual release, there were 3637 people per one hundred thousands of people in 2018 died of contacting poison, accidental fall, exposure to fire or smoke, accidental drowning including sinking beneath water to death in addition to the suicidal death that was equal to 3865 people per 100,000 people.
^Recently released figures by official Belgian authorities suggest a considerably higher rate of 17.0 persons (total) per 100,000 people per annum in 2009 (5,712 cases in a population of 10,749,000 (=10,666,866 as of 1 January 2008 increasing by 0,77% per annum.) as of 1 January 2009)."Toenemend aantal zelfdodingen in Belgie" (in Dutch). 2011. Archived from the original on 5 December 2012.
^In government's annual release, there were 3637 people per one hundred thousands people in 2018 died of contacting poison, accidental fall, exposure to fire or smoke, accidental drowning, or sinking beneath water that were excluded from the statistical suicidal death figure equal to 3865 people per 100,000 people.
The updated figure of suicide rates in Belgium for 2011 is 2,084 with a total population of 10,933,607, equivalent to 18.96 per 100,000 inhabitants (source: Het Nieuwsblad, 10 April 2014).
Taiwan is not a member of the WHO. The Taiwanese government adopted the WHO standard in 2007. According to the Taiwanese government's self-released data, the figure is standardized based upon the population within Taiwan.[81][82]
^Burrows, Stephanie; Laflamme, Lucie (February 2006). "Suicide Mortality in South Africa". Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology. 41 (2): 108–114. doi:10.1007/s00127-005-0004-4. PMID16362168. S2CID123246.. This data is for urban areas only. The data available for the whole of South Africa in 2007 are: men 1.4, women 0.4, total 0.9 (source: WHO)
^"Dödsorsaker 2012" [Causes of Death 2012] (PDF). www.socialstyrelsen.se - 6 August 2013.pdf (in Swedish and English). Statistics Sweden. 2013. Archived from the original(PDF) on 19 October 2014. Retrieved 13 September 2014.