Ecuador vs South Africa: Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population

Ecuador
34.6%
in 2024
South Africa
38.0%
in 2024
Ecuador rank
68th
South Africa rank
58th

Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population over time

  • Ecuador
  • South Africa
0204060200320132024

How they compare

South Africa currently reports 38.0% against 34.6% in Ecuador, a difference of 3.4%.

That makes South Africa's figure about 1.1 times Ecuador's.

The two have swapped places 1 time across 13 shared years of data; in 2005 it was Ecuador ahead.

Ecuador ranks 68th and South Africa ranks 58th of 153 countries.

Ecuador has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Ecuador South Africa Difference Ahead
2000s 64.4% 29.4% 35.0% Ecuador
2010s 38.6% 27.8% 10.8% Ecuador
2020s 37.3% 34.5% 2.9% Ecuador

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population, Ecuador or South Africa?
South Africa, at 38.0% against 34.6% in Ecuador as of 2024.
What is the difference in unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population between Ecuador and South Africa?
3.4%, with South Africa ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Ecuador and South Africa?
13 years are reported by both, from 2005 to 2024.
How do Ecuador and South Africa rank globally for unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population?
Ecuador ranks 68th and South Africa ranks 58th of 153 countries.
Where does this data come from?
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime – processed by Our World in Data, published as Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Ecuador vs South Africa: Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 03 September 2026, from https://population.statizoid.com/compare/unsentenced-detainees-as-proportion-of-prison-population/ecuador/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population
Unit
%
Source
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
153 places, 2,324 data points, 2001–2024
Last refreshed

Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population (%).