Prison population rate by country
Prison population (including pre-trial detainees and remand prisoners), per 100,000 population.
Countries reporting
195
Highest
1,659 prisoners per 100,000 people
El Salvador
Lowest
14 prisoners per 100,000 people
Yemen
Median
161 prisoners per 100,000 people
Years covered
34
1993–2026
Data points
2,155
What the numbers show
Prison population rate is currently reported for 195 countries. The highest value is 1,659 prisoners per 100,000 people in El Salvador; the lowest is 14 prisoners per 100,000 people in Yemen.
The median across all reporting countries is 161 prisoners per 100,000 people, and the mean is 193.59 prisoners per 100,000 people.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 118.
Over the past decade 106 countries rose and 88 fell. The largest increase was in Libya (up 417.3%), and the largest decrease in Yemen (down 66.7%).
Prison population rate: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | El Salvador | 1,659 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | up 268.7% | volatile |
| 2 | Rwanda | 620 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | up 26.3% | rising |
| 3 | Turkmenistan | 576 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2021 | down 1.2% | rising |
| 4 | United States | 542 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2023 | down 23.3% | falling |
| 5 | American Samoa | 538 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2022 | up 54.2% | rising |
| 6 | Panama | 533 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | up 33.9% | rising |
| 7 | Guam | 530 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | up 13.5% | rising |
| 8 | Tonga | 516 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2022 | up 244.0% | volatile |
| 9 | Turkey | 468 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2026 | up 86.5% | volatile |
| 10 | Cape Verde | 467 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | up 71.1% | rising |
| 11 | Uruguay | 449 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | up 60.9% | rising |
| 12 | British Virgin Islands | 426 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2023 | down 10.5% | flat |
| 13 | Brazil | 416 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | up 38.2% | rising |
| 14 | Antigua and Barbuda | 400 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2023 | down 0.7% | rising |
| 15 | Thailand | 395 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | down 14.1% | rising |
| 16 | Seychelles | 392 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | down 53.2% | volatile |
| 17 | Eswatini | 369 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | up 30.9% | rising |
| 18 | Palau | 367 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2023 | down 35.8% | falling |
| 19 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 361 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | down 4.5% | rising |
| 20 | Dominica | 356 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | up 36.9% | falling |
| 21 | Belarus | 345 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2018 | down 24.8% | falling |
| 21 | Costa Rica | 345 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2023 | up 6.2% | rising |
| 21 | Nauru | 345 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2023 | up 32.7% | volatile |
| 24 | Bahamas | 336 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2023 | down 23.5% | falling |
| 25 | Nicaragua | 332 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2018 | up 176.7% | rising |
| 26 | Chile | 329 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | up 28.0% | rising |
| 27 | Grenada | 324 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | down 30.8% | rising |
| 28 | French Guiana | 321 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | up 24.4% | flat |
| 29 | Cambodia | 320 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | up 226.5% | volatile |
| 30 | Namibia | 318 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2021 | up 66.5% | flat |
| 31 | Saint Lucia | 310 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | down 12.7% | flat |
| 32 | Northern Mariana Islands | 304 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2022 | unchanged | rising |
| 33 | Belize | 302 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | down 29.8% | falling |
| 34 | Russia | 300 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2023 | down 43.2% | falling |
| 35 | Peru | 299 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | up 27.8% | rising |
| 37 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 296 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2022 | down 59.6% | falling |
| 38 | Greenland | 294 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | up 25.6% | rising |
| 39 | Guyana | 288 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | up 12.1% | rising |
| 40 | Georgia | 285 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | up 1.8% | rising |
| 41 | Argentina | 284 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | up 63.2% | rising |
| 42 | Cayman Islands | 280 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | down 14.1% | falling |
| 43 | Trinidad and Tobago | 276 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2021 | down 2.5% | falling |
| 44 | Gibraltar | 273 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2021 | up 51.7% | rising |
| 45 | Taiwan | 270 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | down 0.4% | flat |
| 46 | Libya | 269 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2023 | up 417.3% | rising |
| 47 | Morocco | 267 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2023 | up 25.4% | rising |
| 47 | Tunisia | 267 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | up 18.1% | falling |
| 49 | Azerbaijan | 264 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | up 12.3% | falling |
| 50 | Curacao | 262 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2022 | down 9.0% | falling |
| 51 | South Africa | 260 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | down 9.7% | falling |
| 52 | Paraguay | 259 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | up 63.9% | rising |
| 53 | Moldova | 255 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | up 6.7% | flat |
| 54 | Bolivia | 252 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | up 90.9% | rising |
| 55 | United States Virgin Islands | 251 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2022 | down 53.1% | falling |
| 56 | Fiji | 248 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | up 42.5% | rising |
| 58 | Malaysia | 244 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | up 52.5% | rising |
| 59 | Barbados | 240 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2023 | down 34.8% | falling |
| 59 | Anguilla | 240 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2022 | down 55.8% | falling |
| 61 | Bahrain | 234 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2017 | up 175.3% | volatile |
| 62 | Aruba | 233 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2022 | down 3.3% | falling |
| 63 | Iran | 228 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2020 | down 0.4% | rising |
| 64 | Maldives | 225 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | down 18.5% | falling |
| 65 | Dominican Republic | 219 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | down 9.1% | rising |
| 66 | Algeria | 217 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2021 | up 34.8% | rising |
| 66 | Israel | 217 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2023 | down 17.5% | flat |
| 68 | Mauritius | 215 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | up 22.2% | rising |
| 70 | Bermuda | 200 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2021 | down 48.5% | falling |
| 70 | French Polynesia | 200 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | up 28.2% | rising |
| 72 | Colombia | 199 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | down 16.0% | rising |
| 72 | New Zealand | 199 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | up 4.7% | rising |
| 72 | Venezuela | 199 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2022 | up 32.7% | rising |
| 75 | Albania | 196 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | down 4.4% | rising |
| 75 | Ecuador | 196 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | up 21.0% | rising |
| 75 | Hungary | 196 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | up 7.7% | rising |
| 75 | Sint Maarten (Dutch part) | 196 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2023 | down 51.6% | falling |
| 79 | Jordan | 194 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2022 | up 136.6% | rising |
| 80 | Poland | 191 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | down 6.4% | falling |
| 81 | Honduras | 188 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2023 | up 30.6% | rising |
| 81 | Mexico | 188 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | down 11.3% | flat |
| 83 | Isle of Man | 186 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | up 77.1% | rising |
| 83 | New Caledonia | 186 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | up 12.0% | rising |
| 85 | Macao | 185 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | down 2.1% | rising |
| 86 | Myanmar | 183 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2020 | up 51.2% | rising |
| 87 | Sri Lanka | 180 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2026 | up 116.9% | rising |
| 88 | Czechia | 179 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | up 1.1% | flat |
| 88 | Iraq | 179 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2021 | up 43.2% | rising |
| 88 | Samoa | 179 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2019 | down 21.1% | rising |
| 91 | Singapore | 178 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | down 21.6% | falling |
| 92 | Puerto Rico | 177 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2022 | down 47.8% | falling |
| 92 | Serbia | 177 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | up 22.1% | rising |
| 94 | Latvia | 175 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | down 30.6% | falling |
| 95 | Australia | 170 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | up 18.1% | rising |
| 95 | Reunion | 170 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | up 40.5% | flat |
| 97 | Jersey | 169 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | up 20.7% | falling |
| 98 | Montenegro | 168 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | down 7.2% | rising |
| 99 | Mongolia | 166 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2023 | down 44.7% | falling |
| 100 | Kazakhstan | 163 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | down 43.6% | falling |
| 101 | Botswana | 161 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2022 | down 23.7% | falling |
| 102 | Lithuania | 156 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | down 50.5% | falling |
| 102 | Cook Islands | 156 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | down 11.4% | rising |
| 104 | Philippines | 151 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2021 | up 46.6% | rising |
| 105 | Uganda | 150 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | up 36.4% | rising |
| 105 | Zimbabwe | 150 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | up 16.3% | flat |
| 107 | Slovakia | 149 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | down 19.5% | rising |
| 108 | Tajikistan | 145 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | up 19.8% | flat |
| 109 | Benin | 144 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | up 114.9% | rising |
| 110 | Brunei | 143 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2022 | up 20.2% | rising |
| 111 | North Macedonia | 142 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | down 6.0% | rising |
| 112 | Lebanon | 141 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2023 | up 54.9% | falling |
| 113 | Saudi Arabia | 140 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2019 | down 15.2% | rising |
| 114 | United Kingdom | 139.33 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | down 4.8% | flat |
| 115 | Hong Kong | 139 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | up 21.9% | falling |
| 116 | Zambia | 137 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | up 25.7% | falling |
| 117 | Vietnam | 135 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2022 | down 5.6% | rising |
| 118 | Suriname | 134 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2023 | down 30.9% | flat |
| 119 | Romania | 129 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | down 15.1% | falling |
| 119 | Sao Tome and Principe | 129 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2023 | up 12.2% | rising |
| 121 | Micronesia (country) | 127 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2014 | up 58.8% | rising |
| 122 | France | 126 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | up 10.5% | rising |
| 123 | Jamaica | 124 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2023 | down 16.2% | falling |
| 123 | Guernsey | 124 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2026 | down 12.1% | flat |
| 125 | Guatemala | 123 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2023 | up 23.0% | rising |
| 126 | Spain | 121 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | down 16.0% | falling |
| 126 | Portugal | 121 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | down 10.4% | flat |
| 128 | China | 119 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2018 | down 1.7% | flat |
| 130 | Cameroon | 118 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | up 2.6% | flat |
| 130 | Estonia | 118 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | down 48.7% | falling |
| 132 | Lesotho | 117 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | up 14.7% | falling |
| 133 | Ukraine | 116 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2023 | down 64.2% | falling |
| 134 | Croatia | 115 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2023 | down 2.5% | rising |
| 134 | South Korea | 115 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2023 | up 25.0% | falling |
| 136 | Cyprus | 114 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | up 42.5% | rising |
| 137 | Belgium | 113 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | up 7.6% | rising |
| 137 | Kiribati | 113 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2016 | up 27.0% | rising |
| 139 | Kyrgyzstan | 112 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2023 | down 36.4% | falling |
| 140 | Tuvalu | 110 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2014 | up 57.1% | rising |
| 141 | Italy | 108 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | up 22.7% | rising |
| 142 | Austria | 104 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2026 | up 7.2% | flat |
| 144 | Kenya | 100 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | down 18.7% | falling |
| 145 | Bulgaria | 99 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | down 18.9% | falling |
| 145 | Ethiopia | 99 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2020 | down 27.2% | rising |
| 147 | Greece | 98 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | down 15.5% | rising |
| 148 | Indonesia | 96 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | up 50.0% | rising |
| 149 | Madagascar | 95 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | up 10.5% | falling |
| 150 | Cote d'Ivoire | 94 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | up 184.8% | rising |
| 151 | Nepal | 93 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | up 57.6% | rising |
| 152 | Sweden | 92 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | up 50.8% | rising |
| 154 | Burundi | 90 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | up 3.4% | falling |
| 154 | Canada | 90 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2023 | down 23.7% | falling |
| 156 | Armenia | 83 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | down 37.1% | falling |
| 157 | Monaco | 81 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | up 32.8% | rising |
| 158 | Malawi | 78 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | up 6.8% | flat |
| 159 | Switzerland | 77 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | down 8.3% | flat |
| 160 | Senegal | 76 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | up 31.0% | rising |
| 161 | Djibouti | 74 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2022 | down 16.9% | flat |
| 161 | Solomon Islands | 74 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | up 51.0% | rising |
| 163 | Andorra | 71 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | down 5.3% | falling |
| 163 | Germany | 71 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | down 6.6% | falling |
| 165 | Denmark | 69 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | up 3.0% | flat |
| 165 | Qatar | 69 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2022 | up 81.6% | falling |
| 165 | Slovenia | 69 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2026 | up 7.8% | rising |
| 168 | Vanuatu | 68 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | up 17.2% | rising |
| 169 | Marshall Islands | 66 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2014 | down 26.7% | falling |
| 170 | Angola | 65 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | down 29.3% | rising |
| 171 | Netherlands | 64 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2023 | down 22.0% | falling |
| 172 | Mozambique | 63 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | up 12.5% | flat |
| 173 | Liberia | 60 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | up 22.4% | rising |
| 174 | Haiti | 59 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | down 39.8% | rising |
| 174 | Togo | 59 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2021 | down 7.8% | falling |
| 176 | Mauritania | 57 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2022 | up 35.7% | rising |
| 176 | Papua New Guinea | 57 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2023 | up 26.7% | falling |
| 178 | Chad | 56 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2022 | up 36.6% | rising |
| 179 | Niger | 55 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | up 25.0% | flat |
| 179 | East Timor | 55 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2021 | up 139.1% | rising |
| 181 | Afghanistan | 54 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | down 35.7% | rising |
| 181 | Finland | 54 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | down 5.3% | falling |
| 181 | Norway | 54 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | down 25.0% | falling |
| 184 | Central African Republic | 52 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2023 | up 173.7% | rising |
| 184 | Sudan | 52 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2017 | down 8.8% | rising |
| 184 | Sierra Leone | 52 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | up 4.0% | rising |
| 187 | Mali | 48 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2023 | up 45.5% | flat |
| 188 | Bangladesh | 46 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | up 9.5% | falling |
| 188 | Comoros | 46 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2023 | up 64.3% | rising |
| 188 | Oman | 46 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2015 | down 24.6% | falling |
| 191 | Pakistan | 45 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | up 12.5% | falling |
| 192 | Ghana | 41 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | down 25.5% | falling |
| 192 | Tanzania | 41 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2023 | down 39.7% | falling |
| 194 | Burkina Faso | 37 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | down 2.6% | rising |
| 194 | India | 37 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2023 | up 23.3% | rising |
| 196 | Iceland | 35 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | down 25.5% | rising |
| 197 | Japan | 33 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | down 31.2% | falling |
| 197 | Nigeria | 33 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2025 | up 3.1% | rising |
| 199 | Faroe Islands | 24 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2024 | up 9.1% | flat |
| 200 | Gambia | 22 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2021 | down 50.0% | falling |
| 202 | Yemen | 14 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2022 | down 66.7% | falling |
About this data
Prison population (including pre-trial detainees and remand prisoners), per 100,000 population.