Prison population rate in Uruguay
Uruguay: Prison population rate was 449 prisoners per 100,000 people in 2024. ▲ Rising
Prison population rate in Uruguay, 2000–2024
Source: Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in prisoners per 100,000 people.
Analysis
Uruguay recorded 449 prisoners per 100,000 people for prison population rate in 2024. That is the highest value across all 12 years on record.
That represents a change of up 60.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prison population rate in Uruguay peaked at 449 prisoners per 100,000 people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 135 prisoners per 100,000 people, in 2000.
That places Uruguay 11th out of 202 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 12 years of available data.
Prison population rate in Uruguay, year by year
| Year | prisoners per 100,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 135 prisoners per 100,000 people | — |
| 2002 | 169 prisoners per 100,000 people | +25.2% |
| 2004 | 207 prisoners per 100,000 people | +22.5% |
| 2006 | 207 prisoners per 100,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 229 prisoners per 100,000 people | +10.6% |
| 2010 | 257 prisoners per 100,000 people | +12.2% |
| 2012 | 277 prisoners per 100,000 people | +7.8% |
| 2014 | 279 prisoners per 100,000 people | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 306 prisoners per 100,000 people | +9.7% |
| 2018 | 294 prisoners per 100,000 people | -3.9% |
| 2020 | 372 prisoners per 100,000 people | +26.5% |
| 2024 | 449 prisoners per 100,000 people | +20.7% |
Uruguay compared with similar countries
- Uruguay's 449 prisoners per 100,000 people is above the median for high income countries, which is 172.5 prisoners per 100,000 people, 2.6× the median. (80 countries reporting)
- Uruguay's 449 prisoners per 100,000 people is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 280 prisoners per 100,000 people, 1.6× the median. (39 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 189.4 prisoners per 100,000 people | 135 prisoners per 100,000 people | 229 prisoners per 100,000 people | 5 |
| 2010s | 282.6 prisoners per 100,000 people | 257 prisoners per 100,000 people | 306 prisoners per 100,000 people | 5 |
| 2020s | 410.5 prisoners per 100,000 people | 372 prisoners per 100,000 people | 449 prisoners per 100,000 people | 2 |
Countries ranked near Uruguay
- 8 Tonga 516 prisoners per 100,000 people compare
- 9 Turkey 468 prisoners per 100,000 people compare
- 10 Cape Verde 467 prisoners per 100,000 people compare
- 12 British Virgin Islands 426 prisoners per 100,000 people compare
- 13 Brazil 416 prisoners per 100,000 people compare
- 14 Antigua and Barbuda 400 prisoners per 100,000 people compare
More population data for Uruguay
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.891 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -1.01 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -4.49 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -1.01 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -1.0% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 78,530 people (2100)
- Population density 12.83 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -1.0% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.7231 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population -0.0062 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prison population rate in Uruguay?
- Prison population rate in Uruguay was 449 prisoners per 100,000 people in 2024, according to Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest prison population rate recorded in Uruguay?
- The highest recorded value was 449 prisoners per 100,000 people in 2024.
- What is the lowest prison population rate recorded in Uruguay?
- The lowest recorded value was 135 prisoners per 100,000 people in 2000.
- How does Uruguay rank for prison population rate?
- Uruguay ranks 11th out of 202 countries with data for 2024.
- Is prison population rate rising or falling in Uruguay?
- Over the last ten years it is up 60.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Uruguay data come from?
- The figures come from Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Prison population rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 12 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Prison population (including pre-trial detainees and remand prisoners), per 100,000 population.