Every 40 seconds, a life is lost to suicide, a stark reality that underscores the 717,000 global deaths in 2019 and reveals profound disparities in rates, methods, and risk factors across genders, ages, and nations.
Key Takeaways
- The global age-standardized suicide rate in 2019 was 9.0 per 100,000 population
- Worldwide, approximately 717,000 people died by suicide in 2019, representing one death every 40 seconds
- Globally, 77% of suicides occurred in low- and middle-income countries in 2019
- Guyana had the highest national suicide rate of 40.3 per 100,000 in 2019
- Lesotho suicide rate was 35.9 per 100,000 in 2019
- Russia suicide rate stood at 25.1 per 100,000 in 2019
- In the US, male suicide rate was 22.4 per 100,000 in 2021
- US female suicide rate was 6.0 per 100,000 in 2021
- Globally, males aged 70+ have suicide rate of 28.1 per 100,000
- US suicide rates declined 2.6% from 2019 to 2020 overall
- Global suicide rates dropped 32% from 1990 to 2016
- US age-adjusted suicide rate rose 35% from 1999-2018
- Pesticide ingestion caused 20% of global suicides in 2000, down to 14% 2019
- Hanging is the leading method globally, used in 40% of suicides
- Firearms account for 50% of US suicides
Global suicide rates have fallen since 2000, yet one person still dies every forty seconds.
Country-Specific Rates
1Guyana had the highest national suicide rate of 40.3 per 100,000 in 2019
Verified2Lesotho suicide rate was 35.9 per 100,000 in 2019
Verified3Russia suicide rate stood at 25.1 per 100,000 in 2019
Verified4Lithuania's age-standardized suicide rate was 23.6 per 100,000 in 2019
Directional5South Korea suicide rate was 24.6 per 100,000 in 2019
Single source6United States suicide rate was 14.2 per 100,000 in 2019
Verified7Japan's suicide rate was 15.4 per 100,000 in 2019
Verified8Belgium suicide rate was 18.3 per 100,000 in 2019
Verified9Ukraine had a suicide rate of 21.8 per 100,000 in 2019
Directional10India suicide rate was 12.9 per 100,000 in 2019
Single source11Australia's age-standardized suicide rate was 12.1 per 100,000 in 2019
Verified12Canada's suicide rate was 11.3 per 100,000 in 2019
Verified13Germany's suicide rate was 9.2 per 100,000 in 2019
Verified14Brazil suicide rate was 6.3 per 100,000 in 2019
Directional15South Africa's suicide rate was 13.1 per 100,000 in 2019
Single source16Sweden suicide rate was 11.7 per 100,000 in 2019
Verified17Belarus had 21.4 per 100,000 suicide rate in 2019
Verified18Kazakhstan suicide rate was 18.1 per 100,000 in 2019
Verified19Hungary suicide rate was 15.7 per 100,000 in 2019
Directional20Slovenia rate was 15.1 per 100,000 in 2019
Single source21Latvia suicide rate 18.7 per 100,000 in 2019
Verified22Estonia 15.9 per 100,000 in 2019
Verified23Poland 12.5 per 100,000 in 2019
Verified24Mexico 5.3 per 100,000 in 2019
Directional25United Kingdom 10.9 per 100,000 in 2019
Single source26France 12.1 per 100,000 in 2019
VerifiedCountry-Specific Rates Interpretation
Guyana’s sobering top ranking tragically proves that paradise can be a prison, while the starkly varied global lineup shows that despair is a ruthless opportunist, respecting no borders but preying on some far more than others.
Demographic Breakdowns
1In the US, male suicide rate was 22.4 per 100,000 in 2021
Verified2US female suicide rate was 6.0 per 100,000 in 2021
Verified3Globally, males aged 70+ have suicide rate of 28.1 per 100,000
Verified4Females aged 70+ global rate 7.5 per 100,000
Directional5In US, non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native suicide rate 28.1 per 100,000 in 2021
Single source6US white male suicide rate 28.3 per 100,000 ages 25-44 in 2021
Verified7Globally, 15-29 year old male suicide rate 15.2 per 100,000 in 2019
Verified8Female 15-29 global rate 5.1 per 100,000 in 2019
Verified9US youth aged 10-24 suicide rate increased 62% from 2007-2021
Directional10In Australia, male suicide rate 23.0 per 100,000 ages 45-49 in 2022
Single source11Female suicide rates in Australia 7.0 per 100,000 ages 35-39 in 2022
Verified12US Black youth suicide rates rose 58% for ages 10-19 from 2011-2021
Verified13Globally, rural areas have 20% higher suicide rates than urban
Verified14In Lithuania, male suicide rate 44.0 per 100,000 in 2019
Directional15Female rate in Lithuania 6.2 per 100,000 in 2019
Single source16US veteran suicide rate 32.1 per 100,000 males in 2021
Verified17LGBTQ+ youth suicide attempt rate 4x higher than peers
Verified18In South Korea, elderly male suicide rate 47.7 per 100,000 in 2019
Verified19Global indigenous populations have up to 2x higher suicide rates
Directional20US Hispanic female suicide rate 4.5 per 100,000 in 2021
Single source21Ages 85+ males in US 44.8 per 100,000 suicide rate 2021
Verified22Prison inmates suicide rate 3-9x higher than general population
Verified23In Canada, Inuit suicide rate 10x national average
Verified24US male ages 75+ suicide rate 41.8 per 100,000 2021
Directional25Female adolescents global rate peaks at 4.5 per 100,000 15-19
Single source26US suicide rate for ages 25-34 males 32.5 per 100,000 2021
VerifiedDemographic Breakdowns Interpretation
This grim arithmetic reveals a world where the formula for despair is tragically predictable: being male, older, isolated, indigenous, or a veteran multiplies your risk, while being young, Black, or LGBTQ+ shows the alarming variables we are adding to the equation.
Global Statistics
1The global age-standardized suicide rate in 2019 was 9.0 per 100,000 population
Verified2Worldwide, approximately 717,000 people died by suicide in 2019, representing one death every 40 seconds
Verified3Globally, 77% of suicides occurred in low- and middle-income countries in 2019
Verified4The global male-to-female suicide death ratio was 2.1:1 in 2019
Directional5In 2016, the worldwide crude suicide rate was 10.6 per 100,000
Single source6Global suicide rates have declined by 36% since 2000, from 14.5 to 9.0 per 100,000 in 2019
Verified7Suicide accounted for 1.3% of all deaths worldwide in 2019
Verified8The highest global regional suicide rate in 2019 was in the African Region at 11.2 per 100,000
Verified9Globally, ingestion of pesticide was involved in about 14% of suicides in 2019
Directional10Suicide rates globally are highest among those aged 70+ at 14.9 per 100,000 in 2019
Single source11In 2021, WHO estimated 740,000 global suicide deaths
Verified12Global age-standardized suicide rate for males was 12.3 per 100,000 in 2019
Verified13Global age-standardized suicide rate for females was 5.9 per 100,000 in 2019
Verified14Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death in 15-29-year-olds globally
Directional1558% of global suicides occur before age 50
Single source16Global suicide rates fell from 762,000 deaths in 2000 to 717,000 in 2019
Verified17The Eastern Mediterranean Region had a global suicide rate of 6.4 per 100,000 in 2019
Verified18Americas region suicide rate was 9.3 per 100,000 globally in 2019
Verified19European region age-standardized suicide rate was 10.5 per 100,000 in 2019
Directional20South-East Asia region suicide rate was 10.2 per 100,000 in 2019
Single source21Western Pacific region suicide rate was 8.3 per 100,000 in 2019
Verified22Global crude suicide rate was 10.5 per 100,000 in 2016
Verified23Suicide represents 2.5% of global disability-adjusted life years (DALYs)
Verified24In low-income countries, suicide rate is 12.7 per 100,000
Directional25Middle-income countries have suicide rate of 9.6 per 100,000
Single source26High-income countries suicide rate is 8.6 per 100,000 globally
Verified27Global suicides among adolescents aged 15-19 are 40,000 annually
Verified28Suicide is the third leading cause of death for males aged 15-29 globally
Verified29Global female suicide rate peak is in 15-29 age group at higher rates than elderly
Directional3073% of global suicides are male
Single sourceGlobal Statistics Interpretation
While humanity has commendably reduced the global suicide rate by over a third since 2000, the grim, gendered statistic of one life lost every 40 seconds—overwhelmingly in low- and middle-income countries—remains a devastating indictment of our collective failure to provide equitable mental health support.
Risk Factors and Methods
1Pesticide ingestion caused 20% of global suicides in 2000, down to 14% 2019
Verified2Hanging is the leading method globally, used in 40% of suicides
Verified3Firearms account for 50% of US suicides
Verified4Alcohol use disorders increase suicide risk 5-10 fold
Directional5Depression associated with 50% of suicides globally
Single source6Previous suicide attempt raises risk 30-fold
Verified7Access to lethal means responsible for 50% variation in rates
Verified8Job loss doubles suicide risk within first year
Verified9In rural India, pesticides used in 30% suicides
Directional10Intimate partner violence increases female suicide risk 2x
Single source11Chronic pain linked to 20% higher suicide risk
Verified12Loneliness raises risk by 30% in elderly
Verified13Firearms in US homes increase suicide risk 3x
Verified14Schizophrenia patients have 20x higher suicide rate
Directional15Gambling disorders elevate risk 10-fold
Single source16Pesticide restriction in Sri Lanka reduced suicides 57% 1995-2005
Verified17Poisoning 13% of global suicides, mostly pesticides
Verified18Drowning used in 2% global suicides, higher in Asia
Verified19Childhood trauma increases adult suicide risk 3x
Directional20Financial strain linked to 25% of suicides in high-income countries
Single source21Media reporting of suicides can increase rates by 10% short-term
Verified22Epilepsy patients 3x suicide risk
Verified23Jumping from heights 5% of global methods
Verified24HIV/AIDS increases risk 20-fold early in diagnosis
DirectionalRisk Factors and Methods Interpretation
These statistics reveal a chilling arithmetic of despair, showing that while the painful roots of suicide are universal—like trauma, illness, and isolation—the grim outcome is often a lethal cocktail of private suffering and tragically accessible means.
Temporal Trends
1US suicide rates declined 2.6% from 2019 to 2020 overall
Verified2Global suicide rates dropped 32% from 1990 to 2016
Verified3US age-adjusted suicide rate rose 35% from 1999-2018
Verified4In Lithuania, suicide rates halved from 1995 to 2019, from 45 to 23 per 100k
Directional5Australia suicide rate stable at 12.5 per 100k from 2015-2022
Single source6South Korea suicide rate increased 20% from 2000-2019
Verified7Global youth suicide rates declined 40% since 1990
Verified8US female suicide rates up 47% from 2001-2021 ages 10-24
Verified9UK suicide rate fell 22% from 2000-2019
Directional10Russia suicide rates declined 65% from 2000 peak to 2019
Single source11India reported 230% increase in suicides from 1987-2021
Verified12Japan suicide rate decreased 35% from 2003-2019 after peak
Verified13Canada suicide rate down 5% from 2010-2020
Verified14EU suicide rates fell 13% from 2011-2021
Directional15US provisional 2022 suicide rate 14.2 per 100k, slight increase from 2021
Single source16Global rates projected to decrease 10% by 2030 with interventions
Verified17Hungary suicide rate down 50% since 1990s
Verified18Brazil suicides increased 30% from 2011-2019
Verified19Australia Indigenous suicide rates up 24% 2010-2019
Directional20US opioid crisis correlated with 20% rise in suicides 1999-2017
Single source21Finland suicide rates declined 50% from 1990 to 2019
Verified22China rural suicide rates fell 60% 1995-2019 due to pesticide control
Verified23South Africa suicides up 35% 1997-2017
Verified24Global male rates declined slower than female, 25% vs 40% since 2000
Directional25US COVID-19 pandemic saw no overall increase in suicides 2020-2021
Single sourceTemporal Trends Interpretation
While this global tapestry of statistics reveals a heartening, 33-year decline of 32% in the world's suicide rate—a testament to successful public health interventions from pesticide control in China to nationwide efforts in Lithuania—the sobering, persistent, and often sharp increases within specific nations and demographics, like young American women or Indigenous Australians, remind us that progress is a universal average masking urgent, unfinished crises.
Sources & References
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