Countries with the Highest Prison Population Rate
Key Findings
About This Dataset
Countries with the Highest Prison Population RateEl Salvador's incarceration rate of 1,086 prisoners per 100,000 stands out dramatically, more than double that of the United States, which has historically led in absolute numbers. This stark difference may stem from El Salvador's ongoing struggles with gang violence and crime, prompting harsh penal policies. Meanwhile, Cuba and Rwanda, with rates of 510 and 434 respectively, reflect different socio-political contexts that influence their incarceration practices. In contrast, larger countries like China and Russia exhibit significantly lower rates, at 161 and 328 respectively, suggesting that systemic factors such as legal frameworks and societal attitudes towards crime play crucial roles in shaping prison populations.
Data Insights
Numbers, trends & sources behind this chart
Methodology & source
- Data source
- Wikipedia
- Coverage
- 8 entities · 2024 · 8 observations
- Measure
- Prisoners per 100k
- Last updated
- 27 July 2026
- Compiled by
- The ANYSTAT team, from the source above
- Values use the measure and unit named on this page. Consult the dataset description and cited source for coverage, definitions and any unit conversions. Displayed values may be rounded for readability.
- Entities are ranked highest-first on their value in 2024.
Data Sources & References
All external sources cited in this dataset
⚑ Spotted an error in this data? Report it
How these countries rank across all our charts
Each country's page lists its position in every ranking on ANYSTAT.
Cite this chart
Using this chart in an article, report, class or website? Please cite it and link to this page.
Related Charts
More statistics on similar topics