World Prison Population List

(tenth edition)
Roy Walmsley

Introduction Key points

This tenth edition of the World Prison Population
CC More than 10.2 million people are held in penal
List gives details of the number of prisoners held
institutions throughout the world, mostly as pre-trial
in 222 independent countries and dependent
detainees/remand prisoners or as sentenced prisoners.
territories. It shows the differences in the level of
imprisonment across the world and makes possible Almost half of these are in the United States (2.24m),
an estimate of the world prison population total. The Russia (0.68m) or China (1.64m sentenced prisoners). In
information is the latest available at the beginning of addition at least 650,000 are reported to be in pre-trial
October 2013. or ‘administrative’ detention in China and 150,000 in
North Korea (D.P.R.K.); if these were included the world
The first five editions of the List were published by total would be more than 11 million.
the Research and Statistics Directorate of the UK
Home Office; this is the fifth to be published by CC The United States has the highest prison population rate
the International Centre for Prison Studies and it in the world, 716 per 100,000 of the national population,
complements the information which ICPS already followed by St Kitts & Nevis (714), Seychelles (709), U.S.
publishes and updates monthly on the World Prison Virgin Is. (539), Barbados (521), Cuba (510), Rwanda
Brief section of its website www.prisonstudies.org. (492), Anguilla – U.K. (487), Belize (476), Russian
Federation (475), British Virgin Is. (460) and Sint Maarten
The World Prison Population List is compiled from – Netherlands (458).
a variety of sources. In almost all cases the original
source is the national prison administration of the CC However, more than half of countries and territories
country concerned, or else the Ministry responsible (54%) have rates below 150 per 100,000.
for the prison administration. Most figures relate to CC The world population at the beginning of 2013 was
dates between September 2011 and September about 7.1 billion (from United Nations figures); set
2013. Since prison population rates (per 100,000 of
against the world prison population of 10.2 million this
the national population) are based on estimates of
produces a world prison population rate of 144 per
the national population they should not be regarded
100,000 (155 per 100,000 if set against a world prison
as precise. In order to compare prison population
population of 11 million).
rates in different regions of the world median rates
have been used because they minimise the effect of CC Prison population rates vary considerably between
countries with rates that are untypically high or low. different regions of the world, and between different
A number of points need to be noted. Figures are parts of the same continent. For example:
not complete, notably for China, and they are not •• in Africa the median rate for western African countries
available for Eritrea, Guinea Bissau, Somalia and is 46 whereas for southern African countries it is 205;
North Korea (D.P.R.K.). Again, the information does •• in the Americas the median rate for south American
not relate to the same date. Comparability is further countries is 202 whereas for Caribbean countries it is
compromised by different practice in different
376;
countries, for example with regard to whether all
pre-trial detainees and juveniles are held under •• in Asia the median rate for south central Asian
the authority of the prison administration, and also countries (mainly the Indian sub-continent) is 62
whether the prison administration is responsible whereas for eastern Asian countries it is 159.5;
for psychiatrically ill offenders and offenders being •• in Europe the median rate for western European
detained for treatment for alcoholism and drug countries is 98 whereas for the countries spanning
addiction. People held in a form of custody which is Europe and Asia (e.g. Russia & Turkey) it is 225.
not under the authority of the prison administration •• in Oceania (including Australia and New Zealand) the
are usually omitted from official national totals. median rate is 151.
It is hoped that this edition of the World Prison CC Prison populations are growing in all five continents. In
Population List will be found useful by those who are the 15 years since the first edition of the World Prison
studying the use of imprisonment world-wide or are Population List the estimated world prison population
interested in variations in criminal justice practice. The
has increased by some 25-30% but at the same time
data may prompt fresh thought among policy-makers
the world population has risen by over 20%. The world
and other criminal justice experts about the size of the
prison population rate has risen by about 6% from 136 per
prison population in their country, given the high costs
100,000 of the world population to the current rate of 144.
and disputed efficacy of imprisonment.

1
World Prison Population List (tenth edition)
Table 1 AFRICA
Prison population total Date Estimated Prison population Source of
(no. in penal institutions national rate (per 100,000 of prison population
incl. pre-trial detainees) population national population) total
Northern Africa
Algeria 60,000 5/13 36.96m 162 NPA
Egypt c. 66,000 /11 82.5m c. 80 US State Dep’t human rights report
Libya 5,328 24/1/13 6.55m 81 NPA
Morocco 72,000 1/1/13 32.75m 220 NPA
Sudan 20,000 /11 36.0m 56 US State Dep’t human rights report
Tunisia 21,300 /12 10.7m 199 NPA
Western Africa
Benin 6,908 /10 9.2m 75 Ombudsman’s report, Benin
Burkina Faso 4,899 31/12/12 17.68m 28 Ministry of Justice
Cape Verde 1,348 /12 504,000 267 US State Dep’t human rights report
Côte d’Ivoire 7,086 31/12/12 20.8m 34 US State Dep’t human rights report
Gambia c. 1,000 31/12/12 1.8m c. 56 US State Dep’t human rights report
Ghana 14,021 26/8/13 26.18m 54 NPA
Guinea (Conakry) c. 2,600 /12 10.5m c. 25 US State Dep’t human rights report
Liberia 1,930 /12 4.2m 46 NPA
Mali 5,817 28/9/11 15.94m 36 US State Dep’t human rights report
Mauritania 1,602 /12 3.6m 45 Ministry of Justice
Niger 6,899 /12 16.6m 42 US State Dep’t human rights report
Nigeria 54,144 31/5/13 169.9m 32 NPA
Senegal 8,428 21/12/12 13.25m 64 NPA
Sierra Leone 3,281 18/9/13 6.28m 52 NPA
Togo 4,060 20/12/12 6.35m 64 US State Dep’t human rights report
Central Africa
Angola 21,634 6/13 20.64m 105 Ministry of the Interior
Cameroon 24,000 12/11 20.2m 119 US State Dep’t human rights report
Central African Rep. 845 11/11 4.5m 19 US State Dep’t human rights report
Chad 4,831 25/1/12 11.7m 41 NPA
Congo (Brazzaville) c. 1,300 31/12/12 4.25m c. 31 US State Dep’t human rights report
Dem. Rep. of Congo c.22,000 /10 66.0m c. 33 Joint Prison Coordination, D.R. Congo
Equatorial Guinea c. 650 /12 686,000 c. 95 US State Dep’t human rights report
Gabon c. 2,750 2/06 1.4m c. 196 US State Dep’t human rights report
Sao Tome e Principe 217 /12 169,000 128 US State Dep’t human rights report
South Sudan c. 7,000 4/13 10.7m c. 65 NPA
Eastern Africa
Burundi 6,477 28/2/13 8.95m 72 NPA
Comoros c. 120 /12 773,000 c. 16 US State Dep’t human rights report
Djibouti 750 /11 906,000 83 US State Dep’t human rights report
Ethiopia 112,361 2009-10 82.42m 136 Central Statistics Agency, Ethiopia
Kenya 52,000 10/12 42.97m 121 Legal Resources Foundation
Madagascar 18,507 /12 21.19m 87 US State Dep’t human rights report
Malawi 12,236 31/12/12 16.05m 76 NPA
Mauritius 2,663 16/1/13 1.32m 202 NPA
Mozambique 15,249 10/10 23.56m 65 NPA
Rwanda 55,618* 31/12/12 11.3m 492* US State Dep’t human rights report
*The prison population includes many thousands sentenced or awaiting trial in connection with the genocide of 1994.
Seychelles 628 30/10/12 88,600 709 US State Dep’t human rights report
Tanzania 36,552 1/13 47.0m 78 Parliamentary committee, Tanzania
Uganda 34,940 30/11/12 36.0m 97 NPA
Zambia 17,021 17/9/13 14.29m 119 NPA
Zimbabwe 16,902 2/13 13.1m 129 NPA
Mayotte (France) 185 1/9/13 218,300 85 French Ministry of Justice
Réunion (France) 1,138 1/9/13 878,000 130 French Ministry of Justice
Southern Africa
Botswana 4,241 12/12 2.07m 205 US State Dep’t human rights report
Lesotho 2,564 /12 2.12m 121 US State Dep’t human rights report
Namibia 4,314 10/11 2.26m 191 Ombudsman’s Office, Namibia
South Africa 156,370 20/8/13 53.1m 294 NPA
Swaziland 3,411 3/12 1.2m 284 NPA
Figures not available W. Africa: Guinea Bissau. E. Africa: Eritrea, Somalia.

2
World Prison Population List (tenth edition)
Table 2 AMERICAS
Prison population total Date Estimated Prison population Source of
(no. in penal institutions national rate (per 100,000 of prison population
incl. pre-trial detainees) population national population) total
North America
Canada 40,544* 2011-12 34.45m 118 Statistics Canada
*Average daily population, including young offenders, 1/4/2011-31/3/2012.
USA 2,239,751 31/12/11 312.72m 716 US Bureau of Justice Statistics
Bermuda (UK) 271 5/12 65,000 417 Bermuda prison administration
Greenland (Denmark) 170 1/12/12 56,400 301 Danish NPA
Central America
Belize 1,562 31/12/12 328,000 476 US State Dep’t human rights report
Costa Rica 14,963 31/7/12 4.77m 314 NPA
El Salvador 26,568 27/5/13 6.3m 422 NPA
Guatemala 16,336 13/8/13 15.5m 105 NPA
Honduras 12,263 1/13 8.0m 153 Office of the Attorney General
Mexico 246,226 30/6/13 117.05m 210 NPA
Nicaragua 9,168 31/12/12 6.0m 153 Government of Nicaragua
Panama 15,126 31/8/13 3.68m 411 NPA
Caribbean
Antigua & Barbuda 371 25/7/13 92,000 403 NPA
Bahamas 1,600 8/12 360,000 444 NPA
Barbados 1,507 21/6/13 289,000 521 Minister of State for National Security
Cuba 57,337 5/12 11.25m 510 El diario oficiel Granma
Dominica 266 3/13 68,000 391 NPA
Dominican Republic 24,744 10/5/13 10.3m 240 NPA
Grenada 441 /12 104,000 424 US State Dep’t human rights report
Haiti 9,936 4/8/13 10.4m 96 United Nations mission (MINUSTAH)
Jamaica 4,201 22/9/13 2.77m 152 NPA
St Kitts & Nevis 330 26/8/13 46,200 714 NPA
St Lucia 568 11/12 179,000 317 US State Dep’t human rights report
St Vincent & Grenadines 410 /12 109,000 376 US State Dep’t human rights report
Trinidad & Tobago 3,800 avrge 12 1.35m 281 US State Dep’t human rights report
Anguilla (UK) 76 18/12/12 15,600 487 Anguilla prison administration
Aruba (Netherlands) 235 9/12 104,700 224 US State Dep’t human rights report
Cayman Islands (UK) 185 avrge 12 56,100 330 Cayman Is. government publication
Curacao (Netherlands) 440 /12 152,000 289 US State Dep’t human rights report
Guadeloupe (France) 871 1/9/13 470,000 185 French Ministry of Justice
Martinique (France) 918 1/9/13 411,000 223 French Ministry of Justice
Puerto Rico (US) 11,452 31/12/11 3.68m 311 US Bureau of Justice Statistics
St Maarten (Netherlands) 180 11/12 39,300 458 US State Dep’t human rights report
Virgin Islands (UK) 138 7/12 30,000 460 British Virgin Is. prison administration
Virgin Islands (US) 587 1/1/11 109,000 539 US Virgin Is. prison administration
South America
Argentina 60,789 31/12/11 41.33m 147 Ministry of Justice
Bolivia 14,770 /13 10.53m 140 Andean Information Network
Brazil 548,003 12/12 199.8m 274 NPA
Chile 46,718 31/7/13 17.57m 266 NPA
Colombia 118,201 31/7/13 48.24m 245 NPA
Ecuador 21,080 12/12 14.15m 149 Ministry of Justice
Guyana 1,962 31/10/11 755,000 260 NPA
Paraguay 7,901 23/9/12 6.71m 118 NPA
Peru 61,390 12/12 30.34m 202 NPA
Suriname 994 /12 535,000 186 NPA
Uruguay 9,524 31/7/12 3.39m 281 Ministry of the Interior
Venezuela 48,262 /12 30.0m 161 Ministry of Penitentiary Services
French Guiana/ 694 1/9/13 250,000 278 French Ministry of Justice
Guyane (France)

3
World Prison Population List (tenth edition)
Table 3 ASIA
Prison population total Date Estimated Prison population Source of
(no. in penal institutions national rate (per 100,000 of prison population
incl.pre-trial detainees) population national population) total
Western Asia
Bahrain 2,307 /12 839,000 275 US State Dep’t human rights report
Iraq 37,014 30/6/12 33.7m 110 UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI)
Israel 17,279 31/12/12 7.75m 223 NPA
Jordan 6,066 6/12/11 6.4m 95 NPA
Kuwait 4,179 /10 3.05m 137 US State Dep’t human rights report
Lebanon 5,094 13/12/12 4.33m 118 US State Dep’t human rights report
Oman 1,403 /02 2.3m 61 United Nations 8th Survey
Qatar c. 1,150 /11 1.92m c. 60 US State Dep’t human rights report
Saudi Arabia 47,000 2/13 29.1m 162 NPA
Syria 10,599 /04 18.2m 58 United Nations 9th Survey
United Arab Emirates 11,193 /06 4.7m 238 United Nations 10th Survey
Yemen 14,150 2/13 25.93m 55 NPA
Central Asia
Kazakhstan 48,684 1/1/13 16.49m 295 NPA, via Penal Reform International
Kyrgyzstan 9,828 1/1/12 5.43m 181 NPA, via Penal Reform International
Tajikistan 9,317 12/10 7.15m 130 NPA
Turkmenistan 10,953 /06 4.9m 224 United Nations 10th Survey
Uzbekistan c. 42,000 3/12 27.7m c. 152 NPA
South Central Asia
Afghanistan 25,289 /12 33.1m 76 US State Dep’t human rights report
Bangladesh 72,104 16/4/13 170.58m 42 Official sources
Bhutan 1,001 7/11 740,000 135 National Assembly Human Rights
Committee
India 385,135 31/12/12 1,266.8m 30 National Crime Records Bureau
Iran 217,000 25/12/12 76.4m 284 NPA
Maldives 994* /12 324,000 307* US State Dep’t human rights report
*Sentenced prisoners only.
Nepal 14,936 8/12 31.08m 48 NPA
Pakistan 74,944 31/12/12 194.6m 39 Human Rights Commission of Pakistan
Sri Lanka 27,000 9/13 20.5m 132 NPA
South Eastern Asia
Brunei Darussalam 507 9/12 414,500 122 US State Dep’t human rights report
Cambodia 15,397 11/12 14.52m 106 Ministry of the Interior
Indonesia 144,332 31/12/12 245.01m 59 Ministry of Law and Human Rights
Laos 4,020 mid-04 5.8m 69 NPA
Malaysia 39,144 6/13 29.74m 132 Ministry of Home Affairs
Myanmar (Burma) 60,053 mid-09 50.0m 120 NPA, Asia-Pacific annual conference
Philippines 108,305 31/12/12 97.2m 111 NPA
Singapore 12,504 31/12/12 5.44m 230 NPA
Thailand 279,854 1/8/13 70.4m 398 NPA
Timor-Leste 295 /12 1.17m 25 US State Dep’t human rights report
Vietnam 130,180 mid-12 89.7m 145 NPA, Asia-Pacific annual conference
Eastern Asia
China 1,640,000* mid-12 1,354.1m 121* NPA, Asia-Pacific annual conference
*Sentenced prisoners only. The total does not include those in pre-trial detention or ‘administrative detention’.
Japan 64,932 30/6/13 127.26m 51 Ministry of Justice
Korea (Republic of) 48,497 30/6/13 48.84m 99 NPA
Mongolia 8,193 1/10/12 2.85m 287 NPA
Taiwan 65,288 30/4/13 23.34m 280 Ministry of Justice
Hong Kong (China) 9,189 30/6/13 7.19m 128 Hong Kong prison administration
Macau (China) 1,083 31/10/12 566,200 191 Macau statistical directorate (DSEC)
Figures not available Eastern Asia: North Korea (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea).

4
World Prison Population List (tenth edition)
Table 4 EUROPE
Prison population total Date Estimated Prison population Source of
(no. in penal institutions national rate (per 100,000 of prison population
incl. pre-trial detainees) population national population) total
Northern Europe
Denmark 4,091 1/9/13 5.61m 73 NPA
Estonia 3,186 30/9/13 1.34m 238 Ministry of Justice
Finland 3,134 1/1/13 5.43m 58 NPA
Iceland 152 1/9/13 321,400 47 NPA
Ireland 4,068 30/9/13 4.6m 88 NPA
Latvia 6,117 1/1/13 2.01m 304 NPA
Lithuania 9,729 1/1/13 2.96m 329 NPA
Norway 3,649 1/9/13 5.1m 72 NPA
Sweden 6,364 1/10/12 9.53m 67 NPA
United Kingdom
– England & Wales 84,430 27/9/13 57.06m 148 Ministry of Justice
– Northern Ireland 1,851 27/9/13 1.84m 101 NPA
– Scotland 7,855 27/9/13 5.33m 147 NPA
Faeroe Is. (Denmark) 10 avrge 12 48,230 21 Danish NPA
Guernsey (UK) 97 4/13 65,800 147 Guernsey prison administration
Isle of Man (UK) 97 9/9/13 86,700 112 Isle of Man prison administration
Jersey (UK) 163 10/9/13 98,750 165 Jersey prison administration
Southern Europe
Albania 4,505 1/1/13 2.85m 158 Council of Europe
Andorra 33 1/1/13 86,900 38 Council of Europe
Bosnia & Herzegovina
– Federation 1,883 1/1/13 2.35m 80 Council of Europe
– Republika Srpska 1,027 31/12/12 1.4m 73 Rep. Srpska prison administration
Croatia 4,741 1/1/13 4.38m 108 Council of Europe
Cyprus 905* 1/9/11 854,700* 106 C of E Annual Penal Statistics
*Does not include the internationally unrecognised Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).
Greece 12,479 1/1/12 11.29m 111 NPA
Italy 64,835 31/8/13 61.14m 106 Ministry of Justice
Kosovo/Kosova 1,691 31/12/12 1.82m 93 US State Dept human rights report
Macedonia (F Yug Rep) 2,515 1/9/11 2.06m 122 C of E Annual Penal Statistics
Malta 610 1/7/13 420,050 145 Ministry of Justice & Home Affairs
Montenegro 1,297 1/1/13 622,600 208 Council of Europe
Portugal 14,264 1/9/13 10.49m 136 NPA
San Marino 2* 1/9/11 32,100 6* C of E Annual Penal Statistics
*By agreement with Italy, most persons imprisoned by San Marino are held in Italian prisons.
Serbia 10,226 31/12/12 7.21m 142 NPA
Slovenia 1,357 1/9/13 2.06m 66 NPA
Spain 68,220 23/8/13 46.27m 147 NPA
Gibraltar (UK) 70 avrge 11 29,450 238 Gibraltar prison administration
Western Europe
Austria 8,273 1/1/13 8.48m 98 NPA
Belgium 12,126 1/1/13 11.19m 108 Council of Europe
France 62,443* 1/9/13 63.94m* 98 NPA
*Metropolitan France, excluding departments and territories in Africa, the Americas and Oceania.
Germany 64,379 31/3/13 81.96m 79 German Federal Statistical Office
Liechtenstein 9* 1/1/13 36,800 24* Council of Europe
*By agreement with Austria, some persons imprisoned by Liechtenstein may be held in Austrian prisons.
Luxembourg 656 1/1/13 538,000 122 Council of Europe
Monaco 27* 1/1/13 36,900 73* Council of Europe
*By agreement with France, some persons imprisoned by Monaco may be held in French prisons.
Netherlands 13,749 30/9/12 16.79m 82 NPA
Switzerland 6,599 5/9/12 8.01m 82 Swiss Federal Statistical Office
Europe/Asia
Armenia 4,756 1/1/13 2.9m 164 Council of Europe
Azerbaijan 37,989* 1/9/11 9.19m 413* C of E Annual Penal Statistics
*Includes pre-trial detainees not held in the prisons of the Ministry of Justice.
Georgia 10,202* 30/4/13 4.54m* 225 Ministry of Corrections and Legal Affairs
* Does not include Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which have declared independence from Georgia.
Russian Federation 681,600 1/9/13 143.4m 475 NPA
Turkey 137,133 17/9/13 76.43m 179 NPA

5
World Prison Population List (tenth edition)
Table 4 cont. EUROPE
Prison population total Date Estimated Prison population Source of
(no. in penal institutions national rate (per 100,000 of prison population
incl. pre-trial detainees) population national population) total
Central and Eastern Europe
Belarus 31,700 1/10/12 9.45m 335 NPA
Bulgaria 10,996 10/12 7.3m 151 US State Dep’t human rights report
Czech Republic 16,257 30/8/13 10.54m 154 NPA
Hungary 18,388 13/6/13 9.9m 186 NPA
Moldova 6,710* 1/4/13 3.56m* 188 NPA
*Does not include the internationally unrecognised Transdniestria/Transnistria/Pridnestrovie.
Poland 83,610 31/8/13 38.55m 217 NPA
Romania 33,015 24/9/13 21.25m 155 NPA
Slovakia 10,152 31/8/13 5.42m 187 NPA
Ukraine 137,965 1/9/13 45.21m 305 NPA

Table 5 OCEANIA
Prison population total Date Estimated Prison population Source of
(no. in penal institutions national rate (per 100,000 of prison population
incl. pre-trial detainees) population national population) total

Australia 29,383 30/6/12 22.68m 130 Australian Bureau of Statistics

Fiji 1,537 11/12 882,000 174 NPA
Kiribati 118 10/12 103,650 114 US State Dep’t human rights report
Marshall Islands c. 32 12/12 55,000 c. 58 US State Dep’t human rights report
Micronesia, Fed States of 90 31/12/12 112,000 80 US State Dep’t human rights report
Nauru 26 31/12/12 9,400 277 US State Dep’t human rights report
New Zealand 8,597 30/6/13 4.47m 192 NPA
Palau 62 /12 21,000 295 US State Dep’t human rights report
Papua New Guinea 3,467 mid-12 7.2m 48 NPA, Asia-Pacific annual conference
Samoa c. 430 /12 188,650 c. 228 US State Dep’t human rights report
Solomon Islands 321 30/9/13 584,000 55 NPA
Tonga 158 31/12/12 105,000 150 US State Dep’t human rights report
Tuvalu 12 12/12 10,000 120 US State Dep’t human rights report
Vanuatu 194 31/12/12 255,000 76 US State Dep’t human rights report
American Samoa (US) 167 31/12/11 69,500 240 US Bureau of Justice Statistics
Cook Islands (NZ) 25 21/11/11 23,000 109 NPA
French Polynesia (France) 427 1/9/13 280,500 152 French Ministry of Justice
Guam (US) 696 4/6/13 161,000 432 Guam prison administration
New Caledonia (France) 402 1/9/13 264,000 152 French Ministry of Justice
Northern Mariana Is. (US) 162 31/12/11 61,300 264 US Bureau of Justice Statistics

Abbreviations
C of E Council of Europe
NPA National prison administration

Roy Walmsley is a consultant to the United Nations and an Associate of the International Centre for Prison Studies
(ICPS). At ICPS he is director of the World Prison Brief, a comprehensive database of information on the prison
systems of the world, which is available free of charge at www.prisonstudies.org

He has also produced the World Female Imprisonment List (2nd edition 2012) and the World Pre-trial/Remand
Imprisonment List (2008, 2nd edition scheduled for 2014), which complement the World Prison Population List and
the World Prison Brief and are also published by ICPS.

International Centre for Prison Studies Telephone +44 (0)20 3667 7883
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