HOME OFFICE RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND STATISTICS DIRECTORATE

RESEARCH FINDINGS No.116
WORLD PRISON POPULATION LIST (second edition)
Roy Walmsley
The World Prison Population List gives details of the number of prisoners held in some 200
independent countries and dependent territories. It shows the differences in the level of
imprisonment across the world and makes possible an estimate of the world prison population total.

KEY POINTS

᭤ Some 8.6 million people are held in penal institutions throughout the world, either as pre-trial
detainees (remand prisoners) or having been convicted and sentenced. Half of these are in the
United States (1.85m), China (1.4m) or Russia (1.05m).

᭤ Russia has the highest prison population rate in the world, some 730 per 100,000 of the national
population, followed by the USA (680), the Cayman Islands (665), Belarus (575), Kazakhstan
(495), the Bahamas (485), the US Virgin Islands (475), Belize (460), Bermuda (445) and
Kyrgyzstan (440).

᭤ However, almost two thirds of countries (64%) have rates of 150 per 100,000 or below. (The
United Kingdom’s rate of 125 per 100,000 of the national population places it at about the midpoint in the World List. Among European Union countries its rate is the second highest, after
Portugal’s 130.)

᭤ Prison population rates vary considerably between different regions of the world, and between
different parts of the same continent. For example:
● in Africa the median rate for western and central African countries is 50 whereas for southern
African countries it is 260;
● in the Americas the median rate for south American countries is 115 whereas for Caribbean
countries it is 330;
● in Asia the median rate for south central Asian countries (mainly the Indian sub-continent) is
45 whereas for (ex-Soviet) central Asian countries it is about 260;
● in Europe the median rate for southern European countries is 70 whereas for central and
eastern European countries it is 220;
● in Oceania (including Australia and New Zealand) the median rate is 120.

᭤ Prison populations are growing in many parts of the world. Updated information on countries
included in the first edition of the List shows that prison populations have risen in 70% of these
countries; a similar pattern is evident in all continents.
This second edition of the World Prison Population List has
been compiled, like the first edition, from a variety of sources.
In almost all cases the original source is the national prison
administration of the country concerned, or else the Ministry
responsible for the prison administration. Most figures relate to
dates between the beginning of 1996 and the end of 1999.
Since prison population rates (per 100,000 of the national
population) are based on estimates of the national population
they have been rounded to the nearest five in order to avoid a
spurious appearance of precision. In order to compare prison
population rates in different regions of the world, and to
estimate the number of persons held in prison in the countries
for which information is not available, median rates have been
used because they minimise the effect of countries with rates
that are untypically high or low.
The List has a number of weaknesses. It lacks information on
19 independent countries and figures do not relate to the same

date. Comparability is further compromised by different practice
in different countries, for example with regard to whether all
pre-trial detainees and juveniles are held under the authority of
the prison administration, and also whether the prison
administration is responsible for psychiatrically ill offenders and
offenders being detained for treatment for alcoholism. People
held in custody are usually omitted from national totals if they
are not under the authority of the prison administration.
Despite its limitations it is hoped that the World Prison
Population List will be found useful by academic criminologists
who are studying the use of imprisonment world-wide and by
non-governmental organisations who are interested in
variations in criminal justice practice. The data – for all its
imperfections – may prompt fresh thought among policy
makers and other criminal justice experts about the size of the
prison population in their country, given the huge costs and
disputed efficacy of imprisonment.

RESEARCH FINDINGS

No. 116

KEY TO SOURCES
C of E
ILANUD
NPA

Council of Europe
UN Latin American Institute
National prison administration

OIP
PRI

Observatoire International des Prisons
Penal Reform International

Table 1 AFRICA
Prison population total
(no. in penal institutions
incl. pre-trial detainees)

Date

Estimated Prison population
Source of
national
rate (per 100,000 of prison population
population national population) total

Northern Africa
Algeria
Egypt
Libya
Morocco
Sudan
Tunisia

35,737
c.80,000
c.6,750
48,600
32,000
23,165

/96
/98
/98
/97
/97
31/12/96

28.6m
66.0m
5.3m
27.5m
27.9m
9.2m

125
c.120
c.125
175
115
250

OIP, 1997
Crim. justice expert, Egypt
Crim. justice expert, Libya
OIP, 1998
Conference paper, Jan 1998
United Nations 5th Survey

3,937
6,100
775
13,670
478
9,523
4,014
3,135
1,400
5,263
44,797
4,653
2,043

23/8/99
31/12/94
30/6/99
5/11/98
12/7/99
12/99
31/12/96
12/98
/97
1/10/98
31/10/99
9/97
6/11/98

5.9m
10.2m
418,000
14.4m
1.25m
19.7m
7.25m
10.8m
2.4m
10.15m
109.0m
8.8m
4.4m

65
60
185
95
40
50
55
30
60
50
40
55
45

NPA direct communication
Burk. Faso human rights movement
Crim. justice expert, Cape Verde
NPA document
Min. of Interior direct communication
NPA direct communication
Response to UN enquiry
Rept. of Spec. Rapp. on Afr. prisons
Conference paper, Jan 1998
NPA direct communication
Crim. justice expert, Nigeria
OIP, 1998
NPA direct communication

4,884
15,903
2,521
918
99

6/11/99
/97
1/96
/93
/94

12.5m
13.9m
6.4m
2.4m
130,000

40
115
40
40
75

UN mission in Angola
OIP, 1998
OIP, 1997
PRI, from NPA
United Nations 5th Survey

9,411
c.200
384
41,064
20,109
7,341
3,239
c.10,800
143,021*

/97
/98
16/12/99
23/10/96
31/7/99
10/4/99
/97
12/97
30/11/98

6.4m
658,000
629,000
28.9m
15.5m
10.5m
1.1m
18.5m
6.9m

145
c.30
60
140
130
70
295
c.60
-*

OIP, 1998
Crim. justice expert, Comoros
Min. of Foreign Affairs, Djibouti
OIP, 1997
NPA
NPA document
NPA direct communication
Rept. of Spec. Rapp. on Afr. prisons
Rwanda Human Rights League

Western Africa
Benin
Burkina Faso
Cape Verde
Côte d’Ivoire
Gambia
Ghana
Guinea
Mali
Mauretania
Niger
Nigeria
Senegal
Togo

Central Africa
Angola
Cameroon
Chad
Congo (Brazzaville)
Sao Tome e Principe

Eastern Africa
Burundi
Comoros
Djibouti
Kenya
Madagascar
Malawi
Mauritius
Mozambique
Rwanda

*(Prison population total includes an estimated 135,000 held on suspicion of participation in genocide.)

Seychelles
Tanzania
Uganda
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Mayotte (France)
Réunion (France)

157
45,715
21,971
12,500
19,256
123
1,019

27/10/99
1/12/99
30/6/98
/99
1/99
1/9/98
1/10/98

76,000
33.0m
20.6m
9.0m
11.45m
131,300
682,000

205
140
105
140
170
95
150

NPA
NPA direct communication
NPA direct communication
NPA direct communication
PRI Newsletter 36, 1999
French Ministry of Justice
French Ministry of Justice

6,413
2,552
4,397
161,163
2,221

5/3/99
4/99
31/8/98
30/11/99
14/9/98

1.6m
2.1m
1.7m
40.1m
958,000

400
120
260
400
230

NPA direct communication
NPA direct communication
NPA direct communication
NPA report to UN Congress
NPA direct communication

Southern Africa
Botswana
Lesotho
Namibia
South Africa
Swaziland
(No information

2

Western Africa: Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Sierra Leone. Central Africa: Central African Republic,
Congo (Kinshasa), Equatorial Guinea, Gabon. Eastern Africa: Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia.)

RESEARCH FINDINGS

No. 116

Table 2 AMERICAS
Prison population total
(no. in penal institutions
incl. pre-trial detainees)

Date

Estimated
national
population

Prison population
Source of
rate (per 100,000 of prison population
national population) total

North America
Canada

32,970*

/98-99

30.65m

110

Canadian Centre of Justice Statistics

*(Average daily population 1/4/98-31/3/99)

USA
1,860,520
Bermuda (UK)
286
Greenland (Denmark)
78

30/6/99
29/12/99
25/8/98

272.9m
64,000
56,000

680
445
140

US Bureau of Justice Statistics
NPA direct communication
Danish NPA, direct communication

1,097
8,526
6,868
8,169
10,869
139,707
7,198
8,517

/99
/99
/99
/99
/99
/99
/99
/99

239,000
3.7m
6.25m
11.7m
6.3m
97.4m
5.05m
2.8m

460
230
110
70
175
145
145
305

Elias Carranza,ILANUD,from NPA et al
Elias Carranza,ILANUD,from NPA et al
Elias Carranza,ILANUD,from NPA et al
Elias Carranza,ILANUD,from NPA et al
Elias Carranza,ILANUD,from NPA et al
Elias Carranza,ILANUD,from NPA et al
Elias Carranza,ILANUD,from NPA et al
Elias Carranza,ILANUD,from NPA et al

Antigua & Barbuda
225
Bahamas
1,401
Barbados
772
Cuba
c.33,000
Dominica
298
Dominican Republic 14,188
Grenada
327
Haiti
4,152
Jamaica
4,288
St Kitts & Nevis
135
St Lucia
365
St Vincent & Grenadines 405
Trinidad & Tobago
4,794
Aruba (Netherlands)
223
Cayman Islands (UK)
244
Guadeloupe (France)
706
Martinique (France)
547
Neth.Antilles
(Netherlands)
780
Puerto Rico (US)
16,524
Virgin Islands (UK)
43
Virgin Islands (US)
447

11/95
1/98
1/98
/97
/99
/99
1/98
/99
/99
/99
/99
/99
/99
11/98
6/12/99
1/10/98
1/10/98

65,000
290,000
263,000
11.1m
71,000
8.35m
99,000
7.9m
2.5m
40,000
150,000
110,000
1.365m
89,000
36,600
445,000
390,000

345
485
295
c.295
420
170
330
55
170
340
245
370
350
250
665
160
140

Information from W. Singh, PRI
Survey for UN by Wendy Singh
Survey for UN by Wendy Singh
Nils Christie, Oslo University
Elias Carranza,ILANUD,from NPA et al
Elias Carranza,ILANUD,from NPA et al
Survey for UN by Wendy Singh
Elias Carranza,ILANUD,from NPA et al
Elias Carranza,ILANUD,from NPA et al
Elias Carranza,ILANUD,from NPA et al
Elias Carranza,ILANUD,from NPA et al
Elias Carranza,ILANUD,from NPA et al
Elias Carranza,ILANUD,from NPA et al
Dutch NPA direct communication
NPA direct communication
French Min. of Justice publication
French Min. of Justice publication

11/98
31/12/98
19/8/99
31/12/98

214,000
3.8m
20,000
94,000

365
435
215
475

Dutch NPA direct communication
US Bureau of Justice Statistics
Pris.reform coord’tor, UK O’seas Terr’s
US Bureau of Justice Statistics

38,604
8,315
194,074
30,852
57,068
8,520
1,697
4,088
27,452
1,933
6,198
23,147

/99
/99
/99
/99
/99
/99
1/98
/99
/99
/99
/99
/99

36.2m
8.15m
171.0m
15.0m
37.4m
12.4m
852,000
5.45m
25.6m
442,000
3.25m
23.7m

105
100
115
205
155
70
200
75
105
435
190
100

Elias Carranza,ILANUD,from NPA et al
Elias Carranza,ILANUD,from NPA et al
Elias Carranza,ILANUD,from NPA et al
Elias Carranza,ILANUD,from NPA et al
Elias Carranza,ILANUD,from NPA et al
Elias Carranza,ILANUD,from NPA et al
Survey for UN by Wendy Singh
Elias Carranza,ILANUD,from NPA et al
Elias Carranza,ILANUD,from NPA et al
Elias Carranza,ILANUD,from NPA et al
Elias Carranza,ILANUD,from NPA et al
Elias Carranza,ILANUD,from NPA et all

3,47

10/98

144,000

240

French Min. of Justice publication

Central America
Belize
Costa Rica
El Salvador
Guatemala
Honduras
Mexico
Nicaragua
Panama

Caribbean

South America
Argentina
Bolivia
Brazil
Chile
Colombia
Ecuador
Guyana
Paraguay
Peru
Suriname
Uruguay
Venezuela
French Guiana/
Guyane (France)

3

RESEARCH FINDINGS

No. 116

Table 3 ASIA
Prison population total
(no. in penal institutions
incl. pre-trial detainees)

Date

Estimated Prison population
Source of
national
rate (per 100,000 of prison population
population national population) total

Western Asia
Bahrain
Israel
Jordan
Kuwait
Lebanon
Qatar
Saudi Arabia

305
9,337
3,749
1,735
5,000
527
7,939*

31/12/93
1/11/99
31/12/93
/97
/97
31/12/93
31/12/93

549,000
6.15m
5.1m
1.7m
3.1m
540,000
17.2m

55
150
75
100
160
100
45*

Response to UN enquiry
NPA direct communication
UN enquiry (A/CN.15/1996/16/Add.1)
Conference paper, Jan 98
Conference paper, Jan 98
UN enquiry (A/CN.15/1996/16/Add.1)
UN enquiry (A/CN.15/1996/16/Add.1)

*(sentenced prisoners only)

Syria
14,000
United Arab Emirates c.6,000
Yemen
14,000*

/97
12/98
/98

15.0m
2.4m
16.9m

95
c.250
85*

Conference paper, Jan 98
Criminal justice experts in U.A.E
PRI Newsletter 33, 1998

*(government managed prisons only)

Central Asia
Kazakhstan
Kyrgyzstan
Tajikistan
Turkmenistan
Uzbekistan

82,945
19,857
c.6,000
c.6,000
c.60,000

1/5/97
1/5/97
/96
4/99
/96

16.8m
4.5m
6.3m
4.4m
23.3m

/98
/98
31/12/93
/96

125.8m
982.0m
65.0m
265,000

495
440
c.95
c.135
c.260

NPA direct communication
NPA direct communication
Crim. justice expert, Tajikistan
Government statement, Turkmenistan
Crim. justice expert, Uzbekistan

South Central Asia
Bangladesh
India
Iran
Maldive Is.

c.50,000
381,147
101,801
1,098*

c.40
40
155
415*

Conference paper, Apr 99
Conference paper, Apr 99
UN enquiry (A/CN.15/1996/16/Add.1)
Ministry of Justice, Maldive Is.

*(sentenced prisoners only)

Nepal
Pakistan
Sri Lanka

7,000
74,485
18,619

/98
1/1/99
/99

23.4m
150.0m
18.6m

30
50
100

Report by Rani Shankardass
Crim. justice expert, Pakistan
David Biles, from NPA

/99
/99
/99
/99
31/12/93
31/12/93
/99

322,000
10.9m
209.3m
21.8m
45.0m
65.5m
74.5m

90
35
25
125
120
55
30*

David Biles, from NPA
David Biles, from NPA
David Biles, from NPA
David Biles, from NPA
UN enquiry (A/CN.15/1996/16 Add.1)
UN enquiry (A/CN.15.1996/16/Add.1)
David Biles, from NPA

South Eastern Asia
Brunei Darussalam
Cambodia
Indonesia
Malaysia
Myanmar (Burma)
Philippines}
Philippines}

286
3,832
55,026
27,148
53,195
35,864
21,287*

*(does not include those in municipal and provincial prisons)

Singapore

11,858*

/99

3.5m

340*

David Biles, from NPA

*(does not include those in drug rehabilitation centres run by the Singapore Prison Service)

Thailand
Vietnam

197,214
55,000

/99
/98

60.9m
77.6m

325
70

China
1,408,860
Japan
52,715
Korea (Republic of)
69,102
Mongolia
6,414
Taiwan
c.31,000
Hong Kong (China)
11,215
Macau (Portugal)*
778

/99
/99
/99
/99
/98
/99
/99

1,266.8m
126.5m
46.5m
2.6m
20.5m
6.65m
459,000

110
40
150
245
c.150
170
170

David Biles, from NPA
David Biles, from NPA

Eastern Asia
David Biles, from NPA
David Biles, from NPA
David Biles, from NPA
David Biles, from NPA
Crim. justice expert, Taiwan
David Biles, from NPA
David Biles, from NPA

*(Portuguese dependency until 20/12/99 when it became a ‘Special Administrative Region’ within China)

(No information

4

Western Asia: Iraq, Oman. South Central Asia: Afghanistan, Bhutan. South Eastern
Asia: Laos. Eastern Asia: Korea (Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea.)

RESEARCH FINDINGS

No. 116

Table 4 EUROPE
Prison population total

Date

Estimated
national
population

1/9/99
1/12/99
31/12/99
1/9/98
12/11/99
20/11/99
3/10/99
30/9/99
30/9/99
(11/99)
30/11/99
30/11/99
29/11/99
29/9/98
30/11/99
30/11/99
30/11/99

5.3m
1.45m
5.15m
275,000
3.7m
2.45m
3.7m
4.45m
8.85m
(59.6m)
52.8m
5.1m
1.7m
43,000
61,400
86,500
73,000

65
310
45
35
80
360
385
60
60
(125)
125
120
70
15
110
155
95

1/9/98
23/8/99

3.35m
66,000

85
30

C of E Annual Penal Statistics
Tribunal de Corts, Andorra

31/8/99
30/4/98
31/12/98
1/9/99
1/9/99

2.5m
1.3m
4.6m
10.55m
57.6m

35
60
50
70
90

NPA direct communication
NPA direct communication
C of E Annual Penal Statistics
Crim. justice expert, Univ. of Athens
National statistics bureau

(no. in penal institutions
incl. pre-trial detainees)

Prison population
Source of
rate (per 100,000 of prison population
national population) total

Northern Europe
Denmark
3,496
Estonia
4,465
Finland
2,389
Iceland
103
Ireland
2,929
Latvia
8,868
Lithuania
14,259
Norway
2,695
Sweden
5,270
United Kingdom
(73,195)
–England & Wales
65,993
–Scotland
6,010
–Northern Ireland
1,192
Faeroe Is. (Denmark)
7
Guernsey (UK)
67
Jersey (UK)
135
Isle of Man (UK)
70

NPA direct communication
NPA, C of E steering group
Statistics Finland
C of E Annual Penal Statistics
NPA direct communication
NPA, C of E steering group
NPA, C of E steering group
NPA direct communication
NPA direct communication
Calculated from next three entries
NPA direct communication
NPA direct communication
NPA direct communication
Danish NPA direct communication
NPA direct communication
NPA direct communication
NPA direct communication

Southern Europe
Albania
2,922
Andorra
20
Bosnia & Herzegovina
–Federation
836
–Republika Srpska
787
Croatia
2,227
Greece
7,525
Italy*
51,427

*(by agreement with Italy, persons imprisoned by San Marino and Vatican City are held in Italian prisons)

Macedonia (F Yug Rep) 1,105
Malta
260
Portugal
13,086
Slovenia
980
Spain
44,197
Gibraltar (UK)
29

1/9/98
1/9/98
1/9/99
31/12/99
31/12/99
30/11/99

2.0m
378,000
10.0m
2.0m
39.4m
27,200

55
70
130
50
110
105

C of E Annual Penal Statistics
C of E Annual Penal Statistics
NPA direct communication
NPA direct communication
NPA document
NPA direct communication

31/8/99
31/12/99
1/9/99
31/1/99
30/6/99
1/9/98
10/98
31/12/99
1/9/99

8.2m
10.2m
59.0m
82.2m
32,000
427,000
32,000
15.85m
7.1m

85
80
90
95
75
90
40
90
85

Statistics Austria
NPA direct communication
French Ministry of Justice
German Federal Ministry of Justice
President of Crim. Court, Liechtenstein
Central Statistical Services, Lux’bourg
Information from Pierre Tournier
NPA direct communication
Swiss Federal Statistical Office

3.8m
7.7m
650,000*

200
325
40

C of E report,Armenian prison system
C of E report, Azerb’jan prison system
Cypriot Min of Justice and Public Order

Western Europe
Austria
Belgium
France
Germany
Liechtenstein
Luxembourg
Monaco
Netherlands
Switzerland

6,877
8,135
53,948
79,666
24
392
13
14,057
5,950

Europe/Asia
Armenia
Azerbaijan
Cyprus

7,608
24,881
247*

2/98
2/7/97
1/9/99

*(does not include the internationally unrecognised Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Including TRNC
the population of Cyprus is estimated at about 750,000 in 1999, plus about 100,000 Turkish settlers.)

Georgia
10,158
Russian Federation 1,060,085
Turkey
64,907

5

12/98
31/12/99
1/9/98

5.4m
145.5m
63.6m

190
730
100

C of E report, Georgian prison system
NPA
C of E Annual Penal Statistics

RESEARCH FINDINGS

No. 116

Table 4 cont. EUROPE
Central and Eastern Europe
Bulgaria
Belarus
Czech Republic
Hungary
Moldova

11,773
58,879
23,060
15,110
10,044*

1/9/98
31/12/97
31/12/99
31/12/99
1/1/99

8.25m
10.2m
10.3m
10.05m
3.65m*

145
575
225
150
275

C of E Annual Penal Statistics
United Nations 6th Survey
Inst for Crim&Soc Prevention, Cz.R
NPA direct communication
NPA direct communication

*(does not include the internationally unrecognised Transdniestria. Including Transdniestria
the national population of Moldova is estimated at 4.3 millions in 1998.)

Poland
Romania
Slovakia
Ukraine

56,765
49,790
6,628
217,400

(No information

31/12/99
31/12/99
1/9/98
12/99

38.65m
22.45m
5.4m
50.7m

145
220
125
430

Publicat. of Inst. of Justice, Warsaw
NPA website
C of E Annual Penal Statistics
NPA direct communication

Southern Europe: Yugoslavia.)

Table 5 OCEANIA
Prison population total

Date

(no. in penal institutions
incl. pre-trial detainees)
Australia

20,656*

/99

Estimated Prison population Source of
national
rate (per 100,000 of prison population
population national population) total
18.7m

110

David Biles from NPA

145
130
45
35
150
80
100
30
85
45
25
180
225
125
390
155
160

David Biles from NPA
David Biles from NPA
United Nations 5th Survey
F S Micronesia Stats. Yearbook
David Biles from NPA
David Biles from NPA
David Biles from NPA
David Biles from NPA
David Biles from NPA
David Biles from NPA
David Biles from NPA
US Bureau of Justice Statistics
David Biles from NPA
French Min. of Justice publication
US Bureau of Justice Statistics
French Min. of Justice publication
US Bureau of Justice Statistics

*(average daily population, 1999)

Fiji
1,180
Kiribati
91
Marshall Is.
23
Micronesia, Fed States of 39
New Zealand
5,778
Papua New Guinea
3,566
Samoa
176
Solomon Is.
134
Tonga
87
Tuvalu
1
Vanuatu
46
American Samoa (US)
112
Cook Is. (NZ)
45
French Polynesia (France) 280
Guam (US)
629
New Caledonia (France) 303
Northern Mariana Is. (US) 112
(No information

/99
/95
/94
/97
/99
/98
/98
/99
/94
10/92
/99
31/12/98
/95
1/10/98
31/12/98
1/10/98
31/12/98

806,000
70,000
52,000
114,000
3.8m
4.6m
174,000
430,000
100,000
9,000
183,000
63,000
20,000
220,000
162,000
197,000
70,500

Nauru, Palau.)

REFERENCES
Walmsley, R. (2000). World prison populations: an attempt at a complete list. In Imprisonment today and
tomorrow (2nd edition). Editors: Dirk van Zyl Smit and Frieder Dünkel. Deventer and Boston: Kluwer.
Roy Walmsley, of the Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorate, is involved in
technical co-operation projects, mainly on the improvement of prison standards, for the United Nations and
the Council of Europe.
The Research, Development and Statistics Directorate exists to improve policy making, decision taking and practice
in support of the Home Office purpose and aims, to provide the public and Parliament with information necessary for
informed debate and to publish information for future use.
The views expressed in this report are those of the author, not necessarily those of the
Home Office (nor do they reflect Government policy).

‘Research Findings’ are produced by the Research, Development and Statistics Directorate. For further copies contact:
Communications and Development Unit, Room 201, Home Office, 50 Queen Anne’s Gate, London SW1H 9AT.
Telephone: 020 7273 2084. Facsimile: 020 7222 0211. E-mail: publications.rds@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
Internet: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/index.htm

6
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Research, Development and Statistics Directorate 2000
Crown copyright 2000

ISSN 1364-6540