Based on recent estimates, as of 2021, the top 10 countries by highest prison population rates (number of prisoners per 100,000 people) are:
- United States (639 prisoners per 100,000 people)
- El Salvador (536 prisoners per 100,000 people)
- Thailand (478 prisoners per 100,000 people)
- Turkmenistan (467 prisoners per 100,000 people)
- Cuba (454 prisoners per 100,000 people)
- Belize (431 prisoners per 100,000 people)
- Virgin Islands (423 prisoners per 100,000 people)
- Seychelles (418 prisoners per 100,000 people)
- St. Kitts and Nevis (408 prisoners per 100,000 people)
- Rwanda (402 prisoners per 100,000 people)
Top Ten Countries by Prison Population Rates 2017 |
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| S. No. | Country | prison population rates per 100,000 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seychelles | 799 |
| 2 | United States of America | 666 |
| 3 | Turkmenistan | 583 |
| 4 | El Salvador | 574 |
| 5 | Virgin Islands (USA) | 542 |
| 6 | Cuba | 510 |
| 7 | Guam (USA) | 438 |
| 8 | Russian Federation | 436 |
| 9 | Rwanda | 434 |
| 10 | Thailand | 428 |
Other Countries by Prison Population Rates 2017 |
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| S. No. | Country | prison population rates per 100,000 |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Panama | 426 |
| 12 | Virgin Islands (United Kingdom) | 425 |
| 13 | Grenada | 421 |
| 13 | Maldives | 421 |
| 15 | Belize | 410 |
| 16 | Antigua and Barbuda | 403 |
| 17 | St. Kitts and Nevis | 391 |
| 18 | American Samoa (USA) | 380 |
| 19 | St. Vincent and the Grenadines | 378 |
| 20 | Cayman Islands (United Kingdom) | 369 |
| 21 | Bahamas | 363 |
| 22 | Bermuda (United Kingdom) | 354 |
| 23 | Costa Rica | 352 |
| 24 | Puerto Rico (USA) | 349 |
| 25 | Sint Maarten (Netherlands) | 347 |
| 26 | Palau | 343 |
| 27 | Northern Mariana Islands (USA) | 337 |
| 28 | St. Lucia | 327 |
| 29 | French Guiana/Guyane (France) | 326 |
| 30 | Barbados | 322 |
| 31 | Belarus | 314 |
| 32 | Anguilla (United Kingdom) | 307 |
| 32 | Brazil | 307 |
| 34 | Bahrain | 301 |
| 35 | Dominica | 300 |
| 36 | Uruguay | 291 |
| 36 | South Africa | 291 |
| 38 | Iran | 287 |
| 39 | Cape Verde (Cabo Verde) | 286 |
| 40 | eSwatini (Swaziland) | 282 |
| 41 | Trinidad and Tobago | 272 |
| 42 | Mongolia | 266 |
| 43 | Taiwan | 266 |
| 44 | Israel | 265 |
| 45 | Georgia | 263 |
| 46 | Samoa (formerly Western Samoa) | 258 |
| 47 | Peru | 257 |
| 48 | Guyana | 256 |
| 49 | Turkey | 254 |
| 50 | Lithuania | 254 |
Source : World Prison Brief, Institute for Criminal Policy Research
