Since around the year 2000, the global prison population has risen by 27%, a pace that is somewhat slower than the estimated 31% increase in the world’s overall population during the same period.
According to the World Prison Population List, which details the number of prisoners in 223 prison systems across independent countries and dependent territories, there is considerable variation between different regions. In Africa, the prison population has increased by 53%, although this is still less than the continent’s general population growth of 78%. A significant factor in this discrepancy is Rwanda, where prison numbers remain high due to individuals detained in connection with the 1994 genocide, despite many releases since 2000. Excluding Rwanda, Africa’s prison population has surged by 65% since 2000.
In the Americas, the prison population has grown by 39% since 2000, primarily driven by trends in the United States, which holds the largest prison population by far.
There are also notable differences within continents. For example, in Africa, the median imprisonment rate in West African countries is 50 per 100,000 people, while Southern African nations have a much higher median rate of 243.
The World Prison Population List includes pretrial detainees (remand prisoners) and those convicted and sentenced. This information reflects the most recent data available as of early April 2024.
Below are the top 10 African countries with the highest prison populations:
