Suicide Rate in Oceania
Oceania shows noticeable differences in suicide rates, with several Pacific island territories and countries ranking higher than the regional average. This page ranks Oceanian countries and territories by suicide deaths per 100,000 people using the latest available data.
The ranking helps compare where suicide rates are highest and lowest across Oceania, from Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, and Nauru near the top to Tonga and Papua New Guinea near the bottom.
See Also:
Suicide Rate in Oceania Rankings
| # | Country | Suicide Rate (Per 100K) | Global Rank | Continent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇬🇺Guam |
19.93 | 12 | Oceania |
| 2 | 🇲🇵Northern Mariana Islands |
17.19 | 20 | Oceania |
| 3 | 🇳🇷Nauru |
16.05 | 24 | Oceania |
| 4 | 🇳🇿New Zealand |
12.96 | 47 | Oceania |
| 5 | 🇹🇻Tuvalu |
12.84 | 50 | Oceania |
| 6 | 🇫🇲Micronesia |
12.8 | 51 | Oceania |
| 7 | 🇨🇰Cook Islands |
12.69 | 52 | Oceania |
| 8 | 🇦🇺Australia |
12.29 | 56 | Oceania |
| 9 | 🇰🇮Kiribati |
11.72 | 60 | Oceania |
| 10 | 🇲🇭Marshall Islands |
11.68 | 61 | Oceania |
| 11 | 🇸🇧Solomon Islands |
10.88 | 70 | Oceania |
| 12 | 🇵🇼Palau |
10.59 | 75 | Oceania |
| 13 | 🇳🇺Niue |
10.38 | 77 | Oceania |
| 14 | 🇻🇺Vanuatu |
9.74 | 83 | Oceania |
| 15 | 🇼🇸Samoa |
8.49 | 106 | Oceania |
| 16 | 🇫🇯Fiji |
8.42 | 108 | Oceania |
| 17 | 🇹🇰Tokelau |
7.37 | 123 | Oceania |
| 18 | 🇦🇸American Samoa |
5.48 | 149 | Oceania |
| 19 | 🇹🇴Tonga |
3.47 | 182 | Oceania |
| 20 | 🇵🇬Papua New Guinea |
2.45 | 192 | Oceania |
Key Findings
Guam Has the Highest Suicide Rate in Oceania
- Guam ranks #1 in Oceania with a suicide rate of 19.93 deaths per 100,000 people.
- It is followed by Northern Mariana Islands (17.19), Nauru (16.05), New Zealand (12.96), and Tuvalu (12.84).
Pacific Island Territories Rank Near the Top
- Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands hold the top two positions in Oceania’s suicide rate ranking.
- This shows that suicide mortality remains an important public health issue in parts of the Pacific region.
New Zealand and Australia Rank in the Upper Half
- New Zealand (12.96) ranks higher than Australia (12.29) in this Oceania dataset.
- Both countries appear in the upper half of the regional ranking, despite having larger healthcare systems than many smaller Pacific countries.
Several Pacific Island Countries Sit in the Middle Range
- Kiribati (11.72), Marshall Islands (11.68), Solomon Islands (10.88), Palau (10.59), and Niue (10.38) all fall within the middle range of Oceania’s ranking.
- These countries report rates above 10 deaths per 100,000 people in this dataset.
Papua New Guinea Has the Lowest Suicide Rate in Oceania
- The lowest suicide rates in Oceania are found in Papua New Guinea (2.45), Tonga (3.47), American Samoa (5.48), Tokelau (7.37), and Fiji (8.42).
- Oceania’s suicide rate ranges from 19.93 per 100K in Guam to 2.45 per 100K in Papua New Guinea.
About Suicide Rate in Oceania
Suicide rate in Oceania measures the number of suicide deaths per 100,000 people in each country or territory included in the dataset. This makes it easier to compare places with different population sizes because the ranking is based on a population-adjusted rate rather than total suicide deaths.
In this dataset, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, and Nauru record the highest suicide rates in Oceania. Larger countries such as New Zealand and Australia also appear in the upper half of the regional ranking, while Tonga and Papua New Guinea report the lowest suicide rates in Oceania.
Suicide data should be interpreted carefully because national and territorial rates can be influenced by mental health support, social conditions, economic stress, substance use, cultural factors, healthcare access, death registration systems, and reporting quality. For that reason, this Oceania ranking is best used as a comparative overview of suicide mortality rather than a complete explanation of mental health conditions in each place.
Definitions & Methodology
What does suicide rate in Oceania measure?
Suicide rate in Oceania measures the number of suicide deaths per 100,000 people in each Oceanian country or territory. The main ranking is based on the overall rate for both sexes combined.
How are Oceanian countries ranked?
Countries and territories are ranked from highest to lowest by suicide deaths per 100,000 people. A higher value means a higher reported suicide mortality rate.
What unit is used?
All values are shown as deaths per 100,000 people. For example, a rate of 19.93 means 19.93 suicide deaths per 100,000 people.
Why should suicide data be interpreted carefully?
Reported suicide rates can be affected by data quality, death registration systems, stigma, cultural factors, healthcare access, and how deaths are classified in each country or territory.
Suicide Rate in Oceania FAQs
Which country has the highest suicide rate in Oceania?
Guam has the highest suicide rate in Oceania in this dataset at 19.93 deaths per 100,000 people, followed by Northern Mariana Islands, Nauru, New Zealand, and Tuvalu.
Which country has the lowest suicide rate in Oceania?
Papua New Guinea has the lowest suicide rate in Oceania in this dataset at 2.45 deaths per 100,000 people, followed by Tonga, American Samoa, Tokelau, and Fiji.
How does Australia compare with New Zealand?
In this dataset, New Zealand (12.96) has a slightly higher suicide rate than Australia (12.29).
Why do suicide rates vary across Oceania?
Suicide rates vary because mental health systems, social conditions, economic stress, substance use, cultural factors, reporting quality, healthcare access, and public health policies differ across countries and territories.
How is suicide rate in Oceania measured?
Suicide rate in Oceania is measured as the number of suicide deaths per 100,000 people in each country or territory, allowing places with different population sizes to be compared on the same scale.