Suicide Rate in South America
South America shows large differences in suicide rates, with some countries recording much higher suicide mortality than others. This page ranks South American countries by suicide deaths per 100,000 people using the latest available data.
The ranking helps compare where suicide rates are highest and lowest across South America, from Suriname, Guyana, and Uruguay at the top to Bolivia and Peru near the bottom.
See Also:
Suicide Rate in South America Rankings
| # | Country | Suicide Rate (Per 100K) | Global Rank | Continent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇸🇷Suriname |
28.69 | 2 | South America |
| 2 | 🇬🇾Guyana |
25.36 | 4 | South America |
| 3 | 🇺🇾Uruguay |
22.49 | 7 | South America |
| 4 | 🇦🇷Argentina |
11.48 | 63 | South America |
| 5 | 🇨🇱Chile |
10.84 | 71 | South America |
| 6 | 🇵🇾Paraguay |
10.16 | 79 | South America |
| 7 | 🇧🇷Brazil |
9.49 | 88 | South America |
| 8 | 🇪🇨Ecuador |
8.64 | 100 | South America |
| 9 | 🇻🇪Venezuela |
7.48 | 122 | South America |
| 10 | 🇨🇴Colombia |
7 | 127 | South America |
| 11 | 🇧🇴Bolivia |
6.37 | 136 | South America |
| 12 | 🇵🇪Peru |
4.06 | 172 | South America |
Key Findings
Suriname Has the Highest Suicide Rate in South America
- Suriname ranks #1 in South America with a suicide rate of 28.69 deaths per 100,000 people.
- It is followed by Guyana (25.36), Uruguay (22.49), Argentina (11.48), and Chile (10.84).
Three Countries Stand Well Above the Rest of the Continent
- Suriname, Guyana, and Uruguay all report suicide rates above 22 per 100,000 people.
- After Uruguay, the rate drops sharply to Argentina at 11.48, showing a large gap between the top three and the rest of South America.
Argentina, Chile, and Paraguay Form a Middle Group
- Argentina (11.48), Chile (10.84), and Paraguay (10.16) sit in the middle of South America’s suicide rate ranking.
- These countries report notably lower rates than the top three, but still higher than much of the continent.
Brazil and the Andean Countries Rank Lower
- Brazil (9.49), Ecuador (8.64), Venezuela (7.48), Colombia (7.00), Bolivia (6.37), and Peru (4.06) all rank below the South American top tier.
- Peru records the lowest suicide rate in South America in this dataset.
South America Has a Wide Gap Between Highest and Lowest Rates
- South America’s suicide rate ranges from 28.69 per 100K in Suriname to 4.06 per 100K in Peru.
- This means the highest rate in this regional ranking is about seven times the lowest rate.
About Suicide Rate in South America
Suicide rate in South America measures the number of suicide deaths per 100,000 people in each country. This makes it easier to compare countries of different population sizes because the ranking is based on a population-adjusted rate rather than total suicide deaths.
In this dataset, South America is marked by a very strong concentration at the top, with Suriname, Guyana, and Uruguay reporting much higher suicide rates than the rest of the continent. Countries such as Argentina, Chile, and Paraguay form a middle group, while Bolivia and Peru report the lowest suicide rates in South America.
Suicide data should be interpreted carefully because national rates can be influenced by mental health services, economic stress, substance use, social conditions, cultural factors, healthcare access, death registration systems, and reporting quality. For that reason, this South America ranking is best used as a comparative overview of suicide mortality rather than a complete explanation of mental health conditions in each country.
Definitions & Methodology
What does suicide rate in South America measure?
Suicide rate in South America measures the number of suicide deaths per 100,000 people in each South American country. The main ranking is based on the overall rate for both sexes combined.
How are South American countries ranked?
Countries 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 28.69 means 28.69 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.
Suicide Rate in South America FAQs
Which country has the highest suicide rate in South America?
Suriname has the highest suicide rate in South America in this dataset at 28.69 deaths per 100,000 people, followed by Guyana, Uruguay, Argentina, and Chile.
Which country has the lowest suicide rate in South America?
Peru has the lowest suicide rate in South America in this dataset at 4.06 deaths per 100,000 people, followed by Bolivia, Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador.
Why do Suriname and Guyana rank so high in South America?
This page focuses on ranking suicide rates rather than explaining causes in detail, but suicide levels can be influenced by mental health services, economic stress, social conditions, substance use, healthcare access, and reporting systems.
How does Brazil compare with Argentina and Chile?
In this dataset, Brazil (9.49) has a lower suicide rate than Argentina (11.48) and Chile (10.84).
How is suicide rate in South America measured?
Suicide rate in South America is measured as the number of suicide deaths per 100,000 people in each country, allowing places with different population sizes to be compared on the same scale.