Top 10 Countries With Largest Prison Populations

Have you ever ever puzzled which international locations lock up the most individuals and what that actually says about their justice programs?

It’s simple to consider jail as one thing far faraway from every day life. However the world over, tens of millions of individuals are sitting behind bars, typically in overcrowded, underfunded, and typically downright harmful situations.

Some are serving time for severe crimes. Others? Only for petty theft, unpaid fines, and even protesting in opposition to the federal government.

As of 2024, round 11.5 million individuals are held in prisons globally. With the world’s inhabitants estimated at 8 billion, this implies about 0.14% of all folks—or roughly 140 prisoners per 100,000 inhabitants—are at the moment incarcerated.

This world jail inhabitants is erratically distributed, with considerably larger incarceration charges within the Americas in comparison with areas like Africa or Asia. The information comes from the World Jail Inhabitants Listing printed by the Institute for Crime & Justice Coverage Analysis (ICPR), which tracks and analyses jail tendencies throughout the globe.

International locations With The Highest Jail Populations

So, who tops the listing? And what can we be taught from it?

Let’s break down the ten international locations with the very best variety of folks behind bars and dive into the tales, stats, and stunning truths behind the numbers.

1. United States

At the start of 2025, america had the very best variety of incarcerated people worldwide, with round 1.8 million folks in jail. This large quantity stems from robust sentencing legal guidelines, the battle on medication, obligatory minimal sentences, and a excessive charge of repeat offenders.

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Regardless of having solely about 4% of the world’s inhabitants, the U.S. accounts for practically 25% of the worldwide jail inhabitants. The nation additionally has one of many highest incarceration charges, roughly 541 inmates per 100,000 folks, and a big variety of inmates are held in privately operated services.

The entire US jail inhabitants trended barely downward within the late 2010s, reaching roughly 1,675,400 in 2019, its lowest charge since 1995.

2. China

China adopted with round 100,000 fewer prisoners than america, putting its jail inhabitants at roughly 1.7 million prisoners in official detention centres.

Nonetheless, this determine doesn’t embrace the estimated tons of of hundreds detained in extra-legal services, equivalent to re-education camps, significantly in Xinjiang Province.

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China’s authorized system is thought for prime conviction charges and prolonged pre-trial detentions, contributing to its massive inmate inhabitants. Though its incarceration charge is decrease than that of the U.S., the nation’s huge inhabitants measurement means the entire variety of prisoners stays extraordinarily excessive.

3. Brazil

Brazil adopted in third with over 840,000 folks incarcerated, sustaining its place because the nation with the third-largest jail inhabitants on this planet. Its jail system has confronted extreme criticism for overcrowding, inmate violence, and human rights abuses.

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Lots of Brazil’s prisons are underfunded, and inmates typically lack entry to primary hygiene and authorized illustration. Drug trafficking and violent crime have contributed considerably to the nation’s incarceration surge over the previous twenty years. Regardless of efforts to reform the penal code, Brazil continues to wrestle with its jail disaster.

4. India

India ranks fourth with roughly 573,000 prisoners. Whereas its incarceration charge is comparatively low, about 35 per 100,000 folks, the sheer measurement of its inhabitants locations it among the many highest in complete numbers.

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A serious concern in India’s jail system is that over 75% of inmates are pre-trial detainees, which means they have not been convicted and are awaiting courtroom hearings. Delays within the judicial system, lack of authorized help, and poverty contribute to the rising variety of undertrial prisoners within the nation.

5. Russia

Russia has greater than 433,000 folks incarcerated, putting it fifth globally. The nation has undergone jail reforms for the reason that Nineties, however its penal system nonetheless faces points associated to abuse, compelled labour, and harsh situations.

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Russia as soon as had one of many highest incarceration charges on this planet, however current efforts to cut back jail populations via early launch programmes and various sentencing have lowered that quantity. Nonetheless, the Russian jail system stays one of many largest and most criticised on this planet.

6. Turkey

Turkey holds over 314,000 prisoners, making it one of many largest jail programs in Europe and the Center East. The nation’s jail inhabitants ballooned following the 2016 failed coup try, which led to mass arrests, together with of politicians, journalists, and teachers.

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Harsh anti-terror legal guidelines and limitations on freedom of speech have contributed to the rising variety of political prisoners. Overcrowding and insufficient healthcare providers are persistent issues inside Turkish correctional services.

7. Thailand

Thailand has over 274,000 folks incarcerated, largely pushed by the nation’s strict drug legal guidelines and harsh sentencing insurance policies. Thailand has one of many highest feminine incarceration charges globally, with a good portion of girls imprisoned for drug-related offences.

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The Thai jail system suffers from extreme overcrowding, with many services working at double or triple their supposed capability. Current reforms have tried to deal with these points, however overcrowding stays a important drawback.

8. Indonesia

Indonesia’s jail inhabitants at the moment stands at over 265,000. A good portion of those inmates are held for drug-related offences, typically beneath harsh sentencing legal guidelines.

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The nation’s strict anti-narcotics coverage has contributed to continual overcrowding, with many prisons holding double and even triple their supposed capability. Efforts have been made to introduce rehabilitation programmes, however overcrowding and underfunding stay main points.

9. Mexico

Mexico has a jail inhabitants of round 233,000, pushed largely by drug-related crimes, cartel violence, and organised crime. The Mexican jail system suffers from insufficient infrastructure, corruption, and frequent riots.

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Over time, authorities have tried to implement judicial reforms and enhance detention situations, however systemic challenges persist. Inmates typically face lengthy pre-trial detentions and restricted entry to authorized counsel.

10. Philippines

The Philippines has skilled a speedy enhance in its jail inhabitants, with over 220,000 prisoners at the moment held in its correctional system. A lot of this progress is attributed to the nation’s aggressive anti-drug marketing campaign beneath former President Rodrigo Duterte and continued enforcement insurance policies.

The nation’s jails are among the many most overcrowded on this planet, with some services housing greater than 5 occasions their supposed capability. Human rights organisations have raised considerations over detainee welfare, particularly relating to healthcare, sanitation, and wrongful detentions.