The Safety Almanac

Unintentional poisoning deaths by country

The World Health Organization’s estimates for 185 countries in 2021, ranked from the highest rate per 100 000 people to the lowest. Each row also gives the rate for males and for females and the rate in 2000.

Poison

What this measures

Deaths from unintentional poisoning in a year for every 100 000 people, as estimated in WHO’s Global Health Estimates for 2000 to 2021. It is one of the Sustainable Development Goal indicators, and WHO reads it as a sign of how well a country manages hazardous chemicals and pollution and how well its health system responds. It counts only poisonings nobody intended. Where a country has a high-quality death registration system, WHO starts from the deaths it registers and adjusts for under-reporting and for deaths with an unclear cause; where it does not, WHO estimates from household surveys, sample registration systems and special studies. WHO uses the same definitions for every country so the figures can be compared, and they may not match a country’s official national figures.

How to read the table

  • These are WHO’s modelled estimates, made with the same definitions for every country so that countries can be compared. They are not the deaths a country registers itself, and they often differ from national statistics; the national figures we carry are on the poisoning & home hazards injury facts page.
  • A figure in brackets is WHO’s uncertainty range: the interval WHO gives for where the true value is likely to lie. Where two countries’ ranges overlap, their order in the table may not be a real difference.
  • The rank is a country’s position in this list, highest rate first. Countries whose rates print the same are listed alphabetically.
  • Most countries’ rates are well under 1 death per 100 000, and at one decimal place many print the same. Countries that print the same rate are listed in alphabetical order, so a difference in rank between them means nothing.
  • WHO gives the estimate to more decimal places than are shown here; its uncertainty ranges are wide for small rates, so read the range before reading anything into a rank.

Unintentional poisoning deaths by country, 2021

Find a country, A to Z
WHO estimates, 2021: 185 countries, highest rate first
RankCountryWHO regionDeaths per 100 000, 2021MaleFemaleIn 2000
1Republic of MoldovaEurope4.1 (3.2–4.9)6.72.07.4
2LesothoAfrica3.5 (1.6–6.9)3.93.11.9
3ZimbabweAfrica3.5 (1.7–6.5)4.42.62.5
4SomaliaEastern Mediterranean3.2 (1.2–7.9)4.02.42.7
5EswatiniAfrica3.0 (1.2–5.9)3.52.41.7
6MongoliaWestern Pacific3.0 (1.8–4.9)4.41.65.8
7NepalSouth-East Asia2.9 (1.5–5.5)2.83.03.3
8Russian FederationEurope2.8 (2.4–3.0)4.31.48.6
9AfghanistanEastern Mediterranean2.5 (0.8–5.1)2.92.13.3
10BurundiAfrica2.3 (1.0–4.2)2.62.02.0
11EritreaAfrica2.1 (1.1–4.3)2.61.72.4
12UkraineEurope2.1 (1.3–2.9)3.30.97.4
13Bosnia and HerzegovinaEurope1.9 (0.9–3.0)1.91.82.0
14RomaniaEurope1.9 (1.5–2.3)2.61.34.3
15GrenadaAmericas1.7 (1.3–2.0)2.41.01.1
16KiribatiWestern Pacific1.7 (0.6–3.6)2.41.11.6
17South AfricaAfrica1.7 (1.1–2.3)1.81.61.2
18BelarusEurope1.6 (1.3–2.1)2.60.77.4
19Burkina FasoAfrica1.6 (0.9–3.0)1.71.41.5
20NigerAfrica1.6 (0.8–3.6)2.01.11.4
21South SudanAfrica1.6 (0.6–3.6)2.11.11.5
22YemenEastern Mediterranean1.6 (0.4–3.5)2.01.12.0
23ChinaWestern Pacific1.5 (0.6–2.1)1.71.21.3
24DjiboutiEastern Mediterranean1.5 (0.7–3.0)1.81.31.1
25KenyaAfrica1.5 (1.0–2.3)1.91.01.7
26MozambiqueAfrica1.5 (0.7–2.8)1.71.21.2
27Central African RepublicAfrica1.4 (0.7–2.8)1.90.81.7
28ComorosAfrica1.4 (0.7–2.5)1.61.21.7
29EstoniaEurope1.4 (1.1–1.7)2.80.23.5
30KazakhstanEurope1.4 (1.1–1.7)2.00.95.0
31MadagascarAfrica1.4 (0.7–2.2)1.51.21.4
32NamibiaAfrica1.4 (0.5–2.6)1.41.31.2
33Democratic People's Republic of KoreaSouth-East Asia1.3 (0.6–2.6)1.61.01.2
34Democratic Republic of the CongoAfrica1.3 (0.6–2.8)1.70.91.3
35RwandaAfrica1.3 (0.7–2.4)1.51.12.3
36TongaWestern Pacific1.3 (0.6–2.4)1.80.81.7
37ChadAfrica1.2 (0.5–2.2)1.60.81.3
38EthiopiaAfrica1.2 (0.7–1.7)1.21.11.9
39LithuaniaEurope1.2 (0.9–1.4)1.70.75.4
40MaliAfrica1.2 (0.6–2.2)1.60.91.2
41PolandEurope1.2 (1.1–1.4)2.00.51.1
42Sierra LeoneAfrica1.2 (0.7–2.4)1.60.90.8
43SudanEastern Mediterranean1.2 (0.5–2.2)1.40.91.8
44ZambiaAfrica1.2 (0.7–1.9)1.31.01.2
45BeninAfrica1.1 (0.5–2.0)1.50.71.2
46BotswanaAfrica1.1 (0.4–3.0)1.01.21.6
47CameroonAfrica1.1 (0.5–1.9)1.40.71.0
48GeorgiaEurope1.1 (0.9–1.3)1.50.80.6
49MalawiAfrica1.1 (0.6–2.0)1.40.91.1
50NigeriaAfrica1.1 (0.6–1.7)1.11.00.9
51North MacedoniaEurope1.1 (0.7–1.8)1.11.10.6
52TogoAfrica1.1 (0.6–1.9)1.50.71.0
53UgandaAfrica1.1 (0.6–2.0)1.31.01.3
54AngolaAfrica1.0 (0.4–2.0)1.20.81.4
55Cote d'IvoireAfrica1.0 (0.4–1.6)1.30.60.8
56EcuadorAmericas1.0 (0.8–1.3)1.60.50.5
57GuineaAfrica1.0 (0.5–1.8)1.30.70.8
58Guinea-BissauAfrica1.0 (0.5–2.0)1.40.61.3
59United Republic of TanzaniaAfrica1.0 (0.6–1.9)1.10.91.2
60ArmeniaEurope0.9 (0.7–1.0)1.10.71.1
61GhanaAfrica0.9 (0.5–1.5)1.00.70.9
62LibyaEastern Mediterranean0.9 (0.3–1.7)1.20.60.9
63MyanmarSouth-East Asia0.9 (0.3–1.7)1.20.71.6
64TajikistanEurope0.9 (0.4–1.7)1.40.41.9
65Viet NamWestern Pacific0.9 (0.3–1.7)1.60.20.8
66El SalvadorAmericas0.8 (0.4–1.3)1.20.40.9
67GambiaAfrica0.8 (0.4–1.5)1.10.51.4
68GuatemalaAmericas0.8 (0.6–1.0)1.10.51.1
69LatviaEurope0.8 (0.6–1.0)1.00.66.4
70LiberiaAfrica0.8 (0.4–1.7)1.10.50.9
71MauritiusAfrica0.8 (0.7–1.0)1.40.20.5
72PeruAmericas0.8 (0.4–1.3)1.10.50.3
73SenegalAfrica0.8 (0.4–1.5)1.10.51.3
74BulgariaEurope0.7 (0.6–0.9)1.00.51.0
75KyrgyzstanEurope0.7 (0.5–0.8)1.00.55.0
76MalaysiaWestern Pacific0.7 (0.4–1.1)1.00.30.7
77MoroccoEastern Mediterranean0.7 (0.3–1.5)0.80.61.2
78CongoAfrica0.6 (0.2–1.2)0.70.51.0
79CzechiaEurope0.6 (0.5–0.7)0.90.31.2
80Equatorial GuineaAfrica0.6 (0.2–1.3)0.70.61.2
81GabonAfrica0.6 (0.3–1.2)0.80.50.9
82Iran (Islamic Republic of)Eastern Mediterranean0.6 (0.4–0.9)0.80.41.3
83SlovakiaEurope0.6 (0.4–0.9)1.10.11.1
84Solomon IslandsWestern Pacific0.6 (0.2–1.3)1.20.10.9
85UzbekistanEurope0.6 (0.4–0.8)0.70.43.2
86AlgeriaAfrica0.5 (0.2–1.0)0.60.41.0
87Antigua and BarbudaAmericas0.5 (0.4–0.6)1.10.00.2
88HaitiAmericas0.5 (0.2–1.1)0.60.40.9
89HondurasAmericas0.5 (0.2–1.0)0.80.20.7
90HungaryEurope0.5 (0.4–0.6)0.60.30.6
91MauritaniaAfrica0.5 (0.2–0.9)0.70.40.6
92Micronesia (Federated States of)Western Pacific0.5 (0.2–1.1)1.00.10.8
93United States of AmericaAmericas0.5 (0.5–0.6)0.70.40.3
94UruguayAmericas0.5 (0.4–0.6)0.60.40.8
95VanuatuWestern Pacific0.5 (0.2–1.2)1.00.10.8
96AzerbaijanEurope0.4 (0.2–0.7)0.50.31.3
97BelgiumEurope0.4 (0.3–0.5)0.50.30.5
98Bolivia (Plurinational State of)Americas0.4 (0.2–0.7)0.50.31.0
99CambodiaWestern Pacific0.4 (0.2–0.8)0.60.20.5
100ChileAmericas0.4 (0.3–0.5)0.60.30.3
101FinlandEurope0.4 (0.3–0.5)0.50.30.6
102GermanyEurope0.4 (0.3–0.5)0.60.20.1
103KuwaitEastern Mediterranean0.4 (0.2–0.4)0.50.10.6
104MexicoAmericas0.4 (0.3–0.5)0.60.20.8
105Papua New GuineaWestern Pacific0.4 (0.2–1.1)0.80.10.6
106QatarEastern Mediterranean0.4 (0.2–0.7)0.50.21.2
107ThailandSouth-East Asia0.4 (0.2–0.6)0.60.20.3
108TunisiaEastern Mediterranean0.4 (0.2–0.8)0.50.30.7
109Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)Americas0.4 (0.3–0.5)0.60.20.3
110ArgentinaAmericas0.3 (0.2–0.3)0.40.20.5
111Cabo VerdeAfrica0.3 (0.1–0.6)0.50.10.3
112CanadaAmericas0.3 (0.2–0.4)0.30.30.4
113CroatiaEurope0.3 (0.2–0.4)0.20.40.6
114CyprusEurope0.3 (0.2–0.5)0.20.40.1
115Dominican RepublicAmericas0.3 (0.1–0.5)0.30.20.2
116FranceEurope0.3 (0.3–0.4)0.40.20.4
117IrelandEurope0.3 (0.2–0.3)0.40.10.6
118ItalyEurope0.3 (0.3–0.3)0.40.20.5
119JordanEastern Mediterranean0.3 (0.2–0.5)0.30.31.1
120Lao People's Democratic RepublicWestern Pacific0.3 (0.2–0.7)0.50.20.5
121MontenegroEurope0.3 (0.2–0.5)0.40.20.6
122NorwayEurope0.3 (0.3–0.3)0.40.20.2
123PortugalEurope0.3 (0.3–0.4)0.40.30.3
124Puerto RicoAmericas0.3 (0.2–0.3)0.20.30.1
125SamoaWestern Pacific0.3 (0.1–0.6)0.50.10.4
126Sao Tome and PrincipeAfrica0.3 (0.1–0.7)0.60.00.6
127Saudi ArabiaEastern Mediterranean0.3 (0.1–0.6)0.40.20.8
128SerbiaEurope0.3 (0.2–0.5)0.40.20.5
129SeychellesAfrica0.3 (0.2–0.5)0.30.40.6
130SpainEurope0.3 (0.3–0.4)0.50.20.4
131Syrian Arab RepublicEastern Mediterranean0.3 (0.1–0.4)0.30.30.4
132Timor-LesteSouth-East Asia0.3 (0.1–0.6)0.40.20.3
133TürkiyeEurope0.3 (0.2–0.5)0.50.20.5
134TurkmenistanEurope0.3 (0.2–0.4)0.40.22.2
135United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandEurope0.3 (0.3–0.3)0.40.30.2
136AlbaniaEurope0.2 (0.1–0.4)0.20.20.5
137AustriaEurope0.2 (0.1–0.2)0.20.10.2
138BahamasAmericas0.2 (0.1–0.2)0.20.10.3
139BahrainEastern Mediterranean0.2 (0.1–0.3)0.30.10.4
140BelizeAmericas0.2 (0.2–0.3)0.20.20.7
141ColombiaAmericas0.2 (0.1–0.2)0.30.10.1
142EgyptEastern Mediterranean0.2 (0.1–0.4)0.20.20.4
143FijiWestern Pacific0.2 (0.1–0.4)0.30.10.4
144GreeceEurope0.2 (0.2–0.2)0.20.20.2
145IndonesiaWestern Pacific0.2 (0.1–0.3)0.40.00.4
146IraqEastern Mediterranean0.2 (0.1–0.3)0.20.20.4
147JapanWestern Pacific0.2 (0.2–0.2)0.30.10.3
148LebanonEastern Mediterranean0.2 (0.1–0.3)0.20.10.2
149New ZealandWestern Pacific0.2 (0.2–0.2)0.30.10.2
150PanamaAmericas0.2 (0.1–0.3)0.40.10.2
151ParaguayAmericas0.2 (0.1–0.3)0.20.10.2
152PhilippinesWestern Pacific0.2 (0.2–0.3)0.30.10.2
153Republic of KoreaWestern Pacific0.2 (0.2–0.4)0.40.10.8
154SloveniaEurope0.2 (0.2–0.3)0.40.00.5
155Sri LankaSouth-East Asia0.2 (0.1–0.3)0.30.10.5
156SurinameAmericas0.2 (0.1–0.5)0.20.20.4
157SwedenEurope0.2 (0.1–0.2)0.20.10.2
158United Arab EmiratesEastern Mediterranean0.2 (0.1–0.3)0.20.00.3
159AustraliaWestern Pacific0.1 (0.1–0.1)0.20.10.4
160BangladeshSouth-East Asia0.1 (0.1–0.2)0.10.10.2
161BarbadosAmericas0.1 (0.1–0.2)0.10.10.2
162BhutanSouth-East Asia0.1 (0.0–0.3)0.10.10.1
163BrazilAmericas0.1 (0.1–0.1)0.20.10.1
164Costa RicaAmericas0.1 (0.1–0.2)0.20.10.1
165CubaAmericas0.1 (0.1–0.2)0.20.10.2
166GuyanaAmericas0.1 (0.0–0.1)0.00.10.2
167IndiaSouth-East Asia0.1 (0.0–0.2)0.20.10.2
168JamaicaAmericas0.1 (0.1–0.1)0.10.10.1
169LuxembourgEurope0.1 (0.1–0.1)0.20.00.9
170MaldivesSouth-East Asia0.1 (0.0–0.2)0.10.00.2
171MaltaEurope0.1 (0.1–0.1)0.20.00.4
172Netherlands (Kingdom of the)Europe0.1 (0.1–0.1)0.00.10.1
173NicaraguaAmericas0.1 (0.1–0.3)0.20.10.5
174occupied Palestinian territory, including east JerusalemEastern Mediterranean0.1 (0.1–0.3)0.20.10.2
175PakistanEastern Mediterranean0.1 (0.1–0.3)0.10.10.2
176Saint LuciaAmericas0.1 (0.1–0.2)0.20.10.3
177SwitzerlandEurope0.1 (0.1–0.1)0.20.00.2
178Trinidad and TobagoAmericas0.1 (0.1–0.2)0.10.10.2
179Brunei DarussalamWestern Pacific0.0 (0.0–0.0)0.00.00.3
180DenmarkEurope0.0 (0.0–0.0)0.00.00.3
181IcelandEurope0.0 (0.0–0.0)0.00.00.5
182IsraelEurope0.0 (0.0–0.0)0.10.00.1
183OmanEastern Mediterranean0.0 (0.0–0.1)0.00.00.1
184Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesAmericas0.0 (0.0–0.0)0.00.00.1
185SingaporeWestern Pacific0.0 (0.0–0.0)0.00.00.0

Rates are deaths per 100 000 population. The male and female columns are WHO’s rates for each sex; WHO’s ranges for them are on each country’s page.

About these figures

Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory (indicator codes shown). WHO web content and data are licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO; figures are shown as WHO publishes them, with attribution. WHO copyright and licensing.

CodeWHO indicatorYearsWHO last updatedRead from
SDGPOISONMortality rate attributed to unintentional poisoning (per 100 000 population)2000–202110 January 2025ghoapi.azureedge.net/api/SDGPOISON

Read from WHO’s Global Health Observatory data service on 26 September 2026. The figures are WHO’s estimates; ranks are each country’s position in WHO’s list, highest rate first.

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