Number of suicides in Kenya
Kenya: Number of suicides was 2,430 deaths in 2021. ▲ Rising
Number of suicides in Kenya, 2000–2021
Source: World Health Organization (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths.
Analysis
Kenya recorded 2,430 deaths for number of suicides in 2021.
The figure is down 16.3% on the previous year and down 0.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of suicides in Kenya peaked at 3,287 deaths in 2019 and was at its lowest, 1,397 deaths, in 2000.
Kenya ranks 39th of 194 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 22 years of available data.
Number of suicides in Kenya, year by year
| Year | deaths | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 1,397 deaths | — |
| 2001 | 1,413 deaths | +1.2% |
| 2002 | 1,548 deaths | +9.5% |
| 2003 | 1,561 deaths | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 1,639 deaths | +5.1% |
| 2005 | 1,740 deaths | +6.1% |
| 2006 | 1,845 deaths | +6.1% |
| 2007 | 2,023 deaths | +9.6% |
| 2008 | 2,146 deaths | +6.1% |
| 2009 | 2,274 deaths | +6.0% |
| 2010 | 2,451 deaths | +7.8% |
| 2011 | 2,432 deaths | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 2,314 deaths | -4.9% |
| 2013 | 2,349 deaths | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 2,181 deaths | -7.2% |
| 2015 | 2,383 deaths | +9.3% |
| 2016 | 2,399 deaths | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 2,807 deaths | +17.0% |
| 2018 | 3,274 deaths | +16.6% |
| 2019 | 3,287 deaths | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 2,904 deaths | -11.6% |
| 2021 | 2,430 deaths | -16.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 1,759 deaths | 1,397 deaths | 2,274 deaths | 10 |
| 2010s | 2,588 deaths | 2,181 deaths | 3,287 deaths | 10 |
| 2020s | 2,667 deaths | 2,430 deaths | 2,904 deaths | 2 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More health data for Kenya
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.44 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.6026 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,119 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 16,059 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 80 and above, female, per capita 0.0032 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, annual growth rate 0.9279 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, per capita 0.0017 units per person (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, gaps filled 2 (2024)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, per capita 0 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of suicides in Kenya?
- Number of suicides in Kenya was 2,430 deaths in 2021, according to World Health Organization (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of suicides recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 3,287 deaths in 2019.
- What is the lowest number of suicides recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,397 deaths in 2000.
- How does Kenya rank for number of suicides?
- Kenya ranks 39th out of 194 countries with data for 2021.
- Is number of suicides rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of suicides. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 22 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Estimated number of deaths from self-harm in both sexes.