Kyrgyzstan ranks 145th globally in prison population rate

Kyrgyzstan has been ranked 145th out of 224 countries and territories worldwide for its prison population rate. The Central Asian nation has 112 inmates for every 100,000 residents, according to a comprehensive study by the Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (ICPR) at Birkbeck, University of London.

The ranking utilizes data from the World Prison Brief 2025, an annual survey that measures incarceration rates per capita. The methodology includes individuals held in prisons and other penal institutions under state authority, whether detained, on remand, or serving a court sentence. Administrative detainees are excluded from these calculations.

Comparing Kyrgyzstan's rate with other Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries reveals significant variations. Turkmenistan stands out with a high rate of 576 inmates per 100,000 people, placing it fourth globally. Russia records 300 prisoners per 100,000 (35th place), Kazakhstan has 163, and Tajikistan also registers 145. Armenia reports one of the lowest rates in the region, with 83 inmates per 100,000 people, lower even than Uzbekistan's 166th-place ranking.

Globally, El Salvador leads the list with an incarceration rate of 1,659 prisoners per 100,000 inhabitants. It is followed by Cuba with 794 and Rwanda with 620. The ICPR's ranking encompasses UN member states and several territories, though some nations like Somalia, Eritrea, and North Korea were excluded due to a lack of official prison population statistics.