Terrorism
Global mortality data, country rankings, and trends for Terrorism from 1990 to 2021.
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Terrorism is a significant contributor to the global burden of disease. This page presents data from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) Global Burden of Disease Study, showing mortality trends, country rankings, and regional patterns. Understanding the epidemiology of terrorism helps inform public health interventions and resource allocation.
This data is sourced from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) Global Burden of Disease Study 2023, processed via Our World in Data. Values represent each cause's share of total deaths (%) unless otherwise noted. Explore related mortality data using the links below.
Terrorism causes a highly variable number of deaths each year, ranging from fewer than 10,000 to over 40,000 in peak years (e.g. 2014 during the height of Islamic State activity in Iraq and Syria). While the absolute mortality toll is relatively small compared to other causes of death, terrorism has outsized psychological, political, and economic impacts. The majority of terrorism deaths occur in conflict-affected countries: Afghanistan, Iraq, Nigeria, Somalia, and Syria have historically accounted for the bulk of fatalities. In contrast, terrorism deaths in Western countries — while receiving intense media attention — represent a tiny fraction of overall mortality. The distinction between 'terrorism' and 'conflict' deaths is often blurred in data sources, as the same actors may engage in both insurgent warfare and terrorist attacks. Globally, terrorism-related deaths have declined since the mid-2010s peak, though the threat landscape continues to evolve with the rise of lone-actor attacks and online radicalisation.
Across 144 countries, terrorism accounts for an average of 0.1% of total deaths. Regional disparities are substantial: Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan has the highest regional average at 0.1%, while Europe & Central Asia records the lowest at 0.0% — a 5.6-fold difference that underscores the geographic inequality in terrorism mortality burden.
Counter-terrorism approaches span security, governance, and social dimensions. Intelligence and law enforcement cooperation, border security, and counter-financing measures address immediate threats. Preventing violent extremism (PVE) programmes target the social and psychological drivers of radicalisation through community engagement, education, and economic opportunity. Addressing governance failures, corruption, and marginalisation in conflict-affected states reduces the fertile ground for terrorist recruitment. Resilient health systems capable of mass-casualty response and psychosocial support are essential.