Suicide Around the World
According to The World Health Organization:
In the year 2000, approximately one million people died from suicide: a "global" mortality rate of 16 per 100,000, or one death every 40 seconds.
In the last 45 years suicide rates have increased by 60% worldwide. Suicide is now among the three leading causes of death among those aged 15-44 (both genders); these figures do not include suicide attempts, which are up to 20 times more frequent than completed suicide.
Although traditionally suicide rates have been highest among the male elderly, rates among young people have been increasing to such an extent that youth is now the group at highest risk in a third of countries, in both developed and developing countries.
Mental disorders (particularly depression) and substance abuse are associated with more than 90% of all suicides. However, suicide results from many complex sociocultural factors and is more likely to occur particularly during periods of socioeconomic, family and individual crisis situations (e.g. loss of a loved one, employment, honor).