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What share of prisoners in each country are foreign citizens, compared with their share of the population?

In Eurostat's 2024 figures, the share of prisoners who were foreign citizens was higher than the foreign-citizen share of residents on 1 January 2024 in 27 of the 31 countries with both figures, and in the Council of Europe's count on 31 January 2025 the foreign share of inmates ran from 1.1% in Romania to 72.5% in Switzerland among the 40 prison systems holding 1,000 or more inmates.

FijiTanzaniaW. SaharaCanadaUnited States of AmericaKazakhstanUzbekistanPapua New GuineaIndonesiaArgentinaChileDem. Rep. CongoSomaliaKenyaSudanChadHaitiDominican Rep.RussiaBahamasFalkland Is.NorwayGreenlandFr. S. Antarctic LandsTimor-LesteSouth AfricaLesothoMexicoUruguayBrazilBoliviaPeruColombiaPanamaCosta RicaNicaraguaHondurasEl SalvadorGuatemalaBelizeVenezuelaGuyanaSurinameFranceEcuadorPuerto RicoJamaicaCubaZimbabweBotswanaNamibiaSenegalMaliMauritaniaBeninNigerNigeriaCameroonTogoGhanaCôte d'IvoireGuineaGuinea-BissauLiberiaSierra LeoneBurkina FasoCentral African Rep.CongoGabonEq. GuineaZambiaMalawiMozambiqueeSwatiniAngolaBurundiIsraelLebanonMadagascarPalestineGambiaTunisiaAlgeriaJordanUnited Arab EmiratesQatarKuwaitIraqOmanVanuatuCambodiaThailandLaosMyanmarVietnamNorth KoreaSouth KoreaMongoliaIndiaBangladeshBhutanNepalPakistanAfghanistanTajikistanKyrgyzstanTurkmenistanIranSyriaArmeniaSwedenBelarusUkrainePolandAustriaHungaryMoldovaRomaniaLithuaniaLatviaEstoniaGermanyBulgariaGreeceTurkeyAlbaniaCroatiaSwitzerlandLuxembourgBelgiumNetherlandsPortugalSpainIrelandNew CaledoniaSolomon Is.New ZealandAustraliaSri LankaChinaTaiwanItalyDenmarkUnited KingdomIcelandAzerbaijanGeorgiaPhilippinesMalaysiaBruneiSloveniaFinlandSlovakiaCzechiaEritreaJapanParaguayYemenSaudi ArabiaN. CyprusCyprusMoroccoEgyptLibyaEthiopiaDjiboutiSomalilandUgandaRwandaBosnia and Herz.MacedoniaSerbiaMontenegroKosovoTrinidad and TobagoS. SudanVaticanU.S. Virgin Is.GuamAmerican SamoaAnguillaCayman Is.BermudaJerseyGuernseyIsle of ManTongaSingaporeSeychellesSão Tomé and PrincipeSan MarinoSamoaSt. Vin. and Gren.Saint LuciaSt. Kitts and NevisPalauCook Is.ArubaNauruMonacoMauritiusMaltaMaldivesLiechtensteinKiribatiGrenadaDominicaComorosMacaoHong KongCabo VerdeBarbadosBahrainAntigua and Barb.AndorraSint Maarten

% of prisoners who are foreign citizens

0%15%30%45%60%

Year varies by country (1998–2026) · grey: no figure

Latest figure for each country

United Kingdom: England and Wales; Scotland and Northern Ireland are listed separately. Too small or not separate on this map: French Guiana, Gibraltar, Martinique, Tuvalu. Each colour is one figure per country: one year, not an average, for the year shown in the ranking and when you point at a country.With "How sure" on, hatching marks countries whose latest figure has a trust score below 60 (Low or Very low).

All countries

% of prisoners who are foreign citizens. one year, except a few rows that average two tied sources from different years. Sort by any column.
Afghanistan0.70.7–––202447 Low
Albania3.02(3.4)3.02(3.02)3.4202481 High
Algeria2.283.8–2.28–202461 Moderate
American Samoa62.262.2–––201749 Low
Andorra72.2(72.2)–7472.2202585 High
Angola3.13.1–––202252 Low
Anguilla29.129.1–––201849 Low
Antigua and Barbuda29.3730.6–29.37–202489 High
Argentina5.864.6–5.86–202475 Moderate
Armenia11.611.6–11.6211.6202585 High
Aruba28.628.6–––202252 Low
Australia13.7113.9–13.71–202485 High
Austria52.85253.03(53.03)52.8202584 High
Azerbaijan2.22.2–2.222.2202583 High
Bahamas10.289.3–10.28–202377 Moderate
Bahrain65.8423.7–65.84–200846 Low
Bangladesh0.60.6–1.43–202146 Low
Barbados8.499.1–8.49–202483 High
Belarus3.113.1–3.11–201477 Moderate
Belgium45.39(42.8)45.39(45.39)42.8202485 High
Belize6.945.9–6.94–202477 Moderate
Benin8.76(8.8)–8.76–201765 Moderate
Bermuda17.817.8–11.43–202561 Moderate
Bhutan6.83(6.8)–6.83–201362 Moderate
Bolivia (Plurinational State of)3.523.5–3.52–202487 High
Bosnia and Herzegovina1.69–1.69(1.69)3.2202458 Low
Botswana21.221.2–31.59–202247 Low
Brazil0.390.4–0.39–202486 High
Brunei Darussalam29.229.2–24.6–201965 Moderate
Bulgaria3.16(3.1)3.16(3.16)3.1202487 High
Burkina Faso4.14.1–––201346 Low
Burundi1.11.2–1.1–201172 Moderate
Cabo Verde4.47(4.5)–4.47–201865 Moderate
Cambodia6.56.5–––202352 Low
Cameroon4.55(4.6)–4.55–202168 Moderate
Cayman Islands33.733.7–––202455 Low
Chad1.31.3–––200238 Very low
Chile14.24(14.2)–14.24–202368 Moderate
China0.40.4–––201538 Very low
China, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region28.2231–28.22–202379 Moderate
China, Macao Special Administrative Region65.0165.5–65.01–202486 High
Colombia3.721.2–3.72–202459 Low
Comoros7.77.7–––201446 Low
Cook Islands00–––201146 Low
Costa Rica14.315.2–14.3–202483 High
Côte d’Ivoire3030–––199838 Very low
Croatia21.75(21.8)21.75(21.75)21.8202488 High
Cyprus54.25553.99(53.99)54.42024, 2025 and 202685 High
Czechia8.228.88.22(8.22)8.2202481 High
Denmark25.32(25.3)25.32(25.32)25.3202488 High
Djibouti22.81(22.8)–22.81–201865 Moderate
Dominica4.169.6–4.16–202456 Low
Dominican Republic6.927.1–6.92–202484 High
Ecuador9.839.8–9.83–202487 High
Egypt11–––200238 Very low
El Salvador1.31.3–1.3–202181 High
Estonia33.41(10.6)33.41(33.41)10.6202458 Low
Eswatini5.76–5.7–200674 Moderate
Fiji1.71.7–––202352 Low
Finland23.3124.423.31(23.31)22.9202481 High
France24.68(24.4)24.68(24.68)24.4202488 High
French Guiana6363–––201146 Low
Gabon13.813.8–––202352 Low
Gambia66.766.7–––200246 Low
Georgia11.914.1–3.5811.9202553 Low
Germany47.4(47.4)––47.4202563 Moderate
Ghana7.17.1–––202555 Low
Gibraltar33.933.9–––201649 Low
Greece52.01(51.8)52.01(52.01)51.8202488 High
Greenland0.90.9–––201546 Low
Grenada2.824.8–2.82–202457 Low
Guam00–––202252 Low
Guatemala2.28(2.3)–2.28–202368 Moderate
Guernsey9.79.7–––202049 Low
Guinea3.452.7–3.45–200864 Moderate
Guinea-Bissau2.897.1–2.89–201650 Low
Guyana3.183.2–3.18–202487 High
Holy See0––0–201562 Moderate
Honduras0.790.6–0.79–202473 Moderate
Hungary4.11(3.6)4.11(4.11)3.6202481 High
Iceland38.97(38.6)38.97(38.97)38.6202488 High
India1.51.5–1.74–202469 Moderate
Indonesia0.40.4–0.5–202266 Moderate
Iran (Islamic Republic of)2.92.9–––201446 Low
Ireland16.54(17)16.54(16.54)17202487 High
Isle of Man1.11.1–––202352 Low
Israel38.88(38.9)–38.88–201462 Moderate
Italy31.8731.632.04(32.04)31.72024, 2025 and 202686 High
Jamaica0.761–0.76–202468 Moderate
Japan7.596.4–7.59–202477 Moderate
Jersey25.225.2–––201949 Low
Jordan62.049.9–62.04–202255 Low
Kazakhstan3.73.7–3.02–202270 Moderate
Kenya1.45(1.5)–1.45–202168 Moderate
Kiribati00–––201649 Low
Kosovo under UNSCR 12447.315.77.31(7.31)–202067 Moderate
Kuwait13.513.5–––200346 Low
Kyrgyzstan3.335.1–3.33–202459 Low
Latvia5.45.45.16(5.16)5.4202583 High
Lebanon40.9936–40.99–202380 High
Lesotho0.86(0.9)–0.86–200962 Moderate
Liberia6.66.6–––202555 Low
Libya12.812.8–––201346 Low
Liechtenstein75.32(100)75.32(75.32)100202469 Moderate
Lithuania3.68(3.8)3.68(3.68)3.8202486 High
Luxembourg75.8(78.1)75.8(75.7)78.1202487 High
Madagascar0.20.2–0.16–201763 Moderate
Malawi0.20.2–––201446 Low
Malaysia18.318.3–––202152 Low
Maldives8.88.8–1.08–202448 Low
Malta52.37(50.9)52.37(52.37)50.9202487 High
Martinique1717–––201749 Low
Mauritania13.413.4–––202252 Low
Mauritius6.626.4–6.62–201275 Moderate
Mexico1.511.4–1.51–202483 High
Monaco89.5(89.5)–90.3289.5202586 High
Mongolia0.530.4–0.53–202474 Moderate
Montenegro17.04(15.8)17.04(17.04)15.8202484 High
Morocco1.481.7–1.48–202376 Moderate
Mozambique3.133.3–3.13–202484 High
Myanmar0.70.7–––201749 Low
Namibia8.98.9–––202244 Low
Nauru6.76.7–––201046 Low
Nepal5.15.1–––202555 Low
Netherlands (Kingdom of the)22.725.221.53(21.53)22.7202576 Moderate
New Zealand1.73–1.7–201650 Low
Nicaragua1.02(1)–1.02–201865 Moderate
Nigeria0.590.3–0.59–201348 Low
North Macedonia5.09(6)5.09(5.09)6202478 Moderate
Norway27.3929.427.39(27.41)27.2202481 High
Oman30.330.3–––200246 Low
Pakistan1.11.1–––202455 Low
Palau6.56.5–––200546 Low
Panama6.527–6.52–202483 High
Papua New Guinea0.40.4–––201949 Low
Paraguay3.313.1–3.31–202381 High
Peru5.126–5.12–202476 Moderate
Philippines0.21(0.2)–0.21–201965 Moderate
Poland3.74.43.66(3.66)3.7202573 Moderate
Portugal17.418.717.32(17.32)17.4202581 High
Puerto Rico2.151.2–2.15–202461 Moderate
Qatar86.5184.8–86.51–202182 High
Republic of Korea5.445.6–5.44–202484 High
Republic of Moldova1.91.9–1.241.9202562 Moderate
Romania1.11(1.1)1.11(1.11)1.1202488 High
Russian Federation6.487.1–6.48–202074 Moderate
Rwanda0.30.3–––200246 Low
Saint Kitts and Nevis6.738–6.73–202372 Moderate
Saint Lucia1.73(1.7)–1.73–202471 Moderate
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines5.171–5.17–202457 Low
Samoa0.50.5–––200746 Low
San Marino61.9(61.9)––61.9202563 Moderate
Sao Tome and Principe0.80.8–––200246 Low
Saudi Arabia51.44(51.4)–51.44–201965 Moderate
Senegal9.69.6–10.26–202478 Moderate
Serbia4.51(4.5)4.51(4.51)4.5202488 High
Seychelles1.31.3–5.39–201645 Low
Sierra Leone0.40.4–1.48–202448 Low
Singapore10.539.3–10.53–202480 High
Sint Maarten (Dutch part)20.220.2–––200746 Low
Slovakia4.64.64.6(4.6)4.6202585 High
Slovenia48.17(52.1)48.17(48.17)52.1202484 High
Solomon Islands0.20.2–––202555 Low
South Africa17.517.5–––202655 Low
Spain32.733.432.65(32.65)32.7202584 High
Sri Lanka1.41.4–0.16–201845 Low
State of Palestine0––0–202471 Moderate
Sudan11–––200346 Low
Suriname7.1710.3–7.17–202461 Moderate
Sweden21.3416.721.34(21.34)–202476 Moderate
Switzerland72.573.671.42(71.42)72.5202584 High
Syrian Arab Republic4.757.3–4.75–200449 Low
Taiwan0.70.7–––201546 Low
Tajikistan1.61.6–––202455 Low
Thailand2.944.8–2.94–202355 Low
Timor-Leste3.83.8–––201749 Low
Togo5.175.2–5.17–201277 Moderate
Tonga00–––201446 Low
Trinidad and Tobago3.73(3.7)–3.73–202065 Moderate
Tunisia2.52.5–––202152 Low
Türkiye3.83.83.92(3.92)3.8202583 High
Turkmenistan0.71(0.7)–0.71–200662 Moderate
Tuvalu00–––200746 Low
Uganda2.331.8–2.33–201766 Moderate
Ukraine2.12(2.2)–2.122.2202486 High
United Arab Emirates87.84(87.8)–87.84–201462 Moderate
United Kingdom (England and Wales)12.112.110.08(12)12.1202674 Moderate
United Kingdom (Northern Ireland)6.1(6.1)10.02(8.69)6.1202557 Low
United Kingdom (Scotland)7.7(7.7)3.81(3.81)7.7202555 Low
United Republic of Tanzania7.97.9–––202455 Low
United States of America6.63(6.6)–6.63–201965 Moderate
United States Virgin Islands15.715.7–––201146 Low
Uruguay2.342.3–2.34–202486 High
Vanuatu2.52.5–––201849 Low
Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)22–––202447 Low
Viet Nam0.40.4–––201949 Low
Yemen5.53.2–5.5–200952 Low
Zambia2.12.1–––200546 Low
Zimbabwe1.332.5–1.33–202353 Low

Each source's value links to its publisher; point at it for the source and year. A value in brackets is shown but doesn't count, and pointing at it says why. Retrieved 2026-10-26, 2026-10-27.

More on this page

Foreign citizens' share of the population (%), 1 January 2025

Each line is the source that counts most for that group.

Austria

020406080200020052010201520202025

Belgium

020406080200020052010201520202025

Bulgaria

0204060802010201520202025

Croatia

020406080201420162018202020222025

Cyprus

020406080200020052010201520202025

Czechia

020406080200020052010201520202025

Denmark

020406080200020052010201520202025

Estonia

020406080200020052010201520202025

Finland

020406080200020052010201520202025

France

02040608020072010201520202025

Germany

020406080200020052010201520202025

Greece

020406080200020052010201520202025

Hungary

020406080200020052010201520202025

Iceland

020406080200020052010201520202025

Ireland

020406080200020052010201520202025

Italy

020406080200020052010201520202025

Latvia

020406080200020052010201520202025

Liechtenstein

02040608020052010201520202025

Lithuania

020406080200120052010201520202025

Luxembourg

020406080200020052010201520202025

Malta

020406080200020052010201520202025

Monaco

02040608020242025

Netherlands (Kingdom of the)

020406080200020052010201520202025

Norway

020406080200020052010201520202025

Poland

020406080200120052010201520202025

Portugal

020406080200020052010201520202024

Romania

0204060802012201520202025

Slovakia

02040608020052010201520202025

Slovenia

020406080200020052010201520202025

Spain

02040608020052010201520202025

Sweden

020406080200020052010201520202025

Switzerland

020406080200020052010201520202025

Türkiye

020406080202320242025
GroupFigureYearTrust
Austria19.99202563 Moderate
Belgium14.04202563 Moderate
Bulgaria2.29202563 Moderate
Croatia3.97202563 Moderate
Cyprus24.75202563 Moderate
Czechia9.01202563 Moderate
Denmark11.31202571 Moderate
Estonia17.94202563 Moderate
Finland7.26202571 Moderate
France9.39202563 Moderate
Germany14.83202563 Moderate
Greece7.11202563 Moderate
Hungary2.68202571 Moderate
Iceland17.35202571 Moderate
Ireland16.07202563 Moderate
Italy9.11202563 Moderate
Latvia12.34202563 Moderate
Liechtenstein35.14202571 Moderate
Lithuania5.18202563 Moderate
Luxembourg47.01202563 Moderate
Malta29.42202563 Moderate
Monaco75.89202571 Moderate
Netherlands (Kingdom of the)8.85202571 Moderate
Norway11.54202571 Moderate
Poland1.16202563 Moderate
Portugal9.83202463 Moderate
Romania1.94202563 Moderate
Slovakia1.21202563 Moderate
Slovenia10.09202563 Moderate
Spain14.07202571 Moderate
Sweden7.77202571 Moderate
Switzerland27.38202563 Moderate
Türkiye1.73202571 Moderate
Show every year as a table
YearAustriaBelgiumBulgariaCroatiaCyprusCzechiaDenmarkEstoniaFinlandFranceGermanyGreeceHungaryIcelandIrelandItalyLatviaLiechtensteinLithuaniaLuxembourgMaltaMonacoNetherlands (Kingdom of the)NorwayPolandPortugalRomaniaSlovakiaSloveniaSpainSwedenSwitzerlandTürkiye
19988.588.86––7.412.044.71–1.55–8.911.581.442.07–1.7427.28––351.99–4.123.57–1.75––2.06–5.8319.38–
19998.638.73––7.892.144.82–1.64–8.84–1.462.37–1.9626.67––35.782.04–3.91––1.75––1.67–5.619.42–
20008.738.76––8.372.294.8619.371.69–8.86–1.522.63.182.2325.54–––2.2–3.733.99–1.86––2.12–5.4419.63–
20018.838.39––8.831.734.83–1.75–8.776.971.133.113.85–24.6–1.0136.912.27–3.684.090.112.11––2.12–5.3319.77–
20028.748.21––9.371.64.97–1.89–8.81–1.143.446.992.3523.74–0.9537.552.42–3.674.110.112.18––2.274.245.3119.95–
20038.988.19––10.141.764.93–1.98–8.83–1.143.548.322.5922.9334.160.9838.082.61–3.664.340.112.29–0.552.245.655.2720.19–
20049.078.27––11.431.915.02–2.04–8.838.071.293.498.663.2922.234.370.9939.032.75–3.694.470.11––0.552.266.825.2820.38–
20059.288.34––13.091.894.94–2.06–8.78–1.423.619.43.9121.1234.25139.812.98–3.694.630.11––0.412.227.925.3120.56–
20069.498.57––14.382.524.97182.14–8.147.951.554.5810.24.2919.91–0.9940.83–3.674.790.132.61–0.472.448.935.2820.67–
20079.588.81––15.172.885.117.612.35.798.767.951.67–11.494.618.98–0.9941.633.3–3.655.090.124.1–0.62.669.945.1820.7–
20089.959.110.48–15.883.355.4517.12.55.88.82–1.767.4212.545.3418.47–142.563.61–4.25.620.154.2–0.763.3911.145.7121.1–
200910.269.380.5–15.643.895.81162.675.838.768.361.867.6312.825.9917.6933.070.9743.544.09–3.866.31–4.17–1.133.4711.655.9221.68–
201010.539.710.51–19.914.045.9615.872.895.928.728.3826.8312.536.4317.0933.110.8742.964.58–3.936.870.24.3–1.214.0111.626.3222.01–
201110.8510.570.53–19.983.966.2215.753.15.967.618.42.16.6412.266.8416.5233.210.7943.124.61–4.047.50.214.21–1.284.0411.386.6122.44–
201211.2610.810.54–204.036.4315.673.366.047.98.371.446.5612.017.1915.8633.290.7643.84.86–4.178.170.233.910.371.314.1611.186.8122.82–
201311.8210.980.620.5720.144.026.69–3.586.248.258.261.436.6611.657.6515.5933.490.7244.475.54–4.268.880.253.750.351.354.4410.846.923.25–
201412.4611.070.750.5619.484.137.0614.813.786.398.698.151.426.9811.417.9315.2333.720.6945.286.84–4.379.450.273.610.371.094.6910.067.1223.79–
201513.2811.330.910.5819.14.347.4614.573.996.679.298.041.487.3811.388.0215.0333.660.6945.958.93–4.589.910.283.530.451.144.929.597.524.24–
201614.4811.741.030.5918.814.518.1115.034.166.8210.537.931.67.9611.558.0314.6833.960.6646.7110.96–4.9210.320.393.480.541.215.229.527.8524.58–
201715.211.861.120.5918.814.838.4414.924.46.8911.177.831.558.9511.798.0214.3333.840.6547.6112.66–5.3610.630.553.580.581.285.549.58.4224.93–
201815.7111.981.220.619.164.868.7514.954.57.3911.697.731.6610.8612.028.1514.0933.950.6747.8415.35–5.7710.720.633.750.591.345.99.818.7525.04–
201916.1112.221.370.619.85.239.0615.034.647.4912.157.621.8612.412.48.3513.8934.020.7247.4518.35–6.1810.960.764.280.621.46.6410.348.9925.12–
202016.5512.481.530.6320.475.499.2215.024.827.6712.57.522.0613.5612.88.4513.6534.230.7447.3221.74–6.6311.260.945.020.721.457.4611.088.9825.25–
202116.9912.581.660.6721.134.659.2415.075.017.8312.737.412.0113.9112.718.7313.3334.480.7147.1521.83–6.711.161.215.730.751.5811.48.625.48–
202217.5112.820.990.9322.035.129.5715.225.318.0213.097.282.1114.6112.768.5213.0634.411.2247.122.37–6.9910.81.26.170.751.118.1811.68.3125.66–
202318.8313.531.31.8223.127.910.4717.335.798.2413.837.342.3516.7714.48.7113.3434.363.4447.425.34–7.9911.131.197.461.161.138.9712.668.1226.032.14
202419.4913.831.852.9824.018.6710.917.936.638.814.517.152.6216.5515.38.9112.8334.294.7147.2528.1176.088.4911.411.179.831.51.169.5713.377.9126.951.84
202519.9914.042.293.9724.759.0111.3117.947.269.3914.837.112.6817.3516.079.1112.3435.145.1847.0129.4275.898.8511.541.16–1.941.2110.0914.077.7727.381.73

About this data

Every source on this page (5)

Who is behind the sources

  • 60% International body
  • 40% University or journal
Each publisher, its funding and its own description
  • Eurostat · International bodyFunding: EU budget; Eurostat is a Directorate-General of the European Commission. The gender-based violence survey was run with the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) and the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE), also EU-funded. sourceIn its own words: “Our mission is to provide high-quality statistics and data on Europe.” source, retrieved 2026-10-27
  • UNODC · International bodyFunding: Mostly voluntary contributions from member states, multilateral organisations and private donors. sourceIn its own words: “The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) advances justice and security around the globe…” source, retrieved 2026-10-27
  • Council of Europe · International bodyFunding: Contributions from its member states. The SPACE prison statistics are prepared for it by the University of Lausanne. sourceIn its own words: “The Council of Europe is the continent's leading human rights organisation.” source, retrieved 2026-10-27
  • Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (ICPR), Birkbeck · University or journalFunding: Part of Birkbeck, University of London; its World Prison Brief says it receives no external funding for compiling prison data and asks for donations. sourceIn its own words: “The overarching aims of ICPR’s work are to produce and disseminate knowledge about justice…” source, retrieved 2026-10-27
  • World Prison Brief, foreign prisonersInstitute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (ICPR), Birkbeck (university or journal) · Police and justice recordsUsed for 196 countries; counts toward 151. Years 1998 to 2026. Retrieved 2026-10-26.Not counted where: it republishes CoE SPACE; it republishes UNODC; it republishes Eurostat.Open one of its 196 pages (each row's sources list its own)
  • UNODC Data Portal, persons held in prisons by citizenshipUNODC (international body) · Police and justice recordsUsed for 136 countries; counts toward 96. Years 2004 to 2024. Retrieved 2026-10-26.Not counted where: it republishes Eurostat.Open the publisher's pageData (Excel file)
  • Council of Europe Annual Penal Statistics, SPACE I 2025Council of Europe (international body) · Police and justice recordsUsed for 47 countries; counts toward 47. Years 2025. Retrieved 2026-10-26.Open the publisher's page
  • Eurostat, prisoners by citizenship (crim_pris_ctz)Eurostat (international body) · Police and justice recordsUsed for 40 countries; counts toward 40. Years 2015 to 2024. Retrieved 2026-10-27.Open the publisher's page
  • Eurostat, population on 1 January by citizenship (migr_pop1ctz)Eurostat (international body) · Population registerUsed for 33 countries; counts toward 33. Years 2024 to 2025. Retrieved 2026-10-27.Open the publisher's page
Why the numbers differ (7)
  • Counting day: Eurostat and UNODC ask for the number held on one day of each year, SPACE counts on 31 January, and the World Prison Brief shows the latest figure it has found, which can be from any year.
  • Same questionnaire: since 2014 Eurostat and UNODC collect European figures in one joint questionnaire, so where their figures match, the UNODC line is shown but not counted again. WPB names no source for its foreign-prisoner row; where its date and value match another line it is treated as a copy.
  • Who is in the total: all sources include pre-trial detainees. Eurostat and UNODC ask countries to leave out people held only under immigration law; SPACE takes each prison administration's total and lists exceptions in its notes.
  • Who counts as foreign: each administration uses its own rule. In SPACE 2025, Finland counts 12 inmates of unknown nationality and 5 stateless inmates as foreign, England and Wales include 343 non-criminal prisoners among foreign inmates, and Northern Ireland counts British and Irish citizens as nationals. (source, retrieved 2026-10-26)
  • Unknown citizenship: Eurostat, UNODC and SPACE divide by all prisoners, so prisoners whose citizenship is not recorded lower the foreign share; WPB notes some cases where they are counted as foreign.
  • Estonia and Latvia: many residents have undetermined citizenship (Estonia) or are recognised non-citizens (Latvia). Eurostat's population base counts foreign and stateless people together, and the prison sources do not say how these groups are counted, so for these two countries the prison and population shares may not use the same definition, and Eurostat's and SPACE's Estonian prison shares are far apart.
  • The population share uses a different base: residents of all ages on 1 January, counted by population registers or census-based estimates, while prisoners are mostly adult men and include people who do not live in the country.
Common mistakes (5)
  • Reading the prison share against the population share as a crime rate for foreign residents. Foreign prisoners include non-residents, such as tourists, people in transit and people without a residence permit, who are not in the resident population that the population share is based on. (source, retrieved 2026-10-27)
  • Treating all prisoners as convicted. The totals include people held before trial; SPACE Table 12 splits foreign inmates into those without a final sentence and those serving one. (source, retrieved 2026-10-26)
  • Assuming no one is held under immigration law. Eurostat and UNODC ask countries to exclude them, but some prison totals still include non-criminal prisoners, as the SPACE notes show. (source, retrieved 2026-10-27)
  • Reading citizenship as origin. Naturalised citizens count as nationals, so these figures cannot be compared with figures by country of birth or immigrant background.
  • Comparing without age and sex. Prisoners are mostly young adult men, and the foreign population of a country can have a different age and sex mix from the national population; no source here publishes an adjusted figure.
Context (5)
Sources considered and not used (8)
  • UN DESA, International Migrant Stock: Considered as a population base outside Europe; the page refused scripted access on 27 October 2026, so no value was taken from it, and rows outside Europe have no population share. (source, retrieved 2026-10-27)
  • Population share for England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland: Eurostat publishes population by citizenship only for the United Kingdom as a whole, and only up to its last year of membership; the UK total is not the base for any one jurisdiction. (source, retrieved 2026-10-27)
  • SPACE I 2025, sub-administrations: Rows for the state level and the two entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and for Spain's State Administration and Catalonia, are parts of the national totals that are used instead. (source, retrieved 2026-10-26)
  • Prisoners per 100,000 foreign residents: Not computed: foreign prisoners include people who do not live in the country (tourists, people in transit, people without a residence permit), who are not in the resident population, so the two counts do not share a base. The prison share and the population share are shown side by side instead. (source, retrieved 2026-10-27)
  • Eurostat and UNODC, Germany: Neither file has prisoners by citizenship for Germany; the Germany row rests on SPACE (and a WPB copy of it). (source, retrieved 2026-10-27)
  • SPACE I 2025, Sweden: The report gives no foreign-inmate figure for Sweden ("NA"). (source, retrieved 2026-10-26)
  • Earlier SPACE I reports: Only the 2025 report was on disk; earlier editions were not downloaded for this page, so SPACE gives one year per country here. (source, retrieved 2026-10-26)
  • World Prison Brief, Bosnia and Herzegovina Federation and Republika Srpska pages: Sub-national prison systems; WPB has no foreign-prisoner figure for the country as a whole. (source, retrieved 2026-10-26)
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