Cyprus had lowest suicide rate among EU members in 2021

Cyprus recorded the lowest standardised death rates for suicide with 2.7 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, according to data released by Eurostat, marking the World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10.

In 2021, there were 47,346 deaths due to suicide in the EU, corresponding to 0.9 per cent of all deaths reported that year. This is the equivalent of an average of 10.2 deaths per 100,000 people.

Compared with 2011, the first year for which there is data, the number of deaths by suicide decreased by 13.3 per cent, down 7,277 deaths. In 2011, the standardised death rate for suicide in the EU was 12.4 deaths per 100,000 people.

Among EU countries, Slovenia registered the highest rate of suicide in 2021 with 19.8 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, followed by Lithuania with 19.5 and Hungary with 15.7.

At the opposite end of the scale, Cyprus recorded the lowest standardised death rates for suicide with 2.7 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, ahead of Greece with 4.2 and Italy with 5.9.

When looking at regional data, the Limousin region in France recorded the highest standardised death rate for suicide at 21.9 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants. This region was followed by the Dél-Alföld region in Hungary with 21.7 and Vzhodna region in Slovenia with 21.6. By contrast, the regions with the lowest suicide death rates were Voreio Aigaio in Greece with 1.5, Mayotte in France with 1.8 and Cyprus with 2.7.

As in previous years, the suicide rate was higher among men than women, with men accounting for 76.7 per cent of all deaths by suicide.

The highest number of suicide deaths in the EU was recorded in the 45 to 64 age group, with 17,441 deaths, accounting for 37 per cent of the total. The 65 and over age group followed closely with 15,998 deaths, representing 34 per cent of the total.