Prison capacity and number of persons held by country
Countries reporting
46
Highest
301,397 Number
Türkiye
Lowest
22 Number
Liechtenstein
Median
6,682 Number
Years covered
17
2008–2024
Data points
703
What the numbers show
Prison capacity and number of persons held is currently reported for 46 countries. The highest value is 301,397 Number in Türkiye; the lowest is 22 Number in Liechtenstein.
The median across all reporting countries is 6,682 Number, and the mean is 21,766 Number.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 13,700.
Over the past decade 32 countries rose and 14 fell. The largest increase was in Türkiye (up 84.8%), and the largest decrease in Lithuania (down 28.9%).
Prison capacity and number of persons held: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Türkiye | 301,397 Number | 2024 | up 84.8% | rising |
| 2 | Poland | 89,093 Number | 2024 | up 1.5% | flat |
| 2 | Poland | 89,093 Number | 2024 | up 1.5% | flat |
| 4 | Spain | 73,956 Number | 2024 | up 15.3% | rising |
| 5 | Germany | 72,096 Number | 2024 | down 4.9% | flat |
| 6 | France | 62,385 Number | 2024 | up 7.9% | rising |
| 7 | Italy | 51,901 Number | 2024 | up 3.2% | rising |
| 8 | Romania | 20,795 Number | 2024 | down 28.0% | falling |
| 9 | Czechia | 20,387 Number | 2024 | up 1.8% | flat |
| 10 | Hungary | 17,905 Number | 2024 | up 42.3% | rising |
| 11 | Netherlands | 12,614 Number | 2024 | down 14.0% | falling |
| 11 | Netherlands | 12,614 Number | 2024 | down 14.0% | falling |
| 13 | Portugal | 12,608 Number | 2024 | up 0.1% | flat |
| 14 | Serbia | 11,951 Number | 2024 | up 28.0% | rising |
| 15 | Slovakia | 11,537 Number | 2024 | down 2.5% | rising |
| 15 | Slovakia | 11,537 Number | 2024 | down 2.5% | rising |
| 17 | Belgium | 11,040 Number | 2024 | up 13.6% | rising |
| 18 | Greece | 10,775 Number | 2024 | up 9.0% | flat |
| 19 | Sweden | 10,054 Number | 2024 | up 55.3% | rising |
| 20 | Austria | 8,278 Number | 2024 | down 4.5% | flat |
| 21 | Bulgaria | 8,040 Number | 2024 | up 2.2% | falling |
| 22 | Switzerland | 7,404 Number | 2024 | up 2.3% | flat |
| 23 | Lithuania | 6,682 Number | 2024 | down 28.9% | falling |
| 23 | Lithuania | 6,682 Number | 2024 | down 28.9% | falling |
| 25 | Albania | 5,747 Number | 2024 | up 25.6% | rising |
| 26 | Ireland | 4,577 Number | 2024 | up 10.4% | rising |
| 27 | Latvia | 4,564 Number | 2024 | down 22.0% | falling |
| 27 | Latvia | 4,564 Number | 2024 | down 22.0% | falling |
| 29 | Denmark | 4,127 Number | 2024 | down 0.6% | rising |
| 30 | Croatia | 4,052 Number | 2024 | up 0.7% | rising |
| 30 | Croatia | 4,052 Number | 2024 | up 0.7% | rising |
| 32 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 4,016 Number | 2024 | up 19.6% | rising |
| 33 | Norway | 3,631 Number | 2024 | down 7.3% | flat |
| 34 | Estonia | 3,278 Number | 2024 | up 10.7% | falling |
| 34 | Estonia | 3,278 Number | 2024 | up 10.7% | falling |
| 36 | Finland | 2,978 Number | 2024 | down 3.4% | flat |
| 37 | North Macedonia | 2,573 Number | 2023 | up 32.6% | rising |
| 38 | Kosovo* | 2,552 Number | 2020 | up 72.0% | rising |
| 39 | Montenegro | 1,393 Number | 2024 | up 24.8% | rising |
| 40 | Slovenia | 1,346 Number | 2024 | up 4.1% | rising |
| 40 | Slovenia | 1,346 Number | 2024 | up 4.1% | rising |
| 42 | Luxembourg | 932 Number | 2024 | up 31.1% | rising |
| 43 | Malta | 810 Number | 2024 | up 30.2% | rising |
| 44 | Cyprus | 424 Number | 2024 | up 14.6% | rising |
| 45 | Iceland | 160 Number | 2024 | up 3.2% | rising |
| 46 | Liechtenstein | 22 Number | 2024 | up 10.0% | rising |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- England and Wales 88,491 Number
- Northern Ireland (UK) (NUTS 2021) 1,855 Number