A ranking of countries by the prevalence of depression, measured by the percentage of the population suffering from depressive disorders.
The below is a ranking of countries with the highest prevalence of depression published in the 2017 World Health Organisation (WHO) Depression and Other Common Mental Disorders report.
The 24-page document provides the latest reliable available estimates of the prevalence of depression and other common mental disorders at a global and regional level.
“The number of people with mental disorders globally is rising, particularly in lower-income countries, as the population is growing and more people are living to an age when depression and anxiety most commonly occurs. Although depression can and does affect people of all ages, from all walks of life, the risk of becoming depressed is increased by poverty, unemployment, life events such as the death of a loved one or a relationship break-up, physical illness and problems caused by alcohol and drug use.”
– World Health Organisation
10 countries with the highest prevalence of depression
- Ukraine, 6.3%
- Australia, 5.9%
- Estonia, 5.9%
- USA, 5.9%
- Brazil, 5.8%
- Portugal, 5.7%
- Greece, 5.7%
- Belarus, 5.6%
- Finland, 5.6%
- Lithuania, 5.6%
10 countries with the lowest prevalence of depression
- Solomon Islands, 2.9%
- Papua New Guinea, 3.0%
- Timor-Leste, 3.0%
- Kiribati, 3.1%
- Micronesia, 3.1%
- Vanuatu, 3.1%
- Laos, 3.2%
- Samoa, 3.2%
- Tonga, 3.2%
- Nepal, 3.2%
Key findings from the WHO report
- Globally, the total number of people with depression was estimated to exceed 322 million in 2015.
- Almost the same number suffer from a range of anxiety disorders.
- The proportion of the global population with depression in 2015 is estimated to be 4.4%.
- Depression is ranked by the WHO as the single largest contributor to global disability representing 7.5% of all years lived with disability in 2015; anxiety disorders are ranked 6th (3.4%).
- Additionally, depression is the major contributor to suicide deaths, which number close to 800,000 per year.
- Depression is more common among women (5.1%) than men (3.6%).
- The total estimated number of people living with depression increased by 18.4% between 2005 and 2015.
- Prevalence varies by region, from a low of 2.6% among men in the Western Pacific to 5.9% among women in the Africa.
- Prevalence also varies by age, peaking in older adulthood (above 7.5% among women aged 55-74 years, and above 5.5% among men).
Countries with the highest prevalence of depression – complete ranking
The table below ranks the world’s countries with the highest prevalence of depression, measured by the prevalence of depressive disorders as a percentage (%) of the population.
Some countries may have been omitted due to insufficient data.
| Rank | Country | % |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ukraine | 6.3% |
| 2 | Australia | 5.9% |
| 3 | Estonia | 5.9% |
| 4 | USA | 5.9% |
| 5 | Brazil | 5.8% |
| 6 | Portugal | 5.7% |
| 7 | Greece | 5.7% |
| 8 | Belarus | 5.6% |
| 9 | Finland | 5.6% |
| 10 | Lithuania | 5.6% |
| 11 | Russia | 5.5% |
| 12 | Cuba | 5.5% |
| 13 | New Zealand | 5.4% |
| 14 | Moldova | 5.4% |
| 15 | Barbados | 5.4% |
| 16 | Spain | 5.2% |
| 17 | Bulgaria | 5.2% |
| 18 | Czech Rep. | 5.2% |
| 19 | Germany | 5.2% |
| 20 | Bahamas | 5.2% |
| 21 | Paraguay | 5.2% |
| 22 | Trinidad & Tobago | 5.2% |
| 23 | Poland | 5.1% |
| 24 | Slovakia | 5.1% |
| 25 | Slovenia | 5.1% |
| Rank | Country | % |
|---|---|---|
| 26 | Austria | 5.1% |
| 27 | Bosnia & Herz. | 5.1% |
| 28 | Croatia | 5.1% |
| 29 | Cyprus | 5.1% |
| 30 | Hungary | 5.1% |
| 31 | Italy | 5.1% |
| 32 | Malta | 5.1% |
| 33 | Antigua & Barbuda | 5.1% |
| 34 | Qatar | 5.1% |
| 35 | UAE | 5.1% |
| 36 | Djibouti | 5.1% |
| 37 | Romania | 5.0% |
| 38 | Serbia | 5.0% |
| 39 | Switzerland | 5.0% |
| 40 | North Macedonia | 5.0% |
| 41 | Armenia | 5.0% |
| 42 | Denmark | 5.0% |
| 43 | Georgia | 5.0% |
| 44 | Luxembourg | 5.0% |
| 45 | Chile | 5.0% |
| 46 | Uruguay | 5.0% |
| 47 | Kuwait | 5.0% |
| 48 | Sweden | 4.9% |
| 49 | Latvia | 4.9% |
| 50 | Saint Lucia | 4.9% |
| Rank | Country | % |
|---|---|---|
| 51 | St Vincent & Gren. | 4.9% |
| 52 | Tunisia | 4.9% |
| 53 | Iran | 4.9% |
| 54 | Cape Verde | 4.9% |
| 55 | Albania | 4.8% |
| 56 | Belgium | 4.8% |
| 57 | France | 4.8% |
| 58 | Ireland | 4.8% |
| 59 | Montenegro | 4.8% |
| 60 | Jamaica | 4.8% |
| 61 | Peru | 4.8% |
| 62 | Suriname | 4.8% |
| 63 | Bahrain | 4.8% |
| 64 | Lesotho | 4.8% |
| 65 | Netherlands | 4.7% |
| 66 | Norway | 4.7% |
| 67 | Argentina | 4.7% |
| 68 | Canada | 4.7% |
| 69 | Colombia | 4.7% |
| 70 | Costa Rica | 4.7% |
| 71 | Dominican Rep. | 4.7% |
| 72 | Grenada | 4.7% |
| 73 | Lebanon | 4.7% |
| 74 | Oman | 4.7% |
| 75 | Botswana | 4.7% |
| 76 | Ethiopia | 4.7% |
| 77 | Singapore | 4.6% |
| 78 | Azerbaijan | 4.6% |
| 79 | Israel | 4.6% |
| 80 | Ecuador | 4.6% |
| 81 | South Africa | 4.6% |
| 82 | Uganda | 4.6% |
| 83 | India | 4.5% |
| 84 | UK | 4.5% |
| 85 | Guyana | 4.5% |
| 86 | Libya | 4.5% |
| 87 | Morocco | 4.5% |
| 88 | Saudi Arabia | 4.5% |
| 89 | Algeria | 4.5% |
| 90 | Thailand | 4.4% |
| 91 | Turkey | 4.4% |
| 92 | Kazakhstan | 4.4% |
| 93 | Belize | 4.4% |
| 94 | Bolivia | 4.4% |
| 95 | El Salvador | 4.4% |
| 96 | Panama | 4.4% |
| 97 | Comoros | 4.4% |
| 98 | Kenya | 4.4% |
| 99 | Madagascar | 4.4% |
| 100 | Mauritius | 4.4% |
| Rank | Country | % |
|---|---|---|
| 101 | Namibia | 4.4% |
| 102 | South Sudan | 4.4% |
| 103 | Haiti | 4.3% |
| 104 | Eritrea | 4.3% |
| 105 | Gabon | 4.3% |
| 106 | China | 4.2% |
| 107 | Japan | 4.2% |
| 108 | Mongolia | 4.2% |
| 109 | Bhutan | 4.2% |
| 110 | Turkmenistan | 4.2% |
| 111 | Uzbekistan | 4.2% |
| 112 | Mexico | 4.2% |
| 113 | Nicaragua | 4.2% |
| 114 | Venezuela | 4.2% |
| 115 | Pakistan | 4.2% |
| 116 | Burundi | 4.2% |
| 117 | Central African Republic | 4.2% |
| 118 | Equatorial Guinea | 4.2% |
| 119 | Ghana | 4.2% |
| 120 | Swaziland | 4.2% |
| 121 | South Korea | 4.1% |
| 122 | Bangladesh | 4.1% |
| 123 | Sri Lanka | 4.1% |
| 124 | Iceland | 4.1% |
| 125 | Kyrgyzstan | 4.1% |
| 126 | Malawi | 4.1% |
| 127 | Mauritania | 4.1% |
| 128 | Mozambique | 4.1% |
| 129 | Tanzania | 4.1% |
| 130 | Brunei Darussalam | 4.0% |
| 131 | Vietnam | 4.0% |
| 132 | Honduras | 4.0% |
| 133 | Somalia | 4.0% |
| 134 | Jordan | 4.0% |
| 135 | Guinea-Bissau | 4.0% |
| 136 | Seychelles | 4.0% |
| 137 | Zambia | 4.0% |
| 138 | Zimbabwe | 4.0% |
| 139 | Syria | 3.9% |
| 140 | Benin | 3.9% |
| 141 | Cameroon | 3.9% |
| 142 | Congo | 3.9% |
| 143 | Gambia | 3.9% |
| 144 | Guinea | 3.9% |
| 145 | Nigeria | 3.9% |
| 146 | Sao Tome & Principe | 3.9% |
| 147 | Senegal | 3.9% |
| 148 | Sierra Leone | 3.9% |
| 149 | Togo | 3.9% |
| 150 | Malaysia | 3.8% |
| Rank | Country | % |
|---|---|---|
| 151 | Tajikistan | 3.8% |
| 152 | Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) | 3.8% |
| 153 | DR Congo | 3.8% |
| 154 | Rwanda | 3.8% |
| 155 | North Korea | 3.7% |
| 156 | Indonesia | 3.7% |
| 157 | Maldives | 3.7% |
| 158 | Myanmar | 3.7% |
| 159 | Guatemala | 3.7% |
| 160 | Iraq | 3.7% |
| 161 | Sudan | 3.6% |
| 162 | Yemen | 3.6% |
| 163 | Angola | 3.6% |
| 164 | Burkina Faso | 3.6% |
| 165 | Mali | 3.6% |
| 166 | Fiji | 3.5% |
| 167 | Egypt | 3.5% |
| 168 | Chad | 3.5% |
| 169 | Liberia | 3.5% |
| 170 | Cambodia | 3.4% |
| 171 | Niger | 3.4% |
| 172 | Philippines | 3.3% |
| 173 | Afghanistan | 3.3% |
| 174 | Laos | 3.2% |
| 175 | Samoa | 3.2% |
| 176 | Tonga | 3.2% |
| 177 | Nepal | 3.2% |
| 178 | Kiribati | 3.1% |
| 179 | Micronesia | 3.1% |
| 180 | Vanuatu | 3.1% |
| 181 | Papua New Guinea | 3.0% |
| 182 | Timor-Leste | 3.0% |
| 183 | Solomon Islands | 2.9% |
Source: World Health Organisation (WHO)
Caitriona Maria is an education writer and owner of The Facts Institute. A teacher for seven years, she has been committed to providing students with the best learning opportunities possible, both domestically and abroad. Dedicated to unlocking students' potential, Caitriona has taught English in several countries and continues to explore new cultures through her travels.