Cyprus recorded the lowest suicide mortality rate among EU member states in 2023, with 3.5 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, according to data released by Eurostat on Wednesday.
Greece recorded the second-lowest rate at 4.3 deaths per 100,000 people, followed by Malta at 5.5.
At the other end of the scale, Lithuania recorded the highest rate at 18.8 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, followed by Slovenia at 16.4 and Hungary at 16.1.
Suicide deaths decline across EU
A total of 48,370 EU residents died from intentional self-harm in 2023, accounting for 1% of all deaths recorded across the bloc.
The EU’s standardised suicide mortality rate stood at 10.4 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, down from 10.6 in 2022 and 12.2 in 2013.
Eurostat said the figures show a decline in the indicator both compared with the previous year and over the longer term.
Men account for majority of deaths
The crude suicide mortality rate was significantly higher among men, at 16.9 deaths per 100,000 men, compared with 5 deaths per 100,000 women.
Men accounted for 76.4% of all suicide deaths in the EU in 2023.
Across member states, the proportion of deaths involving men ranged from 70.2% in the Netherlands to 90.3% in Malta.
Rates increase with age
Eurostat data also showed that the crude suicide mortality rate increased with age.
Among people aged under 15, the rate stood at 0.2 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, while among those aged 65 and over it reached 17.3 deaths per 100,000.
Men recorded higher suicide mortality rates across all age groups, except among children under 15, where rates for boys and girls were similar.
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