Prison populations reveal a great deal about how societies handle crime, justice, and social challenges. Some countries face soaring incarceration rates driven by strict sentencing laws, drug-related offenses, or overcrowded justice systems, while others reflect deeper issues of inequality and unrest.
The data, drawn from the World Prison Brief in 2024, highlights which nations hold the largest numbers of prisoners and offers insight into global trends in punishment and policy.
Click on to explore the countries with the largest prisoner populations.