evidence: Violent crimes tend to occur more frequently in countries and regions where a high number of the population lives in poverty, and where government institutions are weak. This explains the high murder rates found in some Latin American countries. Of the 10 countries with the highest murder rates in worldwide, seven were found in Latin America, the other three being in Africa. El Salvador, the country with the highest homicide rate globally, had a ,murder rate of 52 per 100,000 inhabitants. Many of the most dangerous cities in the world are also found in Latin America. The list was dominated by cities in Mexico, with St. Louis in the United States having the highest murder rate outside Mexico.