21,596 people were killed by terrorists worldwide in 2023. This was significantly lower than the peak in 2018, when nearly 33,000 people were killed in terrorist attacks worldwide, and lower than the 21,957 fatalities in 2022. The number of terrorist attacks worldwide declined overall since 2014.
What is terrorism?
Terrorism is defined as unlawful violence or systematic use of terror against civilians or politicians for ideological or political reasons, to create fear. Terrorism is practiced by political extremists, nationalistic and religious groups, revolutionaries, and ruling governments.
Deadliest terrorist attack
The terrorist attack against the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on 9/11, 2001 was the deadliest attack registered in the period between 1970 and 2020. Nearly 3,000 people were killed in the attack. The second deadliest attack was the Tikrit attack by the Islamic State in Iraq in 2014, killing 1,700 people.
Number of fatalities due to terrorist attacks worldwide between 2007 and 2023
Characteristic
Number of deaths
2023
21,596
2022
21,957
2021
23,712
2020
29,326
2019
26,273
2018
32,864
2017
18,753
2016
25,722
2015
29,424
2014
32,763
2013
18,066
2012
11,098
2011
12,533
Created with Highcharts 7.2.2Number of deaths22,71922,71915,70815,70815,31015,31013,18613,18612,53312,53311,09811,09818,06618,06632,76332,76329,42429,42425,72225,72218,75318,75332,86432,86426,27326,27329,32629,32623,71223,71221,95721,95721,59621,59620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023
05,00010,00015,00020,00025,00030,00035,00040,000
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Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition. Common definitions of terrorism refer only to those violent acts which are intended to create fear (terror), are perpetrated for a religious, political or ideological goal, and deliberately target or disregard the safety of non-combatants (civilians).
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US Department of State. (December 10, 2024). Number of fatalities due to terrorist attacks worldwide between 2007 and 2023 [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved May 02, 2025, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/202871/number-of-fatalities-by-terrorist-attacks-worldwide/
US Department of State. "Number of fatalities due to terrorist attacks worldwide between 2007 and 2023." Chart. December 10, 2024. Statista. Accessed May 02, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/202871/number-of-fatalities-by-terrorist-attacks-worldwide/
US Department of State. (2024). Number of fatalities due to terrorist attacks worldwide between 2007 and 2023. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: May 02, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/202871/number-of-fatalities-by-terrorist-attacks-worldwide/
US Department of State. "Number of Fatalities Due to Terrorist Attacks Worldwide between 2007 and 2023." Statista, Statista Inc., 10 Dec 2024, https://www.statista.com/statistics/202871/number-of-fatalities-by-terrorist-attacks-worldwide/
US Department of State, Number of fatalities due to terrorist attacks worldwide between 2007 and 2023 Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/202871/number-of-fatalities-by-terrorist-attacks-worldwide/ (last visited May 02, 2025)
Number of fatalities due to terrorist attacks worldwide between 2007 and 2023 [Graph], US Department of State, December 10, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/202871/number-of-fatalities-by-terrorist-attacks-worldwide/
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