GENEVA: Central America is the most violent region in the world, with El Salvador reporting the highest death rate due to armed violence, a research said Thursday.
"The regions most affected by lethal violence are Central America, with an average regional rate of 29.0 per 100.000 people, followed by Southern Africa (27.4) and the Caribbean (22.4)," said the Global Burden of Armed Violence report by the Geneva Declaration.
El Salvador has the highest rate of violent fatalities, with over 60 deaths recorded for every 100,000 inhabitant.
Between 2004 and 2009, a higher proportion of people were killed in the country than in Iraq, which was the second most violent in the world.
According to the report, 526,000 people die a violent death every year, but only 55,000 lose their lives in a conflict or terrorism, according to the report.
The Geneva Declaration is a Swiss and UN-led diplomatic initiative aimed at helping countries and civil societies cut armed violence in a tangible manner by 2015.
A ministerial conference will be held in Geneva next week to examine progress to this end, and to "set clear priorities."
Swiss president Micheline Calmy-Rey is expected to open the conference.
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