Cyprus had the most overcrowded prison system in the European Union last year, according to figures published by Eurostat.
The country’s prison‑population density reached 227.6 in 2024, the highest rate among EU member states. Slovenia followed with 134.2 and France with 129.3. The lowest levels were reported in Estonia at 49.9, Lithuania at 67.0 and Luxembourg at 67.4.
Cyprus held 965 inmates in 2024, up slightly from 959 the previous year. The number of prisoners per 100,000 residents fell to 99.86 from 101.04 in 2023.
Across the EU, the total prison population rose to 508,746 in 2024, a two‑per‑cent increase from the previous year. Eurostat noted a steady rise since 2020, when inmate numbers hit a low of 463,376. Since then, the EU prison population has grown by nearly 10 per cent.
The EU average stood at 113 prisoners per 100,000 people in 2024, compared with 111 in 2023.
Hungary recorded the highest prisoner rate per capita at 193, followed by Poland at 191 and Latvia at 187. The lowest rates were in Finland at 57, the Netherlands at 67 and Denmark and Germany at 70 each.
In absolute numbers, France had the largest prison population with 80,699 inmates, followed by Poland with 69,850 and Italy with 63,524.