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Modern slavery, also known as contemporary slavery, is a term used to describe various forms of exploitative practices that involve the control and exploitation of individuals for personal or commercial gain. Despite being illegal and universally condemned, modern slavery still exists in various forms around the world. It is a complex and multifaceted issue that involves social, economic, political, and legal dimensions.
According to walkfree.org modern slavery covers a set of specific legal concepts including forced labor, child labor, debt bondage, forced marriage, sexual exploitation, slavery and slavery-like practices, and human trafficking.
Modern slavery is driven by various factors, including poverty, lack of education, political instability, armed conflict, discrimination, and weak legal frameworks. Vulnerable populations, such as migrants, refugees, and marginalized communities, are often disproportionately affected.
According to Walk Free Foundation, estimated 40.3 Million people (71% female and 29% male) were living in modern slavery around the world, 89 million people experienced some form of slavery.
World map below created by howmuch.net shows estimated absolute number of people living in modern slavery.
Globally, there were 5.4 victims of modern slavery for every 1,000 people in the world. Looking regionally, the prevalence of modern slavery was highest in Africa with 7.6 victims for every 1,000 people in the region. This was followed by Asia and the Pacific (6.1 victims) and Europe and Central Asia (3.9 victims). The prevalence in the Arab States and Americas was lower, at 3.3 and 1.9 victims per 1,000 people respectively.
Top 10 countries with highest prevalence of modern slavery globally are Northern Korea, Eritrea, Burundi, the Central African Republic, Afghanistan, Maurutania, South Sudan, Pakistan, Cambodia, and Iran. Collectively, these 10 countries account for 60% of people living in modern slavery and over half the worlds popultion.
globalslaveryindex.org
Rank
Country
GDP per capita 2017 ($)
GDP per capita 2018 ($)
Estimated Prevalence (victims per 1,000 Population)
Estimated absolute number of victims
Population
1
North Korea
104.6
2,640,000
25,244,000
2
Eritrea
1,111.6
93.0
451
4,847,000
3
Burundi
320.1
307.0
40.0
408
10,199,000
4
Central African Republic
418.4
454.1
22.3
101
4,546,000
5
Afghanistan
585.9
565.4
22.2
749
33,736,000
6
Mauritania
1,136.8
1,310.0
21.4
90
4,182,000
7
South Sudan
306.7
20.5
243
11,882,000
8
Pakistan
1,547.9
1,527.2
16.8
3,186,000
189,381,000
9
Cambodia
1,384.4
1,485.3
16.8
261
15,518,000
10
Iran, Islamic Rep.
5,415.2
5,222.0
16.2
1,289,000
79,360,000
11
Somalia
499.8
15.5
216
13,908,000
12
Congo, Dem. Rep.
457.8
478.3
13.7
1,045,000
76,197,000
13
Mongolia
3,735.2
4,097.8
12.3
37
2,977,000
14
Sudan
2,898.5
791.9
12.0
465
38,648,000
15
Chad
669.9
889.7
12.0
168
14,009,000
16
Rwanda
748.4
800.2
11.6
134
11,630,000
17
Turkmenistan
7,355.8
7,411.9
11.2
62
5,565,000
18
Myanmar
1,298.9
1,354.2
11.0
575
52,404,000
20
Belarus
5,726.0
6,020.0
10.9
103
9,486,000
19
Brunei Darussalam
28,290.6
33,824.1
10.9
5
418
21
Papua New Guinea
2,555.9
2,464.7
10.3
81
7,920,000
22
Lao PDR
2,457.4
2,690.0
9.4
62
6,664,000
23
Thailand
6,593.8
7,084.5
8.9
610
68,658,000
24
Swaziland
8.8
12
1,319,000
25
Macedonia, FYR
5,442.6
5,953.3
8.7
18
2,079,000
26
Congo
1,658.0
2,571.7
8.0
40
4,996,000
27
Greece
18,613.4
20,311.0
7.9
89
11,218,000
28
Guinea
825.3
865.3
7.8
94
12,092,000
32
Nigeria
1,968.6
2,050.2
7.7
1,386,000
181,182,000
30
Philippines
2,989.0
3,099.3
7.7
784
101,716,000
29
Libya
7,998.0
6,638.6
7.7
48
6,235,000
31
Timor-Leste
2,279.3
2,485.9
7.7
10
1,241,000
33
Uganda
604.0
717.5
7.6
304
40,145,000
34
Madagascar
449.7
474.8
7.5
182
24,234,000
35
Malawi
338.5
349.1
7.5
131
17,574,000
36
Guinea-Bissau
723.7
851.5
7.5
13
1,771,000
37
Liberia
456.1
663.0
7.4
33
4,500,000
38
Syrian Arab Republic
7.3
136
18,735,000
39
Angola
4,170.3
3,924.4
7.2
199
27,859,000
40
Djibouti
1,927.6
2,084.9
7.1
7
927
41
Kenya
1,507.8
1,865.2
6.9
328
47,236,000
42
Malaysia
9,944.9
10,703.6
6.9
212
30,723,000
44
Cameroon
1,446.7
1,545.0
6.9
157
22,835,000
43
Albania
4,537.9
5,260.9
6.9
20
2,923,000
45
Togo
617.2
668.4
6.8
50
7,417,000
46
Niger
378.1
489.1
6.7
133
19,897,000
47
Zimbabwe
1,079.6
1,268.9
6.7
105
15,777,000
48
Turkey
10,540.6
8,715.5
6.5
509
78,271,000
49
Ukraine
2,639.8
2,964.2
6.4
286
44,658,000
50
Equatorial Guinea
9,850.0
15,294.3
6.4
7
1,175,000
51
Tanzania
936.3
1,090.1
6.2
336
53,880,000
53
India
1,939.6
2,016.2
6.1
7,989,000
1,309,054,000
52
Ethiopia
767.6
890.6
6.1
614
99,873,000
55
Nepal
835.1
970.7
6.0
171
28,656,000
54
Croatia
13,294.5
14,637.5
6.0
25
4,236,000
56
Côte d'Ivoire
1,662.4
1,791.4
5.9
137
23,108,000
57
Montenegro
7,669.6
8,644.3
5.9
4
628
59
Lithuania
16,680.7
18,856.9
5.8
17
2,932,000
58
Gambia
483.0
739.9
5.8
11
1,978,000
60
Zambia
1,509.8
1,450.4
5.7
92
16,101,000
61
Venezuela, RB
3,300.4
5.6
174
31,155,000
62
Haiti
765.7
874.0
5.6
59
10,711,000
64
Russian Federation
10,743.1
10,950.5
5.5
794
143,888,000
63
Egypt
2,412.7
2,572.4
5.5
518
93,778,000
66
Benin
829.8
923.3
5.5
58
10,576,000
65
Moldova
2,289.9
3,226.7
5.5
22
4,066,000
67
Mozambique
415.7
481.3
5.4
152
28,011,000
68
Armenia
3,936.8
4,190.2
5.3
16
2,917,000
69
Uzbekistan
1,504.2
1,326.0
5.2
160
30,976,000
70
Sierra Leone
499.4
495.9
5.0
36
7,237,000
72
Iraq
5,165.7
5,793.5
4.8
174
36,116,000
71
Ghana
1,641.5
1,786.7
4.8
133
27,583,000
73
Gabon
7,220.7
8,384.7
4.8
9
1,930,000
74
Indonesia
3,846.9
3,789.0
4.7
1,220,000
258,162,000
77
Vietnam
2,343.1
2,552.8
4.5
421
93,572,000
76
Burkina Faso
670.7
734.0
4.5
82
18,111,000
79
Azerbaijan
4,131.6
4,586.8
4.5
43
9,617,000
75
Tajikistan
801.0
807.1
4.5
39
8,549,000
78
Bulgaria
8,031.6
9,080.3
4.5
32
7,177,000
81
Romania
10,813.7
12,189.5
4.3
86
19,877,000
80
Georgia
4,078.3
4,505.8
4.3
17
3,952,000
83
Kazakhstan
8,837.5
9,977.4
4.2
75
17,750,000
84
Lesotho
1,181.8
1,465.6
4.2
9
2,175,000
82
Cyprus
25,233.6
27,864.5
4.2
5
1,161,000
85
Kyrgyz Republic
1,219.8
1,254.1
4.1
24
5,865,000
86
Cape Verde
3,209.7
3,622.2
4.1
2
533
87
Dominican Republic
7,052.3
7,891.3
4.0
42
10,528,000
88
Kosovo
3,894.0
4,324.0
4.0
8
1,905,000
90
Israel
40,270.3
41,179.8
3.9
31
8,065,000
89
Latvia
15,594.3
17,634.4
3.9
8
1,993,000
91
Cuba
3.8
43
11,461,000
92
Bangladesh
1,516.5
1,736.3
3.7
592
161,201,000
93
Hungary
14,224.8
16,016.0
3.7
36
9,784,000
95
Mali
824.5
891.9
3.6
62
17,468,000
94
Estonia
19,704.7
22,416.7
3.6
5
1,315,000
100
Poland
13,811.7
14,468.8
3.4
128
38,265,000
99
Honduras
2,480.1
2,829.0
3.4
30
8,961,000
97
Singapore
57,714.3
61,230.2
3.4
19
5,535,000
98
Bosnia and Herzegovina
5,180.6
5,703.9
3.4
12
3,536,000
96
Botswana
7,595.6
8,168.0
3.4
8
2,209,000
101
Serbia
5,900.0
6,814.8
3.3
30
8,851,000
102
Namibia
5,227.2
5,923.5
3.3
8
2,426,000
103
Yemen
925.6
3.1
85
26,916,000
104
Trinidad and Tobago
16,145.2
16,930.9
3.0
4
1,360,000
106
Guatemala
4,471.0
4,582.7
2.9
47
16,252,000
109
Senegal
1,033.1
1,485.4
2.9
43
14,977,000
108
Czech Republic
20,368.1
23,085.2
2.9
31
10,604,000
107
Nicaragua
2,221.8
2,126.6
2.9
18
6,082,000
105
Slovak Republic
17,605.0
19,642.1
2.9
16
5,439,000
111
China
8,827.0
9,633.1
2.8
3,864,000
1,397,029,000
110
South Africa
6,160.7
6,560.0
2.8
155
55,291,000
112
Barbados
16,788.7
18,366.0
2.7
<1,000
284
114
Mexico
8,902.8
9,614.3
2.7
341
125,891,000
113
Colombia
6,301.6
6,761.2
2.7
131
48,229,000
115
Algeria
4,123.4
4,449.8
2.7
106
39,872,000
118
Peru
6,571.9
7,118.4
2.6
80
31,377,000
117
Jamaica
5,109.6
5,393.4
2.6
7
2,872,000
116
Guyana
4,725.3
4,648.7
2.6
2
769
120
Portugal
21,136.3
23,175.8
2.5
26
10,418,000
119
El Salvador
3,889.3
4,041.0
2.5
16
6,312,000
122
Italy
31,953.0
34,349.2
2.4
145
59,504,000
121
Morocco
3,007.2
3,355.4
2.4
85
34,803,000
123
Ecuador
6,198.9
6,301.1
2.4
39
16,144,000
124
Spain
28,156.8
31,059.5
2.3
105
46,398,000
125
Suriname
5,900.6
6,506.0
2.3
1
553
126
Tunisia
3,490.8
3,573.4
2.2
25
11,274,000
127
Slovenia
23,597.3
26,586.1
2.2
5
2,075,000
131
Iceland
70,056.9
75,699.6
2.1
<1000
330
132
United Kingdom
39,720.4
42,260.9
2.1
136
65,397,000
130
Sri Lanka
4,065.2
4,265.3
2.1
44
20,714,000
129
Bolivia
3,394.0
3,719.3
2.1
23
10,725,000
128
Oman
15,668.4
19,170.4
2.1
9
4,200,000
133
Panama
15,087.7
15,877.5
2.1
8
3,969,000
134
Germany
44,469.9
48,669.6
2.0
167
81,708,000
136
France
38,476.7
42,930.8
2.0
129
64,457,000
135
Belgium
43,323.8
46,978.7
2.0
23
11,288,000
137
South Korea
29,742.8
32,046.0
1.9
99
50,594,000
138
Saudi Arabia
20,760.9
23,186.7
1.9
61
31,557,000
139
Bahrain
23,655.0
26,531.8
1.9
3
1,372,000
142
Brazil
9,821.4
9,126.9
1.8
369
205,962,000
143
Netherlands
48,223.2
52,931.2
1.8
30
16,938,000
141
Jordan
4,129.8
4,227.5
1.8
17
9,159,000
140
Norway
75,504.6
82,372.4
1.8
9
5,200,000
144
Austria
47,290.9
51,707.6
1.7
15
8,679,000
148
United Arab Emirates
40,698.8
41,476.3
1.7
15
9,154,000
146
Switzerland
80,189.7
83,583.0
1.7
14
8,320,000
145
Lebanon
8,523.7
12,453.7
1.7
10
5,851,000
149
Finland
45,703.3
50,068.1
1.7
9
5,482,000
147
Ireland
69,330.7
75,192.3
1.7
8
4,700,000
152
Sweden
53,442.0
53,867.2
1.6
15
9,764,000
151
Paraguay
4,365.5
5,933.8
1.6
11
6,639,000
150
Denmark
56,307.5
61,227.0
1.6
9
5,689,000
154
Luxembourg
104,103.0
113,954.4
1.5
<1,000
567
155
Kuwait
29,040.4
31,915.5
1.5
6
3,936,000
153
Qatar
63,505.8
67,818.3
1.5
4
2,482,000
156
Hong Kong, China
46,193.6
48,231.3
1.4
10
7,246,000
158
United States
59,531.7
62,517.5
1.3
403
319,929,000
157
Argentina
14,402.0
10,667.1
1.3
55
43,418,000
159
Costa Rica
11,630.7
12,095.0
1.3
6
4,808,000
160
Uruguay
16,245.6
17,379.7
1.0
4
3,432,000
161
Mauritius
10,547.2
11,014.9
1.0
1
1,259,000
162
Chile
15,346.4
16,143.4
0.8
14
17,763,000
163
Australia
53,799.9
56,698.1
0.6
15
23,800,000
164
New Zealand
42,940.6
41,615.9
0.6
3
4,615,000
166
Canada
45,032.1
46,733.0
0.5
17
35,950,000
165
Taiwan, China
25,534.3
0.5
12
23,486,000
167
Japan
38,428.1
40,105.8
0.3
37
127,975,000
You can learn more about modern dlavery from the following books:
You forgot Gulf states!