Prevalence of circumcision

The prevalence of circumcision is the percentage of males in a given population who have been circumcised, with the procedure most commonly being performed as a part of preventive healthcare, a religious obligation, or a cultural practice. Global prevalence is estimated to be close to 38% Since 2012 both the World Health Organization and Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS have been promoting a higher rate of circumcision prevalence as a prevention against HIV transmission and some STIs in areas with high HIV transmission and low circumcision rates. Around 50% of all circumcisions worldwide are performed for reasons of preventive healthcare, while the other 50% are performed for other reasons, including religious and cultural. In 2016, the global prevalence of circumcision was rising, predominantly due to the HIV/AIDS programs in Africa and a higher fertility rate among countries where the procedure is commonly performed.

Overview

Present Rates vary widely, from 99.9% in Morocco, and similarly high rates in many Muslim-majority countries, to 91.7% in Israel, 80% in the United States, to 75% in South Korea, to 45% in South Africa, to 20.7% in the United Kingdom, 14% in China, 13.5% in India, 9% in Japan, and 1% in Honduras. In Europe, most men are not circumcised, but circumcision is prevalent among Muslims who live in Europe, which includes both indigenous Muslims (in Turkey, Azerbaijan, and regions with significant Muslim population in the Balkans) as well as Muslims in immigrant communities in Western Europe. Circumcision is rare in South America. Philippines has a 91.7% circumcision prevalence, with such a high prevalence outside the Muslim world and Israel being found only among some countries in Africa and some island countries in Oceania. It is estimated that a prevalence of circumcision of 90% or more is found in men in Afghanistan, Algeria, American Samoa, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Benin, Cameroon, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cook Islands, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Gaza Strip, Ghana, Guam, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kenya, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritania, Morocco, Nauru, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Northern Mariana Islands, Pakistan, Palau, Philippines, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Syria, Tajikistan, Togo, Tokelau, Tonga, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, West Bank, Western Sahara, Yemen. In 2016, the global prevalence of circumcision was estimated to be around 38%, with notable increases of circumcision prevalence seen in the United States, the Middle East, and Africa; major medical organizations have promoted a higher rate of circumcision in Africa as a preventive against the spread of HIV/AIDS. In 2020, the World Health Organization reiterated that it is an efficacious prophylactic intervention if carried out by medical professionals under safe conditions in areas of high HIV/AIDS prevalence. In 2014, the prevalence of circumcision in the United States was estimated to be around 80%. Similarly, Wolters Kluwer estimated that close to 80% of United States' males in 2025 were circumcised. Large portions of Africa have adopted the practice as a preventive measure against the spread of HIV. It has overwhelming prevalence in the Muslim world and in Israel due to the religious beliefs of most Muslims and Jews; however, some non-Muslim groups living within Muslim-majority countries, such as Armenians and Assyrians, do not practice it. It is prevalent in some Muslim-majority countries in southeast Asia such as Indonesia and Malaysia; however, the WHO states that there is "little non-religious circumcision in Asia, with the exceptions of the Republic of Korea and the Philippines". In parts of Africa it is often practiced as part of tribal customs from Christians, Muslims and Animists. In contrast, rates are much lower in most of Europe, parts of southern Africa, most of Asia, Oceania and Latin America, constituting South America, Central America, the Caribbean and Mexico. Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom are examples of countries that have seen a decline in male circumcision in recent decades, while there have been indications of increasing demand in southern Africa, partly for preventive reasons due to the HIV epidemic there.

Africa Studies suggest that about 62% of African males are circumcised. However, the rate varies widely between different regions, and among ethnic and religious groups, with Muslim North Africans practising it for religious reasons, central Africans as part of ethnic rituals or local custom, and some traditionally non-circumcising populations in the South recently adopting the practice due to measures by the World Health Organization to prevent AIDS. Williams, B.G. et al. commented that: "Most of the currently available data on the prevalence of [male circumcision] are several decades old, while several of the recent studies were carried out as adjuncts to demographic and health surveys and were not designed to determine the prevalence of male circumcision."

Less than 20% Botswana, Rwanda, Eswatini, Zimbabwe.

Between 20% and 80% Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo (Rep), Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia.

South Africa

Traditional practices In Sotho and Xhosa culture, circumcision is a traditional initiation rite. It is known as lebollo la banna in Sotho and ulwaluko in Xhosa. Zulu King Shaka abolished the practise among the Zulu, though in 2010 Goodwill Zwelithini controversially proposed to revive it as a way of preventing HIV/AIDS.

Modern practices It is estimated that 44.7% of males are circumcised in South Africa. One national study reported that 54.2% of Black South Africans were circumcised, with 32.1% of those traditionally circumcised and 13.4% circumcised for medical reasons. Circumcision is now uncommon in South Africa except for cultural or religious reasons, and it is not performed in most public or children's hospitals for non-medical reasons. Less than 25% of non-Black South Africans are circumcised.

Statistics

More than 80% Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Congo (Dem Rep), Côte d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Togo.

Americas

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