Around 150 people are reported missing in Australia every day, totaling approximately 50,000 to 56,000 missing persons reports annually, though most are located quickly, with children and young people (under 18) making up a significant portion of these reports. These figures represent reports made to police, and while most are resolved, a small percentage become long-term missing persons.
More than 50,000 missing persons reports are made across Australia each year. While most people are found within days, around 2700 people remain missing long-term.
The United States has the highest number of missing persons, with 521,705 people reported missing in 2021.
There were 501 victims of kidnapping/abduction recorded in Australia in 2023, a decrease of 6 victims from the previous year. The victimisation rate for kidnapping/abduction remained stable at 2 victims per 100,000 persons.
More than 5000 missing persons cases are reported in South Australia every year.
As of 2014, an estimated average of 90,000 people in the United States are missing at any given time, with about 60% being adults, and 40% being children; in 2021, the total number of missing person cases was around 520,000.
The top countries migrating to Australia consistently include India, China, and the Philippines, often followed by nations like the United Kingdom, Nepal, and New Zealand, with India frequently leading in recent skilled migration streams and overall population increase, while the UK historically contributes significantly to the total foreign-born population. Recent trends show strong growth from India, China, Philippines, and Nepal in skilled visas and population influx.
Canberra, the capital city of Australia, is considered the safest city. According to Numbeo, its safety index is 73.6, which is higher than other cities in Australia. It also ranked as the 49th safest city in global rankings.
“….. A child goes missing every 40 seconds in the U.S., over 2,100 per day. In excess of 800,000 children are reported missing each year; another 500,000 go missing without ever being reported.” - Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP).
Kidnapping is the forcible stealing or carrying away of a person by force, threat, deceit, or with intent to cause the kidnapped person harm. Abduction involves persuading a person to come with you (usually a child that is known to the abductor), taking a person by fraud, or taking a person by open force or violence.
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Our youth are most susceptible to go missing with a rate six times that of any other age group. Those aged between 13 and 17 account for half of all missing persons reported to police, approximately 19,000 reports each year. There are many reasons why youth go missing.
Kidnapping rate - Country rankings
The highest value was in Belgium: 10.3 kidnappings per 100,000 people and the lowest value was in Bermuda: 0 kidnappings per 100,000 people.
The 'Somerton Man' is the case of an unidentified man found dead on Somerton Beach near Adelaide on 1 December 1948. The mystery also became known the 'Tamam Shud case' and, to this day, the man's identity and the truth about how he met his fate are still unknown.
The longest cases of missing persons found alive often involve individuals who chose to disappear to escape abuse or start new lives, with notable examples including Audrey Backeberg found after nearly 63 years (1962-2025) in Wisconsin and Lucy Ann Johnson, found after 52 years (1961-2013) after leaving an abusive husband, while some more recent, shorter-term cases like Sheila Fox (52 years, 1972-2024) also made headlines, highlighting how voluntary disappearances can remain unsolved for decades before resolution.
To go missing is not a crime. However, some missing persons may have been or become victims or perpetrators of crime.
The longest-missing child case is widely considered to be Marjorie West, who vanished in Pennsylvania in 1938 at age 4 and remains missing, now for over 87 years, with no definitive resolution. Other long-term missing children cases include Dennis Martin (missing since 1969) and Mary Boyle (missing since 1977), highlighting enduring mysteries where children disappeared under perplexing circumstances, with families seeking answers for decades.
According to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), approximately two-thirds of stranger abductions involve female children. The Counter Trafficking Data Collaborative also notes that abducted victims are predominantly female, at 73%.
Every year, as many as 100,000 children and young people go missing or run away from home. There are lots of reasons why this might happen, like challenges at home or at school, or criminals targeting teenagers online. Once they have gone missing, teenagers are in real danger.
Rockhampton. Rockhampton is the most dangerous city in Australia. According to the reports, it has a crime index of 67.2, which is one of the major contributors to the country's higher rate. It has a crime rate of 132 per 1000 people, with most of the cases for theft, burglary, and assault.
Brisbane has just been named as one of the friendliest cities in the world and we're the only Australian city to be listed in the top twenty. We've always known this about Brisbane but now the world is starting to discover it too.
What are the most popular places for British expats to live? Top choices include Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide. Each offers a different lifestyle, climate, and cost of living. Regional areas may offer better value for money and relaxed pace of life, particularly for families or retirees.
No, Australia is not 90% white; while a large majority identify with European ancestry (around 76-80% in recent years), a significant and growing portion identifies as Asian, African, Middle Eastern, or Indigenous, making it a highly multicultural nation with diverse ethnic backgrounds, not overwhelmingly white. Recent census data shows European ancestry (English, Irish, etc.) makes up a large chunk, but Asian ancestries are also substantial, with over 17% Asian population and around 3.8% identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, per the 2021 census data from Wikipedia.
The latter, in effect, is an adjustment to the former to incorporate the 12/16 rule, whereby an arrival counts as an overseas migrant arrival if the person stays in Australia for 12 of the following 16 months.
Is it cheaper to live in Australia or America? It depends on where you're comparing. Major U.S. cities like New York or San Francisco are typically more expensive than Sydney or Melbourne, but overall living costs—especially groceries and housing—can be higher in Australia due to import prices and taxes.