Millions of people around the world lost their lives during World War II. It’s estimated the world lost 2.5% of its population. It wasn’t just soldiers in combat that suffered losses. Many civilians died from famine, disease, bombings, and the tragedy of the Holocaust. The only conflict that comes somewhat close throughout history to the amount of lives lost was during the Mongol invasions and conquests of the 14th century when it was estimated around 40 million people may have lost their lives. And still, WWII saw more deaths than Genghis Khan and the Mongol invasions were responsible for.
To identify the countries with the most casualties in World War II, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed WWII casualty statistics from World War 2 Facts, an online database of WWII battles. We ranked countries based on total casualties. We included supplemental information regarding military deaths for each country, as well as civilian deaths.
Why Are We Covering This?
World War II was one of the deadliest conflicts in human history with unprecedented deaths and casualties. The outcome of this war largely determined the world we know today, along with many of the current geopolitical and military relationships. Understanding how these countries were impacted by World War II and the casualties that resulted from it provides context for these alliances and greater insight into international relations in general.
Here is a look at the countries with the most casualties in World War II:
27. Denmark
- Total casualties: 3,200
- Military deaths: 2,100
- Civilian deaths: 1,000
26. Norway
- Total casualties: 9,500
- Military deaths: 3,000
- Civilian deaths: 5,800
25. New Zealand
- Total casualties: 11,900
- Military deaths: 11,900
- Civilian deaths: 0
24. South Africa
- Total casualties: 11,900
- Military deaths: 11,900
- Civilian deaths: 0
23. Spain
- Total casualties: 14,500
- Military deaths: 4,500
- Civilian deaths: 10,000
22. Bulgaria
- Total casualties: 25,000
- Military deaths: 22,000
- Civilian deaths: 3,000
21. Australia
- Total casualties: 40,500
- Military deaths: 39,800
- Civilian deaths: 0
20. Canada
- Total casualties: 45,300
- Military deaths: 45,300
- Civilian deaths: 0
19. Belgium
- Total casualties: 86,100
- Military deaths: 12,100
- Civilian deaths: 49,600
- Jewish deaths: 40,000
18. Finland
- Total casualties: 97,000
- Military deaths: 95,000
- Civilian deaths: 2,000
17. Austria
- Total casualties: 123,700
- Military deaths: 65,000
- Civilian deaths: 58,700
16. Netherlands
- Total casualties: 301,000
- Military deaths: 21,000
- Civilian deaths: 176,000
- Jewish deaths: 105,000
15. Czechoslovakia
- Total casualties: 345,000
- Military deaths: 25,000
- Civilian deaths: 320,000
14. United States
- Total casualties: 418,500
- Military deaths: 416,800
- Civilian deaths: 1,700
13. Great Britain
- Total casualties: 449,800
- Military deaths: 382,700
- Civilian deaths: 67,100
12. Italy
- Total casualties: 456,000
- Military deaths: 301,400
- Civilian deaths: 145,100
11. Greece
- Total casualties: 560,000
- Military deaths: 35,000
- Civilian deaths: 525,000
10. France
- Total casualties: 567,600
- Military deaths: 217,600
- Civilian deaths: 267,000
- Jewish deaths: 90,000
9. Hungary
- Total casualties: 580,000
- Military deaths: unknown
- Civilian deaths: unknown
- Jewish deaths: 450,000
8. Romania
- Total casualties: 833,000
- Military deaths: 300,000
- Civilian deaths: 64,000
- Jewish deaths: 300,000
7. Yugoslavia
- Total casualties: 1,027,000
- Military deaths: 446,000
- Civilian deaths: 514,000
6. India
- Total casualties: 2,087,000
- Military deaths: 87,000
- Civilian deaths: 2,000,000
5. Japan
- Total casualties: 2,700,000
- Military deaths: 2,120,000
- Civilian deaths: 580,000
4. Poland
- Total casualties: 5,700,000
- Military deaths: 240,000
- Civilian deaths: 2,400,000
- Jewish deaths: 3,000,000
3. Germany
- Total casualties: 7,772,800
- Military deaths: 5,533,000
- Civilian deaths: 2,035,000
- Jewish deaths: 210,000
2. China
- Total casualties: 15,000,000
- Military deaths: 3,500,000
- Civilian deaths: 11,500,000
1. Soviet Union
- Total casualties: 26,600,000
- Military deaths: 9,750,000
- Civilian deaths: 13,204,000
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