The United States is the only Western industrialized nation that practices the death penalty, and is by far the nation with the largest death row roster in the world. In comparison, all of Western Europe has abolished the death penalty, either by decree of law, or by practice.

Fifty-seven nations and territories outlaw the death penalty for any crime, fifteen more allow it only for exceptional crimes such as military law or wartime crimes. Another twenty-six countries and territories are abolitionist de facto, meaning they have not executed anyone during the past ten years or more, or that they have made an international commitment not to carry out executions.

In numbers of people executed annually, the United States far exceeds the other 94 documented countries and territories that continue to deliver the death penalty.

Information from the ACLU