Data bite: Capital punishment

The United States ranks third, behind only China and Iran, in reported executions, according to Amnesty International’s annual report on the death penalty. It noted that four countries accounted for 84 percent of the 1,146 government-reported executions worldwide in 2003—the U.S. (65), China (726), Iran (108) and Vietnam (64). Actual figures for China, Iran and Vietnam were likely higher due to unreported executions, Amnesty International said.