More than 800,000 people commit suicide every year, or one person every 40 seconds, with India accounting for the highest estimated number of suicides overall in 2012, according to WHO's first global report on suicide prevention.
The suicide rate is the highest in South-East Asia, as compared to other WHO regions.
Some 75 percent of suicides occur in low- and middle-income countries, says the report published on Thursday.
Generally, more men die by suicide than women. In richer countries, three times as many men die by suicide than women. Men aged 50 years and over are particularly vulnerable.
In low- and middle-income countries, young adults and elderly women have higher rates of suicide than their counterparts in high-income countries. Women over 70 years old are more than twice as likely to die by suicide than women aged 15-29 years.
The global average rate of suicide was estimated at 11.4 per 100,000.
Suicide rates are generally lower in the Americas, than in other WHO regions.
Suicidal behavior among young people has been a concern in a number of countries, particularly in countries of the Pacific.
Pesticide poisoning, hanging and firearms are among the most common methods of suicide globally. Limiting access to these means, and a commitment by governments to the implementation of a coordinated plan of action can help prevent people resorting to a tragic end to their life, the report recommends. Currently, only 28 countries are known to have national suicide prevention strategies.
"This report is a call for action to address a large public health problem which has been shrouded in taboo for far too long" said Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General of WHO.
The the first WHO publication of its kind, the report presents a comprehensive overview of suicide, suicide attempts and successful suicide prevention efforts worldwide. "Now is the time to act" for suicide prevention, said Dr Shekhar Saxena, Director of the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse at WHO.
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