The rate of 21.9 per 100,000 in the United States was more than 4 times as high as the next highest rate, which was 5.0 in Scotland. Most countries had rates that were between 1 and 3 per 100,000. The lowest rates were in Japan and Austria, each with rates below 0.6 per 100,000 males 15 through 24 years of age. Three-quarters of the homicides in the United States resulted from the use of firearms, compared with less than one-fourth of all homicides in the comparison countries. The United States homicide rates for black males ages 15-24 was 85.6 per 100,000 more than 7 times the rate for white males (11.2 per 100,000). In 1987, only four States had homicide rates among white males that were as low as the rates among males in the comparison countries. The lowest State rate among young black males was still seven times the highest rate abroad. If the United States homicide rate in this age and gender group could be reduced to that in the country with the next highest rate, more than 3,000 lives would be saved. Figures and 13 references (Author abstract modified)