Evidence concerning the low rates of suicide in the official records of 3rd world countries is reviewed. The 2nd half of the article describes a key informant survey done in Ecuador that shows that the suicide rate in a rural area of the Andes is much higher than what is usually reported for regions with similar characteristics. The age-adjusted rate is about 9/100,000/year over a period of 20 yrs. Suicide victims are usually young. Marital & family conflicts are the main provoking agents.