Taipei - More than 4,000 people committed suicide in Taiwan in 2008, averaging almost one death every two hours, the Department of Health said Wednesday.

A total of 4,128 suicides were registered, an increase of 195 from the previous year. The 2008 suicide rate was 17.9 suicides per 100,000 people, the department said, up from 17.2 in 2007.

Sixty-eight per cent of those who took their own lives were men, 40 per cent were aged between 25 and 44, while 21 per cent of those who killed themselves were 65 and older.

Chu Kai-yu, director of Taipei Lifeline, a suicide-counselling organization, blamed job losses, old age and health problems for the rising number of suicides.

Since 1982, suicide has been the ninth leading cause of death in Taiwan. The most common methods are carbon monoxide poisoning using burning charcoal, leaping from tall buildings and igniting gas tanks.

Among Asian countries, Japan has the highest suicide rate. In 2008, 32,249 Japanese took their lives, averaging 88 suicides per day or one suicide every 16.6 minutes.(dpa)