Melanoma is the most dangerous type of skin cancer. Globally, in 2012, it newly occurred in 232,000 people. In 2015, there were 3.1 million people with active disease, which resulted in 59,800 deaths. Australia and New Zealand have the highest rates of melanoma in the world. There are also high rates in Northern Europe and North America, while it is less common in Asia, Africa and Latin America. In the United States melanoma occurs about 1.6 times more often in men than women. Melanoma has become more common since the 1960s in areas mostly populated by people of European descent.