>The Netherlands had 148 murders in 2006 and it had a population of 16,491,461 which is 8.9%. The number of murders rose in Amsterdam and Rotterdam. The U.S. had 17,034 murders (includes all levels) and it had a population of 299,398,484 which is around 8.2%.

The order of magnitude is wrong. It's not 8.9% (per hundred) but 8.97 per million. Also, if you calculate 17034/299398484, you get 56 per million, not 8.2. Check your calculation.