Death Rate by Country 2026

Death rate, also known as mortality rate, is the number of the deaths that occur in a particular population during a particular period of time. Typically, death rate is expressed as the number of deaths per one thousand people per year. Countries with high mortality rates and relatively low fertility rates and birth rates face the risk of population decline. Death rates vary significantly between countries, and as a rule, developed countries have a lower death rate than do developing countries whose health care networks and facilities are less robust. In fact, many of the least developed countries may struggle to provide basic human needs, such as potable water, adequate food, and sanitation, which increases the risk of disease and other health complications. On a global scale, total daily births outpace total daily deaths by a wide margin, though this is expected to decrease over the coming century.

Factors that influence a country’s death rate

Proper diet and exercise, clean water, and quality health care are the factors that have the greatest impact on mortality rates. Diet and exercise are particularly important: according to the Global Health Data Exchange, cardiovascular disease—which is typically caused by obesity stemming from unhealthy eating habits—was the leading cause of death worldwide from 1990-2019. Diabetes, which is also diet-related, ranked 9th. It would be reasonable to suspect that developed countries would also be the most obese countries and countries with the highest diabetes rates due to the abundance of processed and “junk” food. However, they actually tend to be among the healthiest countries in the world thanks to their more advanced health care systems. That said, even the most modernized health care system has its limits, especially if the population has a high rate of unhealthy habits. For example, cancer remains the second-leading cause of death in the world, especially in countries with high rates of smoking and/or alcoholism.

Mortality rates can also see temporary spikes due to less predictable causes of death. Particularly in countries at war or undergoing some other form of civil unrest, gun deaths can boost mortality rates. So can outbreaks of disease. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic created a significant spike in 2020-21 mortality data.

Top 10 Countries with the Highest Death Rates (per 1,000 people) — United Nations 2020-2025:

1. Bulgaria

Bulgaria has the highest mortality rate in the world at 15.6 deaths per 1,000 people. According to the World Health Organization, the causes of death in Bulgaria are similar to those in other European countries, including non-communicable diseases (diseases of the circulatory, digestive, or respiratory systems) and cancers. Bulgaria is currently experiencing a population decline, having started at about 9 million in 2000 and expected to fall to between 2.8 million and 5 million by the year 2100.

2. Ukraine

Ukraine has the second-highest mortality rate of 15.2 deaths per 1,000 people. Ukraine is considered to be in a demographic crisis because of its high mortality rate and low birth rate. Overall, Ukraine’s health care system is poorly financed, and the country has very low vaccination rates and high rates of diseases and disorders that could be better managed with increased funding. One factor contributing to the mortality rate is the high death rate of working-age males from preventable causes such as alcohol poisoning and smoking. Additionally, Ukraine has had one of the fastest-growing HIV/AIDS epidemics globally and suffered one of the worst measles epidemics in the world in 2019. Comprehensive data on the impact of Ukraine’s war with Russia is still being assessed.

3. Latvia

Latvia, a country with an underfunded health care system, has a mortality rate of 15 per 1,000 people. Although life expectancy has significantly improved in Latvia, the country still lags behind the rest of the European Union, driven by greater exposure to risk factors among men, people with low education, and those with low income. People with low education levels in Latvia have a life expectancy that is ten years lower than those with high education. Some common risk factors among Latvians are smoking, binge drinking, and obesity.

4. Lithuania

Lithuania’s death rate is 14.4 deaths per 1,000. The World Health Organization reports that ischemic heart diseases and stroke are the two leading causes of death in Lithuania, with mortality rates four and two times above the average rates in the European Union respectively. Due to high smoking rates, lung cancer is now the third leading cause of death in Lithuania. Lithuania also holds one of the lowest positions for life expectancy in the EU at 74.1 years.

5. Romania

Romania’s death rate is the fifth-highest in the world at 13.4 deaths per 1,000. The leading causes of death in Romania are cardiovascular disease, malignant tumors, respiratory infections, and liver and kidney diseases. Additionally, the infant mortality rate in Romania is one of the highest in the EU at about 6 per 1,000. This is often attributed to a shortage of doctors. About 43,000 doctors have left Romania since 2007 to look for opportunities elsewhere.

6. Lesotho

With a mortality rate of 13.4 deaths per 1,000 people, Lesotho has the world’s sixth-highest mortality rate. It is lower than that in Romania by a negligible margin; otherwise it essentially ties with Romania for the fifth spot. According to the CDC, life expectancy at birth in Lesotho is 51.5 years. The infant mortality rate is 56 per 1,000 live births. The leading causes of death are HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, stroke, lower respiratory infections, and ischemic heart disease.

7. Serbia

Serbia’s death rate is 13.3 per 1,000, the seventh-highest in the world. According to a study, Serbia’s mortality rate was lowest in the 1960s, where it was between 8 and 9 deaths per 1,000. During the beginning 21st century, the rate was much higher, reaching 14 deaths per 1,000 at its highest. Demographically, Serbia is one of the oldest nations in Europe, and its aging population has a large role in its death rate. Additionally, cardiovascular, lung, and kidney diseases are the leading causes of death. Serbia is also among the world’s ten countries with the highest smoking rates.

8. Croatia

Croatia’s mortality rate is 13.3 deaths per 1,000 people, behind Serbia by only a negligible margin – a tie, in practical terms. The leading causes of death in Croatia are ischemic heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, and digestive system cancers. About 25% of Croatian citizens smoke tobacco every day, higher than the EU average. Additionally, obesity rates are rising, especially in children, where the rate has grown more than 50% since 2001. Life expectancy has improved since 2000, rising from 74.6 to 76.9 which is slightly above the EU average.

9. Russia

Russia places ninth among the ten countries with the highest death rates with a rate of 13.1 per 1,000. More than half of the deaths in Russia are caused by cardiovascular disease. The second-most-common cause of death is cancer, followed by dementias, liver cirrhosis, digestive cancers, and suicide. Alcohol abuse is a significant problem in Russia, especially for men. Life expectancy in Russia is 70 years as of 2021.

10. Hungary

Rounding up the list, Hungary has a mortality rate of 13 deaths per 1,000. According to the World Health Organization, the leading causes of death in Hungary are similar to those in most European nations: cancer, circulatory, respiratory, and digestive diseases, as well as injuries and poisoning. Life expectancy in Hungary has increased from 71.3 in 2000 to 74.4 in 2021. The highest risk factors associated with disease in Hungary are adult obesity, hypertension, as well as tobacco and alcohol use.

Top 10 Countries with the Lowest Death Rates (per 1,000 people) — United Nations 2020-2025:

Countries with low mortality rates have more advanced and accessible health care, better-informed citizens, healthier nutritional options, and higher living standards overall. Qatar has the lowest mortality rate in the world at 1.5 deaths per 1,000 people. This low mortality rate can be attributed to Qatar’s improved health care system, renowned for its technologically advanced facilities and ability to deliver some of the world’s best patient care.