Associate Editor These statistics summarize what kills the most people worldwide (global estimates) and in the United States (national vital statistics). “Leading causes” are typically ranked by the underlying cause of death recorded on death certificates. Key leading-cause-of-death stats (quick facts) Global leading causes of death WHO’s Global Health Estimates show that cardiovascular diseases dominate the global … Read more
Death by disease statistics help show which health conditions contribute most to mortality and how patterns change over time and across regions. The figures below use recent releases from the World Health Organization (WHO) and Eurostat. Key death by disease statistics Leading causes of death globally (selected diseases, 2021) These are major individual diseases highlighted … Read more
Car accidents (road traffic crashes) remain one of the world’s biggest preventable causes of death. The latest global estimates put annual road traffic deaths at about 1.19 million, with tens of millions more people injured each year. Key car accident death facts (global) Road traffic fatality rate by WHO region (deaths per 100,000) Label Bar … Read more
The average age of death is often reported as the mean age at death: the average age of people who died in a given place and year. It’s easy to understand, but it can shift quickly if a country has more deaths at younger ages (for example, infectious disease outbreaks, violence, road injuries) or more … Read more
US life expectancy has rebounded from the pandemic-era low, reaching a new record in the most recent year with final national mortality data. The figures below use period life expectancy (based on death rates observed in a given year), reported by the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). Key takeaways Latest US life expectancy … Read more
Global mortality is typically reported as (1) total deaths per year, (2) the crude death rate (deaths per 1,000 people), and (3) leading causes of death. The latest complete WHO cause-of-death rankings are for 2021, while global demographic series (like crude death rate) extend through 2023. Key global death stats Chart: Leading causes of death … Read more
“Deaths by country” can mean either the total number of deaths (strongly influenced by population size) or the crude death rate (deaths per 1,000 people, influenced by age structure and overall health conditions). Key death-by-country statistics Top countries by total deaths The table below uses UN World Population Prospects 2024 estimates for 2023. Top 10 … Read more
Burial and cremation trends have shifted sharply over the past decade, with cremation now the majority choice in many countries. Below are the most-cited, recent statistics on cremation vs burial rates, plus cost comparisons and international benchmarks. Key burial vs cremation statistics U.S. cremation vs burial rate NFDA’s 2025 report projects cremation at roughly double … Read more
Funerals are changing fast—driven by rising cremation rates, more online planning, and growing interest in greener options. Below is a data-focused snapshot of the latest funeral statistics, including costs, disposition trends, consumer preferences, and industry size. Top funeral statistics at a glance Cremation vs. burial (projected) Disposition continues shifting toward cremation. NFDA’s latest projections show … Read more
The statistics below focus on reported COVID-19 deaths (as compiled by the World Health Organization). Reported totals can be revised and may understate total mortality because testing, certification, and reporting practices vary by place and over time. Key COVID-19 death statistics Reported COVID-19 deaths by year (global) This chart sums new deaths reported to WHO … Read more
Infant mortality rate (IMR) measures the number of deaths before age 1 per 1,000 live births in a given year. Key infant mortality rate statistics Infant mortality rate by region (2023) Rates vary widely by region, from 44 deaths per 1,000 in Sub-Saharan Africa to 5 in North America (2023). Region Bar IMR (deaths per … Read more
Maternal mortality refers to deaths due to complications of pregnancy or childbirth. A widely used standard definition (used by WHO and in many national reports) is: the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of the end of pregnancy, from causes related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management (excluding … Read more