Annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex in China
China: Annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex was 4.73 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
4.73 deaths per 1,000 people
Change on year
down 4.1%
World rank
175th
of 236 countries
All-time high
220.58 deaths per 1,000 people
in 1960
All-time low
4.73 deaths per 1,000 people
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex in China, 1950–2023
Source: Human Mortality Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 1,000 people.
Analysis
In 2023, annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex in China stood at 4.73 deaths per 1,000 people. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
The figure is down 4.1% on the previous year and down 49.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex in China peaked at 220.58 deaths per 1,000 people in 1960 and was at its lowest, 4.73 deaths per 1,000 people, in 2023.
China ranks 175th of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex in China, year by year
| Year | deaths per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 131.43 deaths per 1,000 people | — |
| 1951 | 128.76 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.0% |
| 1952 | 125.96 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.2% |
| 1953 | 123.26 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.1% |
| 1954 | 121.09 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.8% |
| 1955 | 117.96 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.6% |
| 1956 | 115.4 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.2% |
| 1957 | 112.8 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.3% |
| 1958 | 110.24 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.3% |
| 1959 | 165.35 deaths per 1,000 people | +50.0% |
| 1960 | 220.58 deaths per 1,000 people | +33.4% |
| 1961 | 166.77 deaths per 1,000 people | -24.4% |
| 1962 | 100.17 deaths per 1,000 people | -39.9% |
| 1963 | 97.62 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.5% |
| 1964 | 95.04 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.6% |
| 1965 | 92.41 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.8% |
| 1966 | 89.75 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.9% |
| 1967 | 86.99 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.1% |
| 1968 | 84.08 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.3% |
| 1969 | 81.05 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.6% |
| 1970 | 77.86 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.9% |
| 1971 | 74.52 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.3% |
| 1972 | 71.12 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.6% |
| 1973 | 67.69 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.8% |
| 1974 | 64.35 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.9% |
| 1975 | 61.19 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.9% |
| 1976 | 58.39 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.6% |
| 1977 | 54.66 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.4% |
| 1978 | 51.86 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.1% |
| 1979 | 49.34 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.8% |
| 1980 | 47.22 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.3% |
| 1981 | 45.31 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.0% |
| 1982 | 43.76 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.4% |
| 1983 | 42.55 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.8% |
| 1984 | 41.62 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.2% |
| 1985 | 40.95 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.6% |
| 1986 | 40.44 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1987 | 40.06 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.0% |
| 1988 | 39.75 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
| 1989 | 39.39 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.9% |
| 1990 | 38.93 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1991 | 38.4 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.4% |
| 1992 | 37.64 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.0% |
| 1993 | 36.75 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.4% |
| 1994 | 35.69 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.9% |
| 1995 | 34.48 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.4% |
| 1996 | 33.12 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.0% |
| 1997 | 31.59 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.6% |
| 1998 | 30.02 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.0% |
| 1999 | 28.3 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.7% |
| 2000 | 26.53 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.3% |
| 2001 | 24.73 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.8% |
| 2002 | 22.94 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.2% |
| 2003 | 21.17 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.7% |
| 2004 | 19.48 deaths per 1,000 people | -8.0% |
| 2005 | 17.89 deaths per 1,000 people | -8.2% |
| 2006 | 16.42 deaths per 1,000 people | -8.2% |
| 2007 | 15.07 deaths per 1,000 people | -8.2% |
| 2008 | 14.01 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.1% |
| 2009 | 12.75 deaths per 1,000 people | -9.0% |
| 2010 | 11.77 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.6% |
| 2011 | 10.85 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.8% |
| 2012 | 10.04 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.5% |
| 2013 | 9.29 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.4% |
| 2014 | 8.61 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.3% |
| 2015 | 7.99 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.2% |
| 2016 | 7.43 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.0% |
| 2017 | 6.9 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.0% |
| 2018 | 6.43 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.9% |
| 2019 | 6 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.7% |
| 2020 | 5.6 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.7% |
| 2021 | 5.23 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.6% |
| 2022 | 4.93 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.7% |
| 2023 | 4.73 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 125.23 deaths per 1,000 people | 110.24 deaths per 1,000 people | 165.35 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 111.44 deaths per 1,000 people | 81.05 deaths per 1,000 people | 220.58 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 63.1 deaths per 1,000 people | 49.34 deaths per 1,000 people | 77.86 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 42.11 deaths per 1,000 people | 39.39 deaths per 1,000 people | 47.22 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 34.49 deaths per 1,000 people | 28.3 deaths per 1,000 people | 38.93 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 19.1 deaths per 1,000 people | 12.75 deaths per 1,000 people | 26.53 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.53 deaths per 1,000 people | 6 deaths per 1,000 people | 11.77 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.12 deaths per 1,000 people | 4.73 deaths per 1,000 people | 5.6 deaths per 1,000 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near China
- 172 French Polynesia 4.87 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 173 Bosnia and Herzegovina 4.82 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 174 United States 4.8 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 176 Saint Barthelemy 4.69 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 177 Northern Mariana Islands 4.53 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 178 Sri Lanka 4.49 deaths per 1,000 people compare
More health data for China
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.15 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.0985 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 2,029 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 4,642 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 80 and above, female, per capita 0.016 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, annual growth rate 3.29 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, per capita 0.0101 units per person (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, gaps filled 33,364 (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex in China?
- Annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex in China was 4.73 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023, according to Human Mortality Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 220.58 deaths per 1,000 people in 1960.
- What is the lowest annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.73 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023.
- How does China rank for annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex?
- China ranks 175th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 49.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Human Mortality Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Death rate, calculated as the number of deaths divided by the average number of people alive during the interval.