Annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex in Zambia
Zambia: Annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex was 35.26 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
35.26 deaths per 1,000 people
Change on year
down 2.8%
World rank
28th
of 236 countries
All-time high
128.61 deaths per 1,000 people
in 1950
All-time low
35.26 deaths per 1,000 people
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex in Zambia, 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 Zambia stood at 35.26 deaths per 1,000 people. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.8% on the previous year and down 23.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex in Zambia peaked at 128.61 deaths per 1,000 people in 1950 and was at its lowest, 35.26 deaths per 1,000 people, in 2023.
Zambia ranks 28th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex in Zambia, year by year
| Year | deaths per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 128.61 deaths per 1,000 people | — |
| 1951 | 127.2 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.1% |
| 1952 | 125.81 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.1% |
| 1953 | 124.39 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.1% |
| 1954 | 122.97 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.1% |
| 1955 | 121.47 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1956 | 119.95 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1957 | 118.36 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1958 | 116.75 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.4% |
| 1959 | 115.14 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.4% |
| 1960 | 114.15 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.9% |
| 1961 | 112.77 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1962 | 111.51 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.1% |
| 1963 | 110.41 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.0% |
| 1964 | 110.19 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.2% |
| 1965 | 108.38 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.6% |
| 1966 | 107.33 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.0% |
| 1967 | 106.26 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.0% |
| 1968 | 105.09 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.1% |
| 1969 | 103.77 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1970 | 102.23 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.5% |
| 1971 | 100.44 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.8% |
| 1972 | 98.5 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.9% |
| 1973 | 96.6 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.9% |
| 1974 | 94.89 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.8% |
| 1975 | 93.52 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.4% |
| 1976 | 92.58 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.0% |
| 1977 | 92.08 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.5% |
| 1978 | 91.99 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.1% |
| 1979 | 92.14 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.2% |
| 1980 | 92.58 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.5% |
| 1981 | 93.14 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.6% |
| 1982 | 94.03 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.9% |
| 1983 | 95.04 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.1% |
| 1984 | 96.3 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.3% |
| 1985 | 97.69 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.4% |
| 1986 | 99.11 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.5% |
| 1987 | 100.47 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.4% |
| 1988 | 101.65 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.2% |
| 1989 | 102.61 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.9% |
| 1990 | 103.24 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.6% |
| 1991 | 103.67 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 103.39 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 102.64 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.7% |
| 1994 | 101.58 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.0% |
| 1995 | 100.37 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1996 | 98.87 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.5% |
| 1997 | 97.01 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.9% |
| 1998 | 94.78 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.3% |
| 1999 | 92.22 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.7% |
| 2000 | 88.84 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.7% |
| 2001 | 84.88 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.5% |
| 2002 | 80.37 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.3% |
| 2003 | 75.67 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.9% |
| 2004 | 71.03 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.1% |
| 2005 | 66.52 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.4% |
| 2006 | 62.56 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.0% |
| 2007 | 58.99 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.7% |
| 2008 | 55.91 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.2% |
| 2009 | 53.27 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.7% |
| 2010 | 51 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.3% |
| 2011 | 49.14 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.7% |
| 2012 | 47.52 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.3% |
| 2013 | 46.08 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.0% |
| 2014 | 44.71 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.0% |
| 2015 | 43.69 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.3% |
| 2016 | 42.57 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.6% |
| 2017 | 41.5 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.5% |
| 2018 | 40.44 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.5% |
| 2019 | 39.39 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.6% |
| 2020 | 38.34 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.7% |
| 2021 | 37.3 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.7% |
| 2022 | 36.27 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.8% |
| 2023 | 35.26 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 122.06 deaths per 1,000 people | 115.14 deaths per 1,000 people | 128.61 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 108.99 deaths per 1,000 people | 103.77 deaths per 1,000 people | 114.15 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 95.5 deaths per 1,000 people | 91.99 deaths per 1,000 people | 102.23 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 97.26 deaths per 1,000 people | 92.58 deaths per 1,000 people | 102.61 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 99.78 deaths per 1,000 people | 92.22 deaths per 1,000 people | 103.67 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 69.8 deaths per 1,000 people | 53.27 deaths per 1,000 people | 88.84 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 44.6 deaths per 1,000 people | 39.39 deaths per 1,000 people | 51 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 36.79 deaths per 1,000 people | 35.26 deaths per 1,000 people | 38.34 deaths per 1,000 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More health data for Zambia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.09 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.7971 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 809.3 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 8,894 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 60-64, female, annual growth rate 5.3 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, female, per capita 0.0079 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, male, annual growth rate 6.33 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, male, per capita 0.0065 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex in Zambia?
- Annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex in Zambia was 35.26 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 128.61 deaths per 1,000 people in 1950.
- What is the lowest annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 35.26 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023.
- How does Zambia rank for annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex?
- Zambia ranks 28th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is annual death rates in people of different ages, by sex rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 23.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Zambia 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.