Annual death rates at different ages in China
China: Annual death rates at different ages was 5.12 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
5.12 deaths per 1,000 people
Change on year
down 4.2%
World rank
174th
of 236 countries
All-time high
227.35 deaths per 1,000 people
in 1960
All-time low
5.12 deaths per 1,000 people
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Annual death rates at different ages 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
China recorded 5.12 deaths per 1,000 people for annual death rates at different ages in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.2% on the previous year and down 49.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual death rates at different ages in China peaked at 227.35 deaths per 1,000 people in 1960 and was at its lowest, 5.12 deaths per 1,000 people, in 2023.
China ranks 174th 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 at different ages in China, year by year
| Year | deaths per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 139.55 deaths per 1,000 people | — |
| 1951 | 136.64 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.1% |
| 1952 | 133.63 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.2% |
| 1953 | 130.72 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.2% |
| 1954 | 128.35 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.8% |
| 1955 | 125.01 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.6% |
| 1956 | 122.25 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.2% |
| 1957 | 119.46 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.3% |
| 1958 | 116.71 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.3% |
| 1959 | 171.98 deaths per 1,000 people | +47.4% |
| 1960 | 227.35 deaths per 1,000 people | +32.2% |
| 1961 | 173.06 deaths per 1,000 people | -23.9% |
| 1962 | 105.91 deaths per 1,000 people | -38.8% |
| 1963 | 103.16 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.6% |
| 1964 | 100.36 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.7% |
| 1965 | 97.51 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.8% |
| 1966 | 94.64 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.0% |
| 1967 | 91.67 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.1% |
| 1968 | 88.56 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.4% |
| 1969 | 85.32 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.7% |
| 1970 | 81.95 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.0% |
| 1971 | 78.43 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.3% |
| 1972 | 74.89 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.5% |
| 1973 | 71.3 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.8% |
| 1974 | 67.79 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.9% |
| 1975 | 64.48 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.9% |
| 1976 | 61.54 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.6% |
| 1977 | 57.7 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.2% |
| 1978 | 54.8 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.0% |
| 1979 | 52.21 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.7% |
| 1980 | 50.01 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.2% |
| 1981 | 48.04 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.9% |
| 1982 | 46.44 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.3% |
| 1983 | 45.18 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.7% |
| 1984 | 44.23 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.1% |
| 1985 | 43.54 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.6% |
| 1986 | 43.02 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1987 | 42.63 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.9% |
| 1988 | 42.32 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.7% |
| 1989 | 41.97 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
| 1990 | 41.51 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.1% |
| 1991 | 40.96 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1992 | 40.2 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.9% |
| 1993 | 39.29 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.3% |
| 1994 | 38.2 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.8% |
| 1995 | 36.95 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.3% |
| 1996 | 35.54 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.8% |
| 1997 | 33.95 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.5% |
| 1998 | 32.3 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.8% |
| 1999 | 30.5 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.6% |
| 2000 | 28.64 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.1% |
| 2001 | 26.75 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.6% |
| 2002 | 24.86 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.1% |
| 2003 | 22.99 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.5% |
| 2004 | 21.19 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.8% |
| 2005 | 19.49 deaths per 1,000 people | -8.0% |
| 2006 | 17.91 deaths per 1,000 people | -8.1% |
| 2007 | 16.46 deaths per 1,000 people | -8.1% |
| 2008 | 15.3 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.1% |
| 2009 | 13.94 deaths per 1,000 people | -8.9% |
| 2010 | 12.88 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.6% |
| 2011 | 11.87 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.8% |
| 2012 | 10.97 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.6% |
| 2013 | 10.16 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.5% |
| 2014 | 9.41 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.4% |
| 2015 | 8.72 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.3% |
| 2016 | 8.1 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.1% |
| 2017 | 7.52 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.1% |
| 2018 | 7 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.9% |
| 2019 | 6.52 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.8% |
| 2020 | 6.08 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.8% |
| 2021 | 5.68 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.7% |
| 2022 | 5.35 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.8% |
| 2023 | 5.12 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.2% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 5.12 deaths per 1,000 people is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 11.84 deaths per 1,000 people, 43% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- China's 5.12 deaths per 1,000 people is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 13.27 deaths per 1,000 people, 39% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual death rates at different ages in China changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | +47.4% | 116.71 deaths per 1,000 people | 171.98 deaths per 1,000 people |
| 1960 | +32.2% | 171.98 deaths per 1,000 people | 227.35 deaths per 1,000 people |
| 1962 | -38.8% | 173.06 deaths per 1,000 people | 105.91 deaths per 1,000 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 132.43 deaths per 1,000 people | 116.71 deaths per 1,000 people | 171.98 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 116.75 deaths per 1,000 people | 85.32 deaths per 1,000 people | 227.35 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 66.51 deaths per 1,000 people | 52.21 deaths per 1,000 people | 81.95 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 44.74 deaths per 1,000 people | 41.97 deaths per 1,000 people | 50.01 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 36.94 deaths per 1,000 people | 30.5 deaths per 1,000 people | 41.51 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 20.75 deaths per 1,000 people | 13.94 deaths per 1,000 people | 28.64 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.31 deaths per 1,000 people | 6.52 deaths per 1,000 people | 12.88 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.56 deaths per 1,000 people | 5.12 deaths per 1,000 people | 6.08 deaths per 1,000 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near China
- 171 Saint Barthelemy 5.29 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 172 French Polynesia 5.28 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 173 Puerto Rico 5.21 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 175 Sri Lanka 5.12 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 176 Reunion 5.12 deaths per 1,000 people compare
- 177 Saudi Arabia 5.08 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)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 4,642 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 10 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -8.22 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0159 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -8.73 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0176 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual death rates at different ages in China?
- Annual death rates at different ages in China was 5.12 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 at different ages recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 227.35 deaths per 1,000 people in 1960.
- What is the lowest annual death rates at different ages recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.12 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023.
- How does China rank for annual death rates at different ages?
- China ranks 174th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is annual death rates at different ages rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 49.5%. 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 at different ages. 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.