Death rate in Sweden
Sweden: Death rate was 8.9 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
8.9 deaths per 1,000 people
Change on year
down 1.4%
World rank
73rd
of 236 countries
All-time high
11.45 deaths per 1,000 people
in 1988
All-time low
8.64 deaths per 1,000 people
in 2019
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Death rate in Sweden, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 1,000 people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for death rate in Sweden is 8.9 deaths per 1,000 people, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of down 1.4% on the previous year and down 5.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, death rate in Sweden peaked at 11.45 deaths per 1,000 people in 1988 and was at its lowest, 8.64 deaths per 1,000 people, in 2019.
That places Sweden 73rd out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Death rate in Sweden, year by year
| Year | deaths per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 10 deaths per 1,000 people | — |
| 1951 | 9.87 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1952 | 9.59 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.8% |
| 1953 | 9.7 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.1% |
| 1954 | 9.56 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.4% |
| 1955 | 9.46 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.1% |
| 1956 | 9.59 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.4% |
| 1957 | 9.91 deaths per 1,000 people | +3.3% |
| 1958 | 9.58 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.3% |
| 1959 | 9.5 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
| 1960 | 10.03 deaths per 1,000 people | +5.6% |
| 1961 | 9.77 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.6% |
| 1962 | 10.15 deaths per 1,000 people | +3.9% |
| 1963 | 10.06 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.9% |
| 1964 | 10 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.6% |
| 1965 | 10.1 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.0% |
| 1966 | 10.04 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.6% |
| 1967 | 10.13 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.9% |
| 1968 | 10.42 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.8% |
| 1969 | 10.45 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.3% |
| 1970 | 9.95 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.8% |
| 1971 | 10.21 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.6% |
| 1972 | 10.34 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.3% |
| 1973 | 10.52 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.7% |
| 1974 | 10.58 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.6% |
| 1975 | 10.76 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.7% |
| 1976 | 11.03 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.5% |
| 1977 | 10.69 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.1% |
| 1978 | 10.83 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.3% |
| 1979 | 10.98 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.4% |
| 1980 | 11.04 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.6% |
| 1981 | 11.06 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.1% |
| 1982 | 10.89 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.5% |
| 1983 | 10.89 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.0% |
| 1984 | 10.85 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.4% |
| 1985 | 11.26 deaths per 1,000 people | +3.9% |
| 1986 | 11.14 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.0% |
| 1987 | 11.11 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.3% |
| 1988 | 11.45 deaths per 1,000 people | +3.1% |
| 1989 | 10.84 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.3% |
| 1990 | 11.11 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.5% |
| 1991 | 11.04 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.6% |
| 1992 | 10.93 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.1% |
| 1993 | 11.11 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.7% |
| 1994 | 10.44 deaths per 1,000 people | -6.0% |
| 1995 | 10.64 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.9% |
| 1996 | 10.64 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 10.54 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.9% |
| 1998 | 10.55 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 10.7 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.4% |
| 2000 | 10.53 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.6% |
| 2001 | 10.55 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 10.65 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 10.37 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.6% |
| 2004 | 10.07 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.8% |
| 2005 | 10.18 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 10.04 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.4% |
| 2007 | 10.03 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 9.92 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.1% |
| 2009 | 9.7 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.2% |
| 2010 | 9.67 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 9.52 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.6% |
| 2012 | 9.65 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 9.41 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.5% |
| 2014 | 9.17 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.5% |
| 2015 | 9.28 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 9.17 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 2017 | 9.14 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 9.07 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.8% |
| 2019 | 8.64 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.7% |
| 2020 | 9.5 deaths per 1,000 people | +10.0% |
| 2021 | 8.82 deaths per 1,000 people | -7.1% |
| 2022 | 9.03 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.3% |
| 2023 | 8.9 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.4% |
Sweden compared with similar countries
- Sweden's 8.9 deaths per 1,000 people is above the median for high income countries, which is 8.37 deaths per 1,000 people, 1.1× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Sweden's 8.9 deaths per 1,000 people is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 10.02 deaths per 1,000 people, 89% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 9.68 deaths per 1,000 people | 9.46 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 10.12 deaths per 1,000 people | 9.77 deaths per 1,000 people | 10.45 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 10.59 deaths per 1,000 people | 9.95 deaths per 1,000 people | 11.03 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 11.05 deaths per 1,000 people | 10.84 deaths per 1,000 people | 11.45 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 10.77 deaths per 1,000 people | 10.44 deaths per 1,000 people | 11.11 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.2 deaths per 1,000 people | 9.7 deaths per 1,000 people | 10.65 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.27 deaths per 1,000 people | 8.64 deaths per 1,000 people | 9.67 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.06 deaths per 1,000 people | 8.82 deaths per 1,000 people | 9.5 deaths per 1,000 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sweden
More health data for Sweden
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.8581 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,109 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 30 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -3.12 % 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 0.0243 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -3.2 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is death rate in Sweden?
- Death rate in Sweden was 8.9 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest death rate recorded in Sweden?
- The highest recorded value was 11.45 deaths per 1,000 people in 1988.
- What is the lowest death rate recorded in Sweden?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.64 deaths per 1,000 people in 2019.
- How does Sweden rank for death rate?
- Sweden ranks 73rd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is death rate rising or falling in Sweden?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sweden data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Death rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of deaths in a year per 1,000 people in the population.