Share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death in Canada
Canada: Share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death was 5.3% in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death in Canada, 1950–2022
Source: WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death in Canada is 5.3%, measured in 2022. That is the highest value across all 73 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 51.7% on the previous year and up 472.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death in Canada peaked at 5.3% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 0.6%, in 1966.
That places Canada 47th out of 113 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death in Canada, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 2.1% | — |
| 1951 | 1.8% | -15.6% |
| 1952 | 1.7% | -5.2% |
| 1953 | 1.5% | -12.6% |
| 1954 | 1.5% | +2.2% |
| 1955 | 1.4% | -5.2% |
| 1956 | 1.4% | -4.0% |
| 1957 | 1.2% | -9.4% |
| 1958 | 1.1% | -9.3% |
| 1959 | 1.1% | -2.7% |
| 1960 | 1.0% | -11.5% |
| 1961 | 0.9% | -10.9% |
| 1962 | 0.9% | +2.7% |
| 1963 | 0.8% | -6.2% |
| 1964 | 0.8% | -9.5% |
| 1965 | 0.7% | -12.2% |
| 1966 | 0.6% | -4.3% |
| 1967 | 0.7% | +2.6% |
| 1968 | 0.7% | +3.0% |
| 1969 | 0.7% | +7.5% |
| 1970 | 0.7% | -0.6% |
| 1971 | 0.7% | +3.3% |
| 1972 | 0.8% | +4.3% |
| 1973 | 0.8% | +9.4% |
| 1974 | 1.0% | +13.1% |
| 1975 | 1.6% | +64.9% |
| 1976 | 1.3% | -16.6% |
| 1977 | 1.3% | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 1.4% | +7.7% |
| 1979 | 0.9% | -35.5% |
| 1980 | 0.9% | -6.3% |
| 1981 | 1.0% | +13.5% |
| 1982 | 1.2% | +20.8% |
| 1983 | 1.0% | -12.2% |
| 1984 | 0.9% | -10.9% |
| 1985 | 1.9% | +109.6% |
| 1986 | 1.0% | -46.0% |
| 1987 | 1.3% | +20.8% |
| 1988 | 1.4% | +14.7% |
| 1989 | 1.2% | -13.9% |
| 1990 | 2.4% | +92.7% |
| 1991 | 1.8% | -23.1% |
| 1992 | 1.4% | -21.3% |
| 1993 | 1.4% | -3.2% |
| 1994 | 1.4% | -1.9% |
| 1995 | 1.4% | +4.0% |
| 1996 | 1.6% | +15.0% |
| 1997 | 2.7% | +63.7% |
| 1998 | 1.4% | -46.8% |
| 1999 | 0.9% | -34.5% |
| 2000 | 1.2% | +28.1% |
| 2001 | 1.3% | +12.1% |
| 2002 | 1.3% | -1.5% |
| 2003 | 1.3% | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 1.1% | -13.0% |
| 2005 | 1.0% | -11.1% |
| 2006 | 1.3% | +28.3% |
| 2007 | 1.0% | -23.7% |
| 2008 | 0.9% | -7.6% |
| 2009 | 0.9% | -3.9% |
| 2010 | 1.0% | +9.5% |
| 2011 | 1.2% | +25.3% |
| 2012 | 0.9% | -24.1% |
| 2013 | 0.9% | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 1.0% | +6.6% |
| 2015 | 1.3% | +30.6% |
| 2016 | 2.0% | +51.5% |
| 2017 | 1.5% | -24.1% |
| 2018 | 1.7% | +12.9% |
| 2019 | 1.7% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 2.7% | +57.6% |
| 2021 | 3.5% | +31.1% |
| 2022 | 5.3% | +51.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 1.5% | 1.1% | 2.1% | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.8% | 0.6% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.1% | 0.7% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.2% | 0.9% | 1.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.7% | 0.9% | 2.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.1% | 0.9% | 1.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.3% | 0.9% | 2.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.8% | 2.7% | 5.3% | 3 |
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Frequently asked questions
- What is share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death in Canada?
- Share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death in Canada was 5.3% in 2022, according to WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 5.3% in 2022.
- What is the lowest share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.6% in 1966.
- How does Canada rank for share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death?
- Canada ranks 47th out of 113 countries with data for 2022.
- Is share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 472.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of total reported deaths in both sexes in those aged all ages that are from ill-defined diseases.