Share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death in Portugal
Portugal: Share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death was 6.1% in 2022. ▼ Falling
Latest (2022)
6.1%
Change on year
up 2.8%
World rank
43rd
of 113 countries
All-time high
18.2%
in 1956
All-time low
6.0%
in 2019
Years of data
63
1955–2022
Share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death in Portugal, 1955–2022
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 Portugal is 6.1%, measured in 2022.
That represents a change of up 2.8% on the previous year and down 35.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death in Portugal peaked at 18.2% in 1956 and was at its lowest, 6.0%, in 2019.
Portugal ranks 43rd of 113 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 63 years of available data.
Share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death in Portugal, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1955 | 16.5% | — |
| 1956 | 18.2% | +10.3% |
| 1957 | 16.6% | -8.7% |
| 1958 | 15.1% | -9.2% |
| 1959 | 14.7% | -2.3% |
| 1960 | 15.6% | +5.7% |
| 1961 | 13.9% | -10.9% |
| 1962 | 13.3% | -4.4% |
| 1963 | 14.5% | +9.7% |
| 1964 | 14.4% | -0.7% |
| 1965 | 15.1% | +4.5% |
| 1966 | 15.6% | +3.4% |
| 1967 | 14.9% | -4.2% |
| 1968 | 15.0% | +0.3% |
| 1969 | 15.6% | +4.3% |
| 1970 | 15.3% | -2.0% |
| 1971 | 15.5% | +1.2% |
| 1972 | 16.2% | +4.6% |
| 1973 | 15.9% | -2.0% |
| 1974 | 15.9% | +0.2% |
| 1975 | 15.5% | -2.8% |
| 1976 | 15.7% | +1.6% |
| 1977 | 15.4% | -1.9% |
| 1978 | 15.5% | +0.5% |
| 1979 | 15.2% | -2.1% |
| 1980 | 13.6% | -10.6% |
| 1981 | 12.2% | -10.4% |
| 1982 | 12.1% | -0.8% |
| 1983 | 12.5% | +3.8% |
| 1984 | 12.3% | -1.7% |
| 1985 | 11.4% | -7.5% |
| 1986 | 11.8% | +3.3% |
| 1987 | 11.2% | -5.1% |
| 1988 | 11.4% | +2.5% |
| 1989 | 11.6% | +1.6% |
| 1990 | 11.7% | +1.1% |
| 1991 | 10.9% | -7.1% |
| 1992 | 11.1% | +1.3% |
| 1993 | 11.4% | +3.4% |
| 1994 | 11.5% | +0.8% |
| 1995 | 11.4% | -0.8% |
| 1996 | 11.8% | +3.6% |
| 1997 | 12.3% | +3.6% |
| 1998 | 12.4% | +0.8% |
| 1999 | 12.4% | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 12.4% | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 11.4% | -8.6% |
| 2002 | 9.4% | -17.1% |
| 2003 | 10.0% | +6.0% |
| 2007 | 11.2% | +12.2% |
| 2008 | 10.6% | -5.7% |
| 2009 | 9.4% | -10.5% |
| 2010 | 9.5% | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 9.5% | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 9.5% | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 8.8% | -8.2% |
| 2014 | 6.2% | -29.7% |
| 2015 | 6.3% | +3.1% |
| 2016 | 6.1% | -3.1% |
| 2017 | 6.1% | -1.3% |
| 2018 | 6.2% | +2.5% |
| 2019 | 6.0% | -4.4% |
| 2022 | 6.1% | +2.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 16.2% | 14.7% | 18.2% | 5 |
| 1960s | 14.8% | 13.3% | 15.6% | 10 |
| 1970s | 15.6% | 15.2% | 16.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 12.0% | 11.2% | 13.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 11.7% | 10.9% | 12.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.6% | 9.4% | 12.4% | 7 |
| 2010s | 7.4% | 6.0% | 9.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.1% | 6.1% | 6.1% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Portugal
More health data for Portugal
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.56 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.1616 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,112 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 38 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 15-19, male, annual growth rate 0.5471 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-19, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 15-19, male, per capita 0.0252 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 20-24, female, annual growth rate 1.39 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 20-24, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 20-24, female, per capita 0.0264 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death in Portugal?
- Share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death in Portugal was 6.1% 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 Portugal?
- The highest recorded value was 18.2% in 1956.
- What is the lowest share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death recorded in Portugal?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.0% in 2019.
- How does Portugal rank for share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death?
- Portugal ranks 43rd out of 113 countries with data for 2022.
- Is share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death rising or falling in Portugal?
- Over the last ten years it is down 35.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Portugal 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.
Download this data
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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.