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Global health estimates: Leading causes of death

Cause-specific mortality, 2000–2019

Causes of death and disability can be grouped into three large categories: communicable (infectious diseases, along with maternal, perinatal and nutritional conditions), noncommunicable (chronic diseases) and injuries.

Monitoring the yearly number of deaths helps to address their causes and adapt health systems to react effectively, triggering responses of multiple sectors: from transportation (in addressing road traffic accidents) to food and agriculture (in tackling the rise in diabetes prevalence) and mental health support (in early detection of mental health conditions). 

Understanding the reasons why people die, can help comprehend the ways people live to improve health services and reduce preventable deaths in every country, responding effectively to changing epidemiological circumstances.  

 

Summary findings

  • Noncommunicable diseases have become more prominent with Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes entering whereas communicable diseases are on the decline with both HIV and tuberculosis dropping out of the top 10.
  • Ischaemic heart disease was the top cause of death in both 2000 and 2019. It is responsible for the largest increase in deaths – more than 2 million – over the last two decades.
  • Lower respiratory infections were responsible for the most deaths in the communicable disease category in both 2000 and 2019, although the total number of deaths from lower respiratory infections has decreased. 

 

 

 

 

Data download

About the download files

The latest global, regional and country-level cause-specific mortality estimates for the year 2000, 2010, 2015 and 2019 are available for download below.

Recommended citation: Global Health Estimates 2020: Deaths by Cause, Age, Sex, by Country and by Region, 2000-2019. Geneva, World Health Organization; 2020.

A summary of data sources and methods is available. Due to changes in data and some methods, the 2000–2019 estimates are not comparable to previously-released WHO estimates.

 

WHO methods and data sources or country-level causes of death, 2000-2019

 

GLOBAL AND BY REGION 

Summary tables of mortality estimates by cause, age and sex, globally and by region, 2000–2019

Global summary estimates ¦ WHO regions ¦ World Bank income groups

 

BY COUNTRY

Summary tables of mortality estimates by cause, age and sex, by country, 2000–2019

Number of deaths

WHO Member States, 2000 ¦ WHO Member States, 2010 ¦ WHO Member States, 2015 ¦ WHO Member States, 2019 

Death rates

WHO Member States, 2019


Leading causes of death and disability

WHO’s Global Health Estimates (GHE) provide the latest available data on causes of death and disability globally, by region and country, and by age, sex and income group. They provide key insights on mortality and morbidity trends to support informed decision-making on health policy and resource allocation. 

These estimates are produced using data from multiple sources, including national vital registration data, latest estimates from WHO technical programmes, United Nations partners and inter-agency groups, as well as the Global Burden of Disease and other scientific studies. Before publishing, the GHE are reviewed by WHO Member States through consultation with national focal points and WHO country and regional offices. 

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