The annual death rate in the United States is about eight fatalities per 1,000 people. That is lower than the death rate in countries such as Uganda, Yemen, the Philippines, the United Kingdom and Sweden but higher than in countries such as Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Mexico. One reason that developed and relatively peaceful countries such as the United Kingdom and Sweden have higher death rates is because of aging populations.
More facts about death rates and fatalities:
- The top 16 countries in terms of death rate are all in Africa, with Sierra Leone, Swaziland and Angola topping the list. Each of these countries has more than 20 fatalities per 1,000 people per year, with some estimates of deaths in Swaziland as high as 30 deaths per 1,000 people per year.
- Heart disease, cancer and car accidents combine to account for more than half of all U.S. fatalities.
- Global mortality rates have dropped significantly since the 1950s. From 1950-1955, the global death rate was about 20 deaths per 1,000 people per year, and from 2005-2010, it was only about 8.5 deaths per 1,000 people per year.
