The following is a list of the causes of human deaths worldwide for different years arranged by their associated mortality rates. Some causes listed include deaths also included in more specific subordinate causes, and some causes are omitted, so the percentages may only sum approximately to 100%. The causes listed are relatively immediate medical causes, but the ultimate cause of death might be described differently. For example, tobacco smoking often causes lung disease or cancer, and alcohol use disorder can cause liver failure or a motor vehicle accident. For statistics on preventable ultimate causes, see preventable causes of death.

In 2002, there were about 57 million deaths. In 2005, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) using the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), about 58 million people died. In 2010, according to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, 52.8 million people died. In 2016, the WHO recorded 56.7 million deaths with the leading cause of death as cardiovascular disease causing more than 17 million deaths (about 31% of the total) as shown in the chart to the side. In 2021, there were approx. 68 million deaths worldwide, as per WHO report.

Besides frequency, other measures to compare, consider, and monitor trends of causes of deaths include disability-adjusted life year (DALY) and years of potential life lost (YPLL).

By frequency Age standardized death rate, per 100,000, by cause, in 2017, and percentage change 2007–2017.GBD 2017 Causes of Death Collaborators. "Global, regional, and national age-sex-specific mortality for 282 causes of death in 195 countries and territories, 1980–2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017". The Lancet. November 8, 2018; 392:1736–88. . Table 1.

Overview table This first table gives an overview of the general categories and broad causes. The leading cause is cardiovascular disease at 31.59% of all deaths.

+ Rate of death by cause. Percent of all deaths Category Cause Percent Percent I. Communicable, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional disorders Respiratory infections and tuberculosis 6.85 19.49% Enteric infections 3.31 Sexually transmitted infections 1.88 Tropical diseases and malaria 1.37 Other infectious diseases 1.57 Maternal and neonatal disorders 4.00 Nutritional deficiencies 0.52 II. Non-communicable diseases Cardiovascular diseases 31.59 72.67% Neoplasms 16.43 Chronic respiratory diseases 6.97 Digestive diseases 4.11 Neurological disorders 5.84 Substance abuse 0.58 Diabetes and kidney diseases 4.55 Skin diseases 0.18 Musculoskeletal disorders 0.22 Other non-communicable 2.22 III. Injuries Transport injuries 2.30 7.85% Unintentional injuries 3.23 Self harm and violence 2.32

Developed vs. developing economies

Top causes of death, according to the World Health Organization report for the calendar year 2001: Causes of death in developing countries Number of deaths Causes of death in developed countries Number of deathsHIV-AIDS 2,678,000Ischaemic heart disease 3,512,000Lower respiratory infections 2,643,000Cerebrovascular disease 3,346,000Ischaemic heart disease 2,484,000Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 1,829,000Diarrhea 1,793,000Lower respiratory infections 1,180,000Cerebrovascular disease 1,381,000Lung cancer 938,000Childhood diseases 1,217,000Traffic accident 669,000Malaria 1,103,000Stomach cancer 657,000Tuberculosis 1,021,000Hypertensive heart disease 635,000Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 748,000Tuberculosis 571,000Measles 674,000Suicide 499,000

Detailed table

This table gives a more detailed and specific breakdown of the causes for the year 2017. Figures have a margin of error of about 5% on average.