How Many Deaths are there in Australia each year?

How Many Deaths are there in Australia each year?

Statistical numbers of Deaths, and Births etc., can be found at various Australian government websites, and other commercial websites. They do not always agree with each other. Some may be preliminary numbers, which might be changed by the time the final numbers are released, some are just totally different reports.

For example, the ABS Causes of Death, Australia, 2020 is due for release on 29th September 2021, but numbers of deaths in Australia for 2020 are already appearing on websites, such as:

• In 2020, approximately 161,400 deaths were recorded in Australia.
• 141,116 deaths occurred in 2020 (Provisional Mortality Statistics, Jan-Dec 2020)

The above shows a difference of about 20,000 deaths, Why?
There is a logical reason, the report showing 141,116 deaths is from the doctor-certified deaths report, and not the total deaths report which would include coroner‑certified deaths.

The following numbers are from ABS 3303.0 – Causes of Death, Australia

In 2019 there were 166,700 deaths in Australia. abs.gov.au
In 2018 there were 158,493 deaths in Australia. abs.gov.au
In 2017 there were 160,909 deaths in Australia. abs.gov.au
In 2016 there were 158,504 deaths in Australia. abs.gov.au

This averaged 161,201 deaths per year, over that five year period.

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Australia’s leading causes of death, 2019

There were 169,301 registered and received deaths in Australia in 2019, an increase of 6.8% (10,808) from 2018.
52.2% of deaths were male (88,346) and 47.8% of deaths were female (80,955).
The median age at death was 81.7 years (78.8 for males, 84.8 for females).
The leading cause of death was Ischaemic heart disease.
Dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease was the second leading cause of death and had the highest median age at death at 89.1
https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/causes-death/causes-death-australia/2019

Australia’s leading causes of death, 2018

There were 158,493 registered deaths in Australia in 2018.
In 2018 there were 82,320 male deaths and 76,173 female deaths.
Ischaemic heart disease was the leading cause of death for males (10,269 deaths).
Dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease was the leading cause of death for females (8,973 deaths).
https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/causes-death/causes-death-australia/2018

Australia’s leading causes of death, 2017

In 2017, there were 160,909 deaths in Australia (82,858 males and 78,051 females).
The leading cause of death was Ischaemic heart disease (18,590 deaths), accounting for 11.6% of all deaths.
While remaining the leading cause of death, the number of deaths from Ischaemic heart disease has been steadily declining over the past decade.
The death rate has decreased from 99.4 deaths per 100,000 people in 2008 to 59.3 per 100,000 in 2017, and the number of deaths has decreased by 21.9%.
https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/3303.0~2017~Main%20Features~Australia’s%20leading%20causes%20of%20death,%202017~2

Australia’s leading causes of death, 2016

In 2016, there were 158,504 deaths in Australia (81,867 males and 76,637 females).
The leading cause of death was Ischaemic heart disease with 19,077 deaths, or 12.0% of all deaths.
People who died from Ischaemic heart diseases in 2016 had a median age at death of 85.1 years. Ischaemic heart disease is a condition that affects the supply of blood to the heart, and includes acute myocardial infarction, angina and chronic ischaemic disease.
https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/3303.0~2016~Main%20Features~Australia’s%20leading%20causes%20of%20death,%202016~3

Data for years 1993 to 2017 can be seen at: ABS: 3303.0 – Causes of Death, Australian Bureau of Statistics.

The following are the recorded death numbers from abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/deaths-australia/latest-release

Australian Deaths Per Year 1915-2019

• 169,301 deaths in 2019 . ( 88,346 male. 80,955 female. )
• 158,493 deaths in 2018 . ( 82,320 male. 76,173 female. )
• 160,909 deaths in 2017 . ( 82,858 male. 78,051 female. )
• 158,504 deaths in 2016 . ( 81,867 male. 76,637 female. )
• 159,052 deaths in 2015 . ( 81,330 male. 77,722 female. )
• 153,580 deaths in 2014 . ( 78,341 male. 75,239 female. )
• 147,678 deaths in 2013 . ( 75,782 male. 71,896 female. )
• 147,098 deaths in 2012 . ( 74,794 male. 72,304 female. )
• 146,932 deaths in 2011 . ( 75,330 male. 71,602 female. )
• 143,473 deaths in 2010 . ( 73,484 male. 69,989 female. )
• 140,760 deaths in 2009 . ( 72,320 male. 68,440 female. )
• 143,946 deaths in 2008 . ( 73,548 male. 70,398 female. )
• 137,854 deaths in 2007 . ( 70,569 male. 67,285 female. )
• 133,739 deaths in 2006 . ( 68,556 male. 65,183 female. )
• 130,714 deaths in 2005 . ( 67,241 male. 63,473 female. )
• 132,508 deaths in 2004 . ( 68,395 male. 64,113 female. )
• 132,292 deaths in 2003 . ( 68,330 male. 63,962 female. )
• 133,707 deaths in 2002 . ( 68,885 male. 64,822 female. )
• 128,544 deaths in 2001 . ( 66,835 male. 61,709 female. )
• 128,291 deaths in 2000 . ( 66,817 male. 61,474 female. )
• 128,102 deaths in 1999 . ( 67,227 male. 60,875 female. )
• 127,202 deaths in 1998 . ( 67,073 male. 60,129 female. )
• 129,350 deaths in 1997 . ( 67,752 male. 61,598 female. )
• 128,719 deaths in 1996 . ( 68,206 male. 60,513 female. )
• 125,133 deaths in 1995 . ( 66,251 male. 58,882 female. )
• 126,692 deaths in 1994 . ( 67,464 male. 59,228 female. )
• 121,599 deaths in 1993 . ( 65,089 male. 56,510 female. )
• 123,660 deaths in 1992 . ( 66,115 male. 57,545 female. )
• 119,146 deaths in 1991 . ( 64,067 male. 55,079 female. )
• 120,062 deaths in 1990 . ( 64,660 male. 55,402 female. )
• 124,232 deaths in 1989 . ( 66,926 male. 57,306 female. )
• 119,866 deaths in 1988 . ( 65,082 male. 54,784 female. )
• 117,321 deaths in 1987 . ( 63,611 male. 53,710 female. )
• 114,981 deaths in 1986 . ( 62,210 male. 52,771 female. )
• 118,808 deaths in 1985 . ( 64,156 male. 54,652 female. )
• 109,914 deaths in 1984 . ( 59,987 male. 49,927 female. )
• 110,084 deaths in 1983 . ( 60,450 male. 49,634 female. )
• 114,771 deaths in 1982 . ( 63,295 male. 51,476 female. )
• 109,003 deaths in 1981 . ( 60,696 male. 48,307 female. )
• 108,695 deaths in 1980 . ( 60,518 male. 48,177 female. )
• 106,568 deaths in 1979 . ( 59,257 male. 47,311 female. )
• 108,425 deaths in 1978 . ( 60,281 male. 48,144 female. )
• 108,790 deaths in 1977 . ( 60,320 male. 48,470 female. )
• 112,662 deaths in 1976 . ( 62,527 male. 50,135 female. )
• 109,021 deaths in 1975 . ( 60,738 male. 48,283 female. )
• 115,833 deaths in 1974 . ( 64,299 male. 51,534 female. )
• 110,822 deaths in 1973 . ( 61,588 male. 49,234 female. )
• 109,760 deaths in 1972 . ( 61,116 male. 48,644 female. )
• 110,650 deaths in 1971 . ( 61,074 male. 49,576 female. )
• 113,048 deaths in 1970 . ( 62,828 male. 50,220 female. )
• 106,496 deaths in 1969 . ( 59,686 male. 46,810 female. )
• 109,547 deaths in 1968 . ( 61,061 male. 48,486 female. )
• 102,703 deaths in 1967 . ( 57,508 male. 45,195 female. )
• 103,929 deaths in 1966 . ( 57,795 male. 46,134 female. )
• 99,715 deaths in 1965 . ( 55,770 male. 43,945 female. )
• 100,594 deaths in 1964 . ( 56,246 male. 44,348 female. )
• 94,894 deaths in 1963 . ( 53,212 male. 41,682 female. )
• 93,163 deaths in 1962 . ( 52,378 male. 40,785 female. )
• 88,961 deaths in 1961 . ( 50,248 male. 38,713 female. )
• 88,464 deaths in 1960 . ( 49,629 male. 38,835 female. )
• 89,212 deaths in 1959 . ( 50,293 male. 38,919 female. )
• 83,723 deaths in 1958 . ( 47,050 male. 36,673 female. )
• 84,953 deaths in 1957 . ( 47,659 male. 37,294 female. )
• 86,088 deaths in 1956 . ( 48,192 male. 37,896 female. )
• 82,036 deaths in 1955 . ( 46,188 male. 35,848 female. )
• 81,805 deaths in 1954 . ( 45,787 male. 36,018 female. )
• 80,188 deaths in 1953 . ( 44,822 male. 35,366 female. )
• 81,597 deaths in 1952 . ( 45,851 male. 35,746 female. )
• 81,788 deaths in 1951 . ( 45,953 male. 35,835 female. )
• 78,187 deaths in 1950 . ( 43,720 male. 34,467 female. )
• 75,260 deaths in 1949 . ( 42,195 male. 33,065 female. )
• 76,839 deaths in 1948 . ( 42,655 male. 34,184 female. )
• 73,468 deaths in 1947 . ( 40,769 male. 32,699 female. )
• 74,661 deaths in 1946 . ( 41,283 male. 33,378 female. )
• 70,231 deaths in 1945 . ( 38,211 male. 32,020 female. )
• 69,596 deaths in 1944 . ( 37,820 male. 31,776 female. )
• 74,486 deaths in 1943 . ( 40,778 male. 33,708 female. )
• 75,191 deaths in 1942 . ( 41,587 male. 33,604 female. )
• 71,176 deaths in 1941 . ( 39,409 male. 31,767 female. )
• 68,384 deaths in 1940 . ( 38,608 male. 29,776 female. )
• 69,147 deaths in 1939 . ( 38,837 male. 30,310 female. )
• 66,451 deaths in 1938 . ( 37,046 male. 29,405 female. )
• 64,496 deaths in 1937 . ( 36,246 male. 28,250 female. )
• 63,932 deaths in 1936 . ( 35,651 male. 28,281 female. )
• 63,599 deaths in 1935 . ( 35,691 male. 27,908 female. )
• 62,229 deaths in 1934 . ( 34,571 male. 27,658 female. )
• 59,117 deaths in 1933 . ( 33,250 male. 25,867 female. )
• 56,757 deaths in 1932 . ( 31,860 male. 24,897 female. )
• 56,560 deaths in 1931 . ( 31,796 male. 24,764 female. )
• 55,331 deaths in 1930 . ( 31,148 male. 24,183 female. )
• 60,857 deaths in 1929 . ( 34,718 male. 26,139 female. )
• 59,378 deaths in 1928 . ( 33,145 male. 26,233 female. )
• 58,282 deaths in 1927 . ( 32,858 male. 25,424 female. )
• 56,952 deaths in 1926 . ( 32,387 male. 24,565 female. )
• 54,568 deaths in 1925 . ( 31,134 male. 23,434 female. )
• 54,980 deaths in 1924 . ( 31,103 male. 23,877 female. )
• 56,236 deaths in 1923 . ( 31,622 male. 24,614 female. )
• 51,311 deaths in 1922 . ( 29,245 male. 22,066 female. )
• 54,076 deaths in 1921 . ( 30,652 male. 23,424 female. )
• 56,289 deaths in 1920 . ( 32,053 male. 24,236 female. )
• 65,930 deaths in 1919 . ( 37,632 male. 28,298 female. )
• 50,249 deaths in 1918 . ( 28,585 male. 21,664 female. )
• 48,029 deaths in 1917 . ( 27,609 male. 20,420 female. )
• 54,197 deaths in 1916 . ( 31,018 male. 23,179 female. )
• 52,782 deaths in 1915 . ( 30,654 male. 22,128 female. )