The mortality rate has been stable in France since the middle of 1980s. The mortality rate varies between *** and ***** deaths per 1,000 inhabitants. Life expectancy of women in France amounted to more than 85 years in 2023, making the country one of the areas in Europe where women live the longest. A slowly increasing death rate From 2014 to 2020, the death rate in France generally remained stable, oscillating mostly between *** and *** deaths per 1,000 population. Death rate, also known as mortality rate, is the ratio between the annual number of deaths and the average total population over a given period and on a specific territory. In 2023, the population in France reached ***** million people, while in 2022, the total number of deaths in France was *******. The mortality rate in France increased slowly in recent years. In 2007, the death rate amounted to *** per thousand population, compared to *** deaths ten years later. Causes of death In 2013, the leading cause of death among French citizens was cancer. That year, ******* people died of tumors, while diseases of the circulatory system were the second most common cause of death in the country. Mortality rate because of cancer was particularly high among French males, whereas females appear to be more affected by cardiovascular disease. Studies have shown that cancer was not only the leading cause of death in France, but also in Europe. More broadly, health and diseases were among the major causes of death in European countries, even if traffic accidents killed more than ***** individuals in France in 2021.

Historical chart and dataset showing France death rate by year from 1950 to 2025.

The death rate in France decreased to 9.2 deaths per 1,000 inhabitants compared to the previous year. The crude death rate is the annual number of deaths divided by the total population, expressed per 1,000 people.Find more statistics on other topics about France with key insights such as total life expectancy at birth, infant mortality rate, and total fertility rate.

Death rate, crude (per 1,000 people) in France was reported at 9.2 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. France - Death rate, crude - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

France FR: Death Rate: Crude: per 1000 People data was reported at 8.800 Ratio in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 8.900 Ratio for 2015. France FR: Death Rate: Crude: per 1000 People data is updated yearly, averaging 9.500 Ratio from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2016, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 11.400 Ratio in 1960 and a record low of 8.300 Ratio in 2007. France FR: Death Rate: Crude: per 1000 People data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s France – Table FR.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Crude death rate indicates the number of deaths occurring during the year, per 1,000 population estimated at midyear. Subtracting the crude death rate from the crude birth rate provides the rate of natural increase, which is equal to the rate of population change in the absence of migration.; ; (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision. (2) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (3) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (4) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Reprot (various years), (5) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database, and (6) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme.; Weighted average;

In 2023, the infant mortality rate in France did not change in comparison to the previous year. The infant mortality rate remained at 3.4 deaths per 1,000 live births. The infant mortality rate refers to the number of newborns not expected to survive past the first year of life. This is generally expressed as a value per 1,000 live births, and infant mortality also includes neonatal mortality (deaths within the first 28 days of life).Find more statistics on other topics about France with key insights such as total fertility rate, death rate, and total life expectancy at birth.

Historical chart and dataset showing France maternal mortality rate by year from 1985 to 2023.

Infant mortality, already low in France since 2003, has decreased. That year, out of 1,000 children born, four died before the age of one. The rate has dropped over the years before reaching its lowest level in 2011, 2012, and 2014 with 3.3. However, the rate has been increasing again in the past years, reaching its 2003 level in 2023.

UNICEF's country profile for France, including under-five mortality rates, child health, education and sanitation data.

France infant mortality rate for 2025 is 2.56, a 2.29% decline from 2024.

<ul style='margin-top:20px;'>

<li>France infant mortality rate for 2024 was <strong>2.62</strong>, a <strong>2.24% decline</strong> from 2023.</li>
<li>France infant mortality rate for 2023 was <strong>2.68</strong>, a <strong>2.58% decline</strong> from 2022.</li>
<li>France infant mortality rate for 2022 was <strong>2.75</strong>, a <strong>2.52% decline</strong> from 2021.</li>
</ul>Infant mortality rate is the number of infants dying before reaching one year of age, per 1,000 live births in a given year.

France Mortality Rate: per 1000 Persons data was reported at 9.100 NA in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 9.000 NA for 2016. France Mortality Rate: per 1000 Persons data is updated yearly, averaging 9.300 NA from Dec 1962 (Median) to 2017, with 56 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 11.700 NA in 1963 and a record low of 8.400 NA in 2007. France Mortality Rate: per 1000 Persons data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by French National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies. The data is categorized under Global Database’s France – Table FR.G007: Vital Statistics: Mortality Rate.

France FR: Mortality Rate Attributed to Unintentional Poisoning: Male: per 100,000 Male Population data was reported at 0.300 Ratio in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 0.400 Ratio for 2015. France FR: Mortality Rate Attributed to Unintentional Poisoning: Male: per 100,000 Male Population data is updated yearly, averaging 0.400 Ratio from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2016, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 0.500 Ratio in 2000 and a record low of 0.300 Ratio in 2016. France FR: Mortality Rate Attributed to Unintentional Poisoning: Male: per 100,000 Male Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s France – Table FR.World Bank: Health Statistics. Mortality rate attributed to unintentional poisonings is the number of male deaths from unintentional poisonings in a year per 100,000 male population. Unintentional poisoning can be caused by household chemicals, pesticides, kerosene, carbon monoxide and medicines, or can be the result of environmental contamination or occupational chemical exposure.; ; World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository (http://apps.who.int/ghodata/).; Weighted average;

In 2022, there were 675,122 deaths in France. Of course, this figure must be related to the total population. In 2022 the death rate in France was 9.9 per 1,000 inhabitants.

Deaths in France

Despite being the second most populous country in Europe, France was ranked fourth in term of number of deaths in Europe in 2017. As in other Western countries, the leading causes of death among the French population appear to be diseases and cancer. In 2017, more than 73 thousand French women died of cancer,. Circulatory system diseases were also one of the most frequent causes of death. Regarding external causes of death, France has been fighting for years against road deaths. Prevention campaigns, as well as new traffic regulations, have led to a decrease in road deaths in France since 2006.

Aging in France

France has one of the highest life expectancies in Europe. In 2021, female life expectancy at birth reached 85.5 years, while male life expectancy amounted 79.4 years. The French appear to be concerned about health issues, now that the population of the country is getting older. However, since the mid-2000s the number of healthy life years of French male citizens at birth come over 63 years old, whereas it reaches 58 years old in Germany.

Tuberculosis death rate (per 100,000 people) in France was reported at 0.68 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. France - Tuberculosis death rate (per 100,000 people) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

The child mortality rate in France, for children under the age of five, was 412 deaths per thousand births in 1800. This means that more than forty percent of all children born in 1800 did not make it to their fifth birthday. Child mortality remained high in the nineteenth century, before falling at a much faster rate throughout the 1900s. Despite falling consistently during the last 130 years, there were two occasions where child mortality actually increased, which can be attributed to both World Wars and the Spanish Flu Pandemic. In 2020, the child mortality rate in France is expected to be just four deaths per thousand births.

Mortality rate, adult, male (per 1,000 male adults) in France was reported at 92.75 % in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. France - Mortality rate, adult, male (per 1,000 male adults) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

Forecast: Maternal Death Rate (Lifetime Risk) in France 2024 - 2028 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

Graph and download economic data for Infant Mortality Rate for France (SPDYNIMRTINFRA) from 1960 to 2023 about mortality, infant, France, and rate.

France FR: Mortality Rate Attributed to Household and Ambient Air Pollution: per 100,000 Population data was reported at 9.700 Ratio in 2016. France FR: Mortality Rate Attributed to Household and Ambient Air Pollution: per 100,000 Population data is updated yearly, averaging 9.700 Ratio from Dec 2016 (Median) to 2016, with 1 observations. France FR: Mortality Rate Attributed to Household and Ambient Air Pollution: per 100,000 Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s France – Table FR.World Bank: Health Statistics. Mortality rate attributed to household and ambient air pollution is the number of deaths attributable to the joint effects of household and ambient air pollution in a year per 100,000 population. The rates are age-standardized. Following diseases are taken into account: acute respiratory infections (estimated for all ages); cerebrovascular diseases in adults (estimated above 25 years); ischaemic heart diseases in adults (estimated above 25 years); chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in adults (estimated above 25 years); and lung cancer in adults (estimated above 25 years).; ; World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository (http://apps.who.int/ghodata/).; Weighted average;

France Mortality Rate: per 1000 Persons: 5-9 Years data was reported at 0.080 NA in 2016. This stayed constant from the previous number of 0.080 NA for 2015. France Mortality Rate: per 1000 Persons: 5-9 Years data is updated yearly, averaging 0.210 NA from Dec 1962 (Median) to 2016, with 55 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 0.440 NA in 1962 and a record low of 0.080 NA in 2016. France Mortality Rate: per 1000 Persons: 5-9 Years data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by French National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies. The data is categorized under Global Database’s France – Table FR.G007: Vital Statistics: Mortality Rate.