Press Release 24/04/2009

2007 MORTALITY STATISTICS (EDEF)

The average age of the deceased in the Basque Country in 2007 was 76.8, nearly six years more than in 1990

The number of deaths came to 19,252, 4% up on the previous year

The average age of the deceased in the Basque Country in 2007 stood at 76.8, whereas in 1990 it had been 71, which is to say that there was an increase of 5.8 years, according to Eustat data. By sex, men died at 71.3 years old on average and women at 80.9. Two hundred and two people aged 100 or over died, while they numbered 96 in 1997.

The number of deaths in the Basque Country in 2007 totalled 19,252, of which 10,021 were men and 9,231 women. This figure meant a 4% increase with respect to 2006.

There were 1,344 more births than deaths, which meant that the population growth rate was positive, even though to a lesser extent than in 2006. By provinces, there were positive balances in Álava and Gipuzkoa, with population increases of 613 and 953 people, respectively. On the other hand, the number of deaths exceeded the births in Bizkaia (-222).

As regards infant mortality, 4.3 babies under 1 died per thousand deaths. Neonatal mortality, occuring in the first 28 days, accounted for 66 deaths; 46 were as a result of early neonatal mortality, dying in the first week, of which 16 died in the first 24 hours. Among the under-ones, the deaths of boys (47) outnumbered those of girls (41).

60% of deaths were due to tumours and circulatory diseases

30.2% of the deaths (5,812) were due to tumours. This was followed by circulatory diseases with 29.7% (5,710 deaths) and, in third place, some way behind, respiratory disease, which accounted for 9.6% of deaths (1854).

The cause of death differed according to sex, since among men tumours outnumbered circulatory system diseases, whereas among women the main cause was cardiovascular diseases and secondly tumours.

The cause of death also varied with age. In babies of less than one year old, deaths were most frequently due to diseases originating in the perinatal period and congenital malformations; up until 34 years of age, the main causes of death were external; from 35 to 74 the main cause was tumours and from 75 onwards, circulatory system diseases

Among deaths due to external causes, most outstanding were traffic accidents with 145 deaths, while suicide accounted for 178 deaths. In both cases, a greater number of men died than women: 108 men and 37 women because of traffic accidents and 129 men and 49 women by suicide.



Graph 1: Deaths by cause and sex (%)

Source: EUSTAT

Table 1: Deaths by sex according to cause.

Source: EUSTAT

For further information:

Basque Statistics Office C/ Donostia-San Sebastián, 1 01010 Vitoria-Gasteiz Tlf:+34-945-01 75 00 Fax:+34-945-01 75 01 E-mail: eustat@eustat.es Contact: Martín González Hernández Tlf:+34-945-01 75 49 Fax:+34-945-01 75 01 Online press releases: www.eustat.es Databank: www.eustat.eus/bancopx/english/indice.aspx