Press Release 26/07/2022
DEATH STATISTICS. 2021
Deaths in the Basque Country fell by 4.8% in 2021
In 2021, 1,682 deaths were caused by COVID-19, 45.7% less than the previous year
The number of deaths in the Basque Country was 23,073 in 2021, a decrease of 4.8% compared to 2020, according to Eustat data. By province, the sharpest drop was in Álava, with a 9.1% decrease, followed by Bizkaia at 5.7% and Gipuzkoa at 1.6%.
COVID-19 was the main cause of 7.3% of deaths in 2021 (1,682 deaths), 45.7% less than those recorded in 2020.
Deaths of the Basque Country by provinces, municipality (>40,000 hab.) of residence, sex and age. 2020-2021
| | 2020 | 2021 | Increase (%) |
| Basque Country | 24.247 | 23.073 | -4,8 |
| | | | |
| Historic Territories of Residence | | | |
| Araba/Álava | 3.266 | 2.970 | -9,1 |
| Bizkaia | 13.243 | 12.486 | -5,7 |
| Gipuzkoa | 7.738 | 7.617 | -1,6 |
| | | | |
| Municipality of residence (>40,000 inhabitants) | | | |
| Barakaldo | 1.272 | 1.183 | -7,0 |
| Basauri | 552 | 478 | -13,4 |
| Bilbao | 4.512 | 4.044 | -10,4 |
| Donostia / San Sebastian | 2.174 | 2.067 | -4,9 |
| Getxo | 791 | 780 | -1,4 |
| Irun | 642 | 658 | 2,5 |
| Portugalete | 584 | 585 | 0,2 |
| Santurtzi | 549 | 533 | -2,9 |
| Vitoria-Gasteiz | 2.439 | 2.182 | -10,5 |
| Sex | | | |
| Man | | | |
| Woman | 12.056 | 11.565 | -4,1 |
| | 12.191 | 11.508 | -5,6 |
| Age | | | |
| Aged under 40 | 247 | 223 | -9,7 |
| From 40 to 59 years | 1.544 | 1.556 | 0,8 |
| From 60 to 79 years | 6.693 | 6.448 | -3,7 |
| 80 or older | 15.763 | 14.846 | -5,8 |
Source: Eustat. Death statistics
The average age of people who died was 81 years old
Considering the total number of deaths in 2021, there were 11,565 male deaths and 11,508 female deaths. The average age of people who died in 2021 was 81 years of age, whereas ten years previously, in 2011, the figure stood at 78.2, meaning that the average age has risen by 2.8 years over the course of the last decade.
The average age at death amongst men in 2021 was 78, whilst the average age amongst women stood at 84. In 2011, the average ages were 74.8 and 81.8, respectively. Thus, over the course of the last 10 years, the average age at death of men has increased by 3.2 years, and that of women by 2.2 years.
As regards child mortality, there were 35 deaths of children under one year of age in the Basque Country. Mortality amongst newborns, occurring within the first 28 days of life, registered 22 deaths, 3 of which were during the first 24 hours and another 13 in the first week. Within deaths amongst children below the age of 1, boys accounted for 60% of the total.
In 2021, 421 people died at the age of 100 or over (born in 1921 or before), of which 83.1% were women. The number of deaths amongst centenarians has increased by 12 in relation to 2020.
27.1% of deaths were due to tumours
27.1% of deaths that occurred in 2021 (6,243 deaths) were due to tumours, followed by circulatory system diseases, at 25.6% (5,915 deaths), and lastly, mental and behavioural disorders, at 7.6% (1,763).
The cause of death continued to vary according to sex: amongst men, tumours caused more deaths than diseases of the circulatory system, whilst amongst women, the main cause of death was cardiovascular disease, followed by tumours. It is also worth noting that there was a higher percentage of women among deaths caused by mental and behavioural disorders, in contrast to that which occurred with those attributable to external causes, where there was a higher percentage of men.
Furthermore, the cause of death varied in accordance with age. Amongst those aged under one, the most frequent causes of death were illnesses originating in the perinatal period and congenital malformations; amongst those aged from 1 to 39, the majority of deaths were attributable to external causes, including accidents and suicides; amongst those aged between 40 and 79, tumours were the highest cause of death, whilst amongst those aged 80 years or over, it was diseases of the circulatory system.
Deaths of the Basque Country by cause of death and age. 2021
| | Total | Under 1 years | 1 - 19 years | 20 - 39 years | From 40 to 59 years | From 60 to 79 years | 80 or older |
| Total | 23.073 | 35 | 44 | 144 | 1.556 | 6.448 | 14.846 |
| I.Ciertas certain infectious and parasitic diseases | 309 | - | - | 3 | 22 | 72 | 212 |
| II.Tumors | 6.243 | 2 | 12 | 39 | 718 | 2.899 | 2.573 |
| III.Enfermedades Blood and hematopoietic organ diseases, and certain disorders that affect the inmunity mechanism | 117 | 1 | 2 | - | 3 | 18 | 93 |
| IV.Enfermedades endocrine, nutritional and metabolical diseases | 710 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 30 | 157 | 519 |
| V.Trastornos mental and behavioural disorders | 1.763 | - | 1 | - | 15 | 197 | 1.550 |
| VI.Enfermedades Illnesses of the nervous system | 1.409 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 70 | 347 | 976 |
| IX.Enfermedades Illnesses of the circulatory system | 5.915 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 264 | 1.240 | 4.397 |
| X.Enfermedades Illnesses of the respiratory system | 1.348 | 3 | - | 1 | 43 | 291 | 1.010 |
| XI.Enfermedades Diseases of the digestive system | 1.078 | - | - | 5 | 98 | 271 | 704 |
| XII.Enfermedades skin and subcutaneous tissue diseases | 121 | - | - | - | 1 | 18 | 102 |
| XIII.Enfermedades Diseases of the osteo-muscular system and the conjunctive tissue | 297 | - | - | - | 3 | 28 | 266 |
| XIV.Illnesses of the genitourinary system | 723 | - | - | - | 10 | 111 | 602 |
| Pregnancy, birth and puerperium | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| XVI.Certain affections originating in the perinatal period | 17 | 16 | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| XVII.Congenital malformations, deformities and chromosomic anormalities | 53 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 16 | 12 | 6 |
| XVIII.Symtoms, abnormal clinical signs and laboratory findings | 590 | 1 | - | 1 | 12 | 50 | 526 |
| XX.External mortality causes | 698 | 1 | 12 | 63 | 169 | 172 | 281 |
| COVID-19 confirmed | 1650 | - | - | 6 | 81 | 559 | 1.004 |
| COVID-19 probable | 32 | - | - | - | 1 | 6 | 25 |
Date July 26, 2022
Source: Eustat. Death statistics
The COVID-19 virus was the cause of 7.3% of deaths
In 2021 overall, there were 1,682 deaths where COVID-19 was the main cause, 7.3% of the total. These deaths were classified into 2 groups: those due to COVID-19 confirmed by a specific analysis, of which there were 1,650, and deaths probably due to COVID-19, which were cases not confirmed by analysis but where COVID-19 was the main cause of death on the medical report, of which there were 32. Deaths resulting from this cause were down 45.7% on those recorded in 2020.
Deaths of the Basque Country by provinces, municipality (>40,000 hab.) of residence, sex and age according to causes of death related to COVID-19. 2021
| | Total deaths | Total COVID-19 | COVID-19 confirmed | COVID-19 probable |
| Basque Country | 23.073 | 1.682 | 1.650 | 32 |
| | | | | |
| Historic Territories of Residence | | | | |
| Araba/Álava | 2.970 | 198 | 192 | 6 |
| Bizkaia | 12.486 | 942 | 921 | 21 |
| Gipuzkoa | 7.617 | 542 | 537 | 5 |
| | | | | |
| Municipality of residence (>40,000 inhabitants) | | | | |
| Barakaldo | 1.183 | 61 | 60 | 1 |
| Basauri | 478 | 22 | 22 | 0 |
| Bilbao | 4.044 | 379 | 366 | 13 |
| Donostia / San Sebastian | 2.067 | 129 | 128 | 1 |
| Getxo | 780 | 73 | 71 | 2 |
| Irun | 658 | 49 | 49 | 0 |
| Portugalete | 585 | 29 | 28 | 1 |
| Santurtzi | 533 | 37 | 37 | 0 |
| Vitoria-Gasteiz | 2.182 | 154 | 149 | 5 |
| Sex | | | | |
| Man | | | | |
| Woman | 11.565 | 925 | 910 | 15 |
| | 11.508 | 757 | 740 | 17 |
| Age | | | | |
| Aged under 40 | 223 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| From 40 to 59 years | 1.556 | 82 | 81 | 1 |
| From 60 to 79 years | 6.448 | 565 | 559 | 6 |
| 80 or older | 14.846 | 1.029 | 1.004 | 25 |
Source: Eustat. Death statistics
By province, Bizkaia had the highest number of deaths due to COVID-19 (942), followed by Gipuzkoa (542) and Álava (198). Considering these deaths in terms of percentages, in Bizkaia the percentage of deaths caused by COVID-19 amounts to 7.5% of the total, in Gipuzkoa, 7.1% and in Álava, 6.7%. As regards the capitals, Bilbao stood out with 379 deaths caused by COVID-19 (9.4%), followed by Vitoria-Gasteiz with 154 (7.1%) and San Sebastián with 129 (6.2%). Numbers were also notable in Getxo and Barakaldo, with 73 (9.4%) and 61 (5.2%) COVID-19 deaths, respectively.
The number of men who died due to COVID-19 was higher than that of women: 925 men compared to 757 women. In terms of age, 61.2% of deaths caused by COVID-19 corresponded to people over 80 years old.
By months, January was the month with the most COVID-19 deaths (366), followed by February (324), and an increase in deaths as a result of this cause can be observed in April, August and December.
There were a further 160 deaths in which COVID-19 was among the certified causes of death, but without being the main cause.
Population growth was negative in the three provinces
Population growth was negative, as there were 8,816 more deaths than births. There were negative balances in the three provinces: in Bizkaia it was 5,529 people, in Gipuzkoa it was 2,685, and in Álava 602. Compared to last year, this negative balance was lower, standing at 7.3%, due to the decrease in deaths caused by COVID-19.
For further information:
Eustat - Euskal Estatistika Erakundea / Basque Statistics Institute
C/ Donostia-San Sebastián, 1 01010 Vitoria-Gasteiz
Press service: servicioprensa@eustat.es Tel.: 945 01 75 62