In 2023, the number of deaths recorded in Spain was 433,163, which is 31,254 less than the previous year (6.7% less). In terms of gender, a total of 219,077 men and 214,086 women died (6.5% and 6.9% less than in 2022, respectively).
The crude mortality rate stood at 895.4 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, down 7.9% from the previous year. The rate for males was 924.2 deaths per 100,000 males (down 7.6%) and for females 867.8 deaths per 100,000 females (down 8.1%).
Of those deaths, 95.9% were due to natural causes and 4.1% to external causes.
In 2023, tumours were the number one cause of death, accounting for 26.6% of all deaths, followed by diseases of the circulatory system (26.5%).
Compared with the previous year, deaths due to tumours increased by 0.2%, while those due to diseases of the circulatory system decreased by 5.3%.
For the first time, this disparate evolution caused the death rate from tumours (237.8 per 100,000 inhabitants) to be higher than that of diseases of the circulatory system (237.5).
Rates per 100,000 inhabitants
Looking at a more specific detail, among deaths due to diseases of the circulatory system, ischaemic heart disease was the most frequent cause of death in 2023, with 27,203 people deceased, 6.4% less than in 2022. This was followed by cerebrovascular diseases, with 23,173 deaths (6.1% less).
With regard to tumours, bronchial and lung cancer was the most frequent cause of disease (with 22,717 deaths, unchanged from 2022), followed by colon cancer (10,891 deaths, 2.3% less).
The most frequent diseases that increased the most were in the respiratory conditions group. For example, deaths due to pneumonia increased by 17.1% and chronic lower respiratory diseases by 2.6%.
On the other hand, the cause of death that decreased the most with respect to 2022 was the COVID-19 virus identified (75.1% less).
Absolute values and percentage change
*2023 data published today are provisional
By gender, ischaemic heart disease was the number one cause of death among men (17,038 deaths), which was followed by bronchial and lung cancer (16,503) and cerebrovascular diseases (10,356).
For women, the most frequent causes were dementia (14,225 deaths), cerebrovascular diseases (12,817) and heart failure (11,258).
In 2023 there were 17,737 deaths due to external causes, 837 less than in the previous year (-4.5%). By gender, 11,205 men died (4.2% less than in 2022) and 6,532 women (5.0% less).
Unintentional falls were the number one cause of external death, with 4,018 deaths (6.1% more), surpassing suicides (with 3,952).
Among the most frequent causes, the highest decreases were recorded in deaths due to drowning, submersion and accidental suffocation (11.8% less) and in suicides (6.5% less). The number of deaths due to road traffic accidents also decreased (-3.6%).
By gender, the most frequent causes of external death among men were suicides (2,952 deaths) and unintentional falls (2,156). For women, the most frequent causes were unintentional falls (1,862 deaths) and drowning, submersion and suffocation (1,701).
Absolute data and percentage change
*2023 data published today are provisional
The number of deceased decreased in all autonomous communities in the year 2023 compared to 2022.
The highest decreases were in Cantabria, Aragón and Castilla y León (10.9%, 10.3% and 9.6%, respectively). The lowest decreases were in the Autonomous City of Melilla (3.5% less), Catalonia (-4.9%) and Canarias (-5.4%).
Looking at the main causes of death, the highest increases in deaths due to tumours were recorded in the autonomous city of Melilla (27.3%), Catalonia (2.9%) and the Illes Balears and Aragon (2.6% in both). The highest decreases were in the autonomous city of Ceuta (-11.3%), Principado de Asturias (-4.7%) and Extremadura (-4.1%).
Deceases due to diseases of the circulatory system decreased in all communities, except in Aragon (2.2%). The highest decreases were in the Autonomous City of Melilla, Cantabria and Galicia (16.5%, 12.3% and 9.0%, respectively).
Principado de Asturias had the highest increase in deaths due to respiratory diseases (18.7%), followed by Catalonia (16.4%) and Castilla-La Mancha (13.7%). The highest decreases for these diseases were in Aragon (-17.7%), the Autonomous City of Melilla (-13.4%) and La Rioja (-10.9%).
Percentage change
The data for 2023 are provisional and will be disseminated as final in December 2024. All the results of this operation are available on INEBase.
The Death Statistics according to Cause of Death provides annual information on deaths occurring within the national territory according to the underlying cause, based on the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) of the World Health Organization (WHO). As of 1999, the 10th revision of this classification is used.
This is a harmonised European statistic which is supported by Commission Regulation (EU) No. 328/2011 of 5 April 2011 on statistics on causes of death.
The methodology followed by the INE in the Statistics of deaths by cause of death is based on the detailed analysis of the medical death certificates (CMD). The source of information for deaths with legal intervention is the Statistical Legal Death Bulletin completed by the courts or the information directly provided by the Institutes of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences (IMLCF). In both cases, the information is provided through a web application designed by the INE.
More information on the methodology and the standardised methodological report.
INE statistics are produced in accordance with the Code of Good Practice for European Statistics. More information on Quality at INE and the Code of Best Practices.
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