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Published: 12 April 2013

Number of deaths grew slightly from the year before

The number of deaths in 2012 was 51,710, which figure was last higher than this in the 1920s if the war years are not taken into account. The number of deaths was 1,120 higher in 2012 than in 2011. The number of deaths increased by 290 among men and by 830 among women. The number of deaths among women was last higher than this twenty years ago. If the war years are not taken into consideration, the number of deaths among men was last higher than this in 1929.

Life expectancy at birth at age 0 by sex in 1980–2012

Life expectancy at birth went up for male children and went down fractionally for female children in 2012. Life expectancy at birth indicates the number of years a person aged 0 would live provided the rate of mortality remains unchanged. The increased life expectancy of men at birth proves that the risen number of deaths has been caused by the growing number of aged men and the ageing of the population rather than by the risen rate of mortality. The growing number of deaths among women was due to ageing as well as to a very slight increase in mortality.

In 2012, the number of children having died during their first year of life was particularly low, at 141. The infant mortality figure for 2012 was the second lowest during Finland’s independence. Infant mortality per 1,000 live births was 2.4.

Annual number of deaths in 2000–2012 by sex and deaths of 0-year-olds in 2000–2012

Year	Total	Men	Women	0-year-olds
2000	49 339	24 053	25 286	213
2001	48 550	23 783	24 787	181
2002	49 418	23 992	25 426	168
2003	48 996	23 922	25 074	176
2004	47 600	23 802	23 798	191
2005	47 928	24 057	23 871	174
2006	48 065	24 315	23 750	167
2007	49 077	24 809	24 268	161
2008	49 094	24 457	24 637	157
2009	49 883	25 150	24 733	158
2010	50 887	25 539	25 348	140
2011	50 585	25 335	25 250	143
2012	51 707	25 623	26 084	141

The number of deaths was highest in March, as in the previous year. The second highest number of deaths occurred in February, which has last had the highest or second highest number of deaths from 1998 to 1999. The third most common month for dying in 2012 was December, which had the highest number of deaths in 2010.

Source: Population and Cause of Death Statistics. Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Matti Saari 09 1734 3401

Director in charge: Riitta Harala

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Tables

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Appendix tables

• Appendix table 1. Deaths by month in 2003 - 2012 (12.4.2013)

Figures

• Appendix figure 1. Deaths by age group and sex 2012 (12.4.2013)
• Appendix figure 2. Life expectancy of male and female persons at the age of 65 in 1971 - 2012 (12.4.2013)
• Appendix figure 3. Life expectancy of males and females at birth by region on average in years 2010 - 2012 (12.4.2013)
• Appendix figure 4. Number of dead women by age group in 2011 and 2012, per mille (12.4.2013)
• Appendix figure 5. Number of dead women by age group in 2011 and 2012, per mille (12.4.2013)

Quality descriptions

• Quality description, deaths 2012 (12.4.2013)

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Updated 12.4.2013