Countries in Africa Ranked by Death rate (2024)
Death rate: each country's latest value (2019–2024), ranked from highest to lowest. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
Nigeria ranks #1 with 11.6 deaths per 1,000 people. Chad is second with 11.1 deaths per 1,000 people, 5.1% behind. The top five are Nigeria, Chad, Lesotho, Mauritius and South Sudan. The median across all 54 is 7.01 deaths per 1,000 people; Algeria is last at 4.62 deaths per 1,000 people. Nigeria's figure has fallen 33% since 2000 (17.4 deaths per 1,000 people to 11.6 deaths per 1,000 people in 2024).
- #1
- Nigeria · 11.6 deaths per 1,000 people
- Median
- 7.01 deaths per 1,000 people
- Coverage
- 54 countries in Africa
- Data year
- 2024
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | Death rate (deaths per 1,000 people) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nigeria | 11.6 |
| 2 | Chad | 11.1 |
| 3 | Lesotho | 10.5 |
| 4 | Mauritius | 10 |
| 5 | South Sudan | 9.82 |
| 6 | Somalia, Fed. Rep. | 9.74 |
| 7 | Central African Republic | 9.38 |
| 8 | South Africa | 9.24 |
| 9 | Guinea | 9.03 |
| 10 | Niger | 8.72 |
| 11 | Benin | 8.71 |
| 12 | Mali | 8.51 |
| 13 | Togo | 8.49 |
| 14 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | 8.42 |
| 15 | Sierra Leone | 8.21 |
| 16 | Liberia | 8.02 |
| 17 | Burkina Faso | 7.92 |
| 18 | Equatorial Guinea | 7.85 |
| 19 | Eswatini | 7.73 |
| 20 | Côte d'Ivoire | 7.61 |
| 21 | Zimbabwe | 7.5 |
| 22 | Djibouti | 7.49 |
| 23 | Madagascar | 7.47 |
| 24 | Kenya | 7.18 |
| 25 | Comoros | 7.12 |
| 26 | Cameroon | 7.03 |
| 27 | Ghana | 7.01 |
| 28 | Guinea-Bissau | 7.01 |
| 29 | Seychelles | 7 |
| 30 | Mozambique | 6.91 |
| 31 | Angola | 6.84 |
| 32 | Burundi | 6.67 |
| 33 | Libya | 6.53 |
| 34 | Sudan | 6.34 |
| 35 | Gambia, The | 6.25 |
| 36 | Congo, Rep. | 6.24 |
| 37 | Gabon | 6.23 |
| 38 | Namibia | 6.18 |
| 39 | Tunisia | 6.13 |
| 40 | Eritrea | 6 |
| 41 | Rwanda | 5.9 |
| 42 | Ethiopia | 5.88 |
| 43 | Botswana | 5.74 |
| 44 | Morocco | 5.73 |
| 45 | Tanzania | 5.72 |
| 46 | São Tomé and Principe | 5.53 |
| 47 | Egypt, Arab Rep. | 5.51 |
| 48 | Senegal | 5.51 |
| 49 | Mauritania | 5.41 |
| 50 | Malawi | 5.29 |
| 51 | Zambia | 5.17 |
| 52 | Cabo Verde | 5.1 |
| 53 | Uganda | 4.77 |
| 54 | Algeria | 4.62 |
About the top 10
#1 Nigeria
Nigeria ranks #1 on this list with 11.6 deaths per 1,000 people.
- Capital
- Abuja
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 237.53 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$290.79 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,224 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 54.6 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 63.8% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt.
Also ranks #1 in under-5 mortality rate · #1 in maternal mortality ratio · #1 in children out of school (primary).
#2 Chad
Chad ranks #2 on this list with 11.1 deaths per 1,000 people.
- Capital
- N'Djamena
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 21 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$21.47 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,022 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 55.2 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 27.6% of population (2025)
Largest cities: N'Djamena.
Also ranks #1 in fertility rate · #2 in birth rate · #2 in maternal mortality ratio.
#3 Lesotho
Lesotho ranks #3 on this list with 10.5 deaths per 1,000 people.
- Capital
- Maseru
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 2.36 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$2.57 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,089 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 57.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 44.7% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in tax revenue share of gdp · #1 in suicide mortality rate · #2 in agricultural land share.
#4 Mauritius
Mauritius ranks #4 on this list with 10 deaths per 1,000 people.
- Capital
- Port Louis
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 1.24 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$16.16 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$12,991 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 73.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 39% of population (2025)
Also ranks #6 in cereal yield · #11 in low-birthweight babies share · #15 in population density.
#5 South Sudan
South Sudan ranks #5 on this list with 9.82 deaths per 1,000 people.
- Capital
- Juba
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 12.19 million people (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 57.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 21.7% of population (2025)
- Currency
- South Sudanese pound
- Official languages
- English
Also ranks #1 in infant mortality rate · #4 in inflation rate · #4 in maternal mortality ratio.
#6 Somalia, Fed. Rep.
Somalia, Fed. Rep. ranks #6 on this list with 9.74 deaths per 1,000 people.
- Capital
- Mogadishu
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 19.66 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$13 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$661.2 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 59 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 55.1% of population (2025)
Largest cities: North East State of Somalia, Mogadishu.
Also ranks #1 in prevalence of undernourishment · #2 in population ages 0-14 share · #2 in age dependency ratio (young).
#7 Central African Republic
Central African Republic ranks #7 on this list with 9.38 deaths per 1,000 people.
- Capital
- Bangui
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 5.51 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$3.07 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$556.1 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 57.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 44.6% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in population ages 0-14 share · #1 in age dependency ratio · #1 in age dependency ratio (young).
#8 South Africa
South Africa ranks #8 on this list with 9.24 deaths per 1,000 people.
- Capital
- Pretoria, Cape Town
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 64.75 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$427.18 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$6,598 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 66.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 63.8% of population (2025)
Largest cities: City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality, Johannesburg, Cape Town.
Also ranks #2 in unemployment rate · #2 in youth unemployment rate · #2 in income share of richest 10%.
#9 Guinea
Guinea ranks #9 on this list with 9.03 deaths per 1,000 people.
- Capital
- Conakry
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 15.1 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$28.35 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,877 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 60.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 38.5% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Conakry.
Also ranks #6 in under-5 mortality rate · #7 in infant mortality rate · #7 in official exchange rate.
#10 Niger
Niger ranks #10 on this list with 8.72 deaths per 1,000 people.
- Capital
- Niamey
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 27.92 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$21.65 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$775.4 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 61.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 18.4% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Niamey.
Also ranks #1 in agriculture value added share of gdp · #2 in under-5 mortality rate · #3 in population ages 0-14 share.
Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.
Source and method
Death rate: each country's latest value (2019–2024), ranked from highest to lowest.
Source: The World Bank, indicator SP.DYN.CDRT.IN. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.
The World Bank: Death rate, crude (per 1,000 people): World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division (via World Development Indicators)
Original data provider, as recorded by the World Bank: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division; Statistical databases and publications from national statistical offices, National Statistical Offices (NSOs); Demographic Statistics, Eurostat (ESTAT).
Values are shown as published. Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.