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
Publication in pdf-format (10 pages 276.7 kB)
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Tables in databases
Appendix tables
- Appendix table 1. Deaths by month in 2003 - 2012 (12.4.2013)
- Figures
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- 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
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- Quality description, deaths 2012 (12.4.2013)
Updated 12.4.2013
Official Statistics of Finland (OSF):
Deaths [e-publication].
ISSN=1798-2545. 2012. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 8.10.2013].
Access method: http://www.stat.fi/til/kuol/2012/kuol_2012_2013-04-12_tie_001_en.html.
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