The ratio of the number of deaths in a given period (most often in a year) to the number of population in the middle of that period or to the average population during this period – expressed in ‰ (i.e. per 1000 population).

Death rates for different periods (month, quarter, half year, three quarters, etc.) are calculated on an annual basis, i.e. that the examined facts recorded in a given period increase accordingly to the annual volumes, e.g. for the rate calculated for the period: month – the number of facts is multiplied by 12, quarter – by 4, half of the year – by 2, three quarters – by 4/3.

The death rate is a basic measure of mortality.

• Death