This Map Shows What's Most Likely To Kill You In Every Country

It’s a morbid subject, but it’s something that everyone has to face eventually.

And it can be oddly fascinating to discover the leading mortality causes in different countries around the world.

This infographic compares the 10 leading causes of death in the world’s 20 poorest and 20 richest countries – and the inequality that it reveals is saddening. The information is taken from the 2013 World Bank ranking of the world’s richest countries by gross domestic product.

The top six leading causes of death in the world’s 20 richest countries are heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, self harm, Alzheimer’s and cirrhosis.

The top six in the world’s 20 poorest countries are lower-respiratory infections, heart disease, stroke, diarrhoea, HIV/AIDS and preterm birth complications.

The infographic was created by Alberto Lucas Lopez, an infographic journalist, for the South China Morning Post.

Cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of death

The graphic states: ‘Cardiovascular disease claims three out of 10 people as the world’s leading cause of death. In wealthy countries, seven people in 10 die aged 70 or over, mainly through chronic diseases.

‘In low-income countries, the predominant cause of death is from infectious disease, where about four in 10 deaths are children under 15 years old.’

For more infographics like this, check out this maps that shows the world’s most common languages and where their native speakers are located.

About the author

Alice Johnston

Food Editor

Alice is always planning her next meal. She studied English at the University of Bristol before getting her Master’s in newspaper journalism from City University London. She worked on Femail at Mail Online for 18 months writing about lifestyle and food and has also worked at Metro.co.uk, The Guardian, Mumsnet and The Sun. After starting at Culture Trip as a Social Content Producer writing travel and lifestyle stories, she was promoted to the role of Food Editor and now specialises in culinary culture, trends and social issues around food. When she’s not writing, eating or travelling, she can be found cooking overly elaborate dinners, reading cookbooks in bed or playing with her cat, Orlando. Her favourite foods include fishfinger sandwiches, burnt caramel panna cotta, Flamin’ Hot Cheetos and oysters.