Do women die more often than men? Latvia's statistics show an important difference

In the first nine months and a few days of 2026, 10,350 women and 9,192 men died in Latvia. Thus, the number of deceased women was 1,158, or 12.6%, higher than that of men. This is evidenced by data from the Central Statistical Bureau (CSB), summarized by the LETA agency for the period from January 1 to October 4. A total of 19,542 deaths were registered in the country during this time. ### There are significantly more women than men in Latvia The difference in the absolute number of deaths should be considered in light of the demographic structure of the population. At the beginning of 2026, Latvia had a population of 1,845,096, of which 988,497 were women and 856,599 were men. Thus, there were almost 132,000 more women in the country. Mortality in Latvia in 2026 From January 1 to October 4 • CSB Data Total deaths 19,542 ● Women 10,350 53.0% ● Men 9,192 47.0% There are more women among the deceased by 1,158 people or 12.6% compared to men Note: The chart shows the distribution of registered deaths, not the risk of death. There are more women in the population of Latvia than men. However, a higher death rate among women does not mean that their risk of death is higher. If we compare the number of deceased with the total number of men and women at the beginning of the year, it results in about 10.5 deaths per thousand women and 10.7 per thousand men during the period in question. This is a rough estimate that does not account for age differences in the population, but it shows why absolute figures should not be directly compared to mortality rates. ### At what age do men and women most often die Statistics also show significant differences in the age groups that account for the highest number of deaths. Among men, the highest number of deaths was in the age group of 75 to 79 years — 1,269 people. Among women, the highest number of deaths was registered at age 90 and older — 2,424 people. Thus, the maximum number of deaths among women falls into a significantly older age group than among men. However, this data shows the distribution of the deceased by age, not the probability of death in each age group. To assess such risks, it is necessary to consider the number of men and women of the corresponding age. Overall, the CSB data reflects a characteristic feature of Latvia's demographic structure: women make up the majority of the population, and among deceased women, a significant portion reaches very old age.