Bulgaria, Ukraine, Serbia, and Latvia have the highest death rates in the world as of 2019. There were 15 to 16 fatalities per 1,000 individuals in these nations. Qatar has the lowest mortality rate in the world, with only one death per 1,000 inhabitants. This nation also ranks first in life expectancy at 79 years. Death rates are calculated by dividing the number of deaths during a given time period by the population. A death rate of 10 per 1,000 people means that out of every 1,000 people, about 10 will die. Countries with higher death rates are likely to have poorer health outcomes overall compared with those with lower death rates. For example, more than half of Bulgaria's population is aged over 60 years and there are only around 5 doctors per 1,000 people. Without improvement, this figure is expected to rise further, leaving the country with an even smaller number of physicians as the population ages. Higher death rates can be caused by disease outbreaks or accidents. For example, there have been several deadly wildfires throughout Europe this year. The deadliest was in Greece where 50 people died. Death rates from natural causes such as diseases and accidents make up most of the total worldwide mortality rate. Violence and malnutrition also contribute to high death rates. Low death rates are usually seen in younger populations with good health care systems.