The United Nations Statistics Division is the primary agency responsible at the international level for collecting and disseminating official national data on mortality.

Data on mortality have been collected by the Demographic Yearbook system from national statistical authorities. The collection covers total number of deaths and infant deaths, deaths and infant deaths disaggregated by various characteristics such as age, sex, marital status, month of occurrence and occupation, as well as complete and abridged life tables.

National statistics on mortality are disseminated through the Demographic Yearbook and the Population and Vital Statistics Report.

World Health Organisation (WHO) collects deaths by cause data, which are shared with the United Nations Statistics Division and disseminated through the Demographic Yearbook.