Death rates are a useful indicator of the underlying health status of a population. This report describes the patterns of death in regional and remote areas and quantifies the difference in death rates amongst people living in major cities and those living outside them.Death rates are a useful indicator of the underlying health status of a population. In general, people living in regional and remote Australia have higher death rates than those living in major cities. This report, the eighth in the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare's rural health series, describes the patterns of death in regional and remote areas and quantifies the difference in death rates amongst people living in major cities and those living outside them.