Throughout the Atlantic slave trade, 14.5 percent of captured slaves who embarked on ships in African ports died en route to their destination. Voyages from Africa to the Spanish Americas had the highest mortality rates, where almost one fifth of all captives died during the journey. Voyages between Africa and Brazil had the lowest mortality rates, where approximately one in eight did not survive. There is a clear correlation between voyage lengths and Middle Passage death rates; journeys between Africa and Brazil took an average of 45 days, whereas journeys to the Spanish Mainland Americas took 78 days on average. In addition to voyage lengths, factors such as overcrowding (which increased the rate of disease transmission), violence, insurrection, and high suicide rates also contributed to the high mortality rates along the Middle Passage.
Share of captured slaves who died during the Middle Passage, by broad region of disembarkation, between 1501 and 1866
Data created by Statista by subtracting the total number of disembarkations from embarkations, and then calculating the difference as a percentage of total embarkations.
Release date is date of most recent data access.
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Slave Voyages, & Statista. (February 25, 2021). Share of captured slaves who died during the Middle Passage, by broad region of disembarkation, between 1501 and 1866 [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved September 01, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1070565/middle-passage-death-rate-by-destination-1501-1866/
Slave Voyages, und Statista. "Share of captured slaves who died during the Middle Passage, by broad region of disembarkation, between 1501 and 1866." Chart. February 25, 2021. Statista. Accessed September 01, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1070565/middle-passage-death-rate-by-destination-1501-1866/
Slave Voyages, Statista. (2021). Share of captured slaves who died during the Middle Passage, by broad region of disembarkation, between 1501 and 1866. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: September 01, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1070565/middle-passage-death-rate-by-destination-1501-1866/
Slave Voyages, and Statista. "Share of Captured Slaves Who Died during The Middle Passage, by Broad Region of Disembarkation, between 1501 and 1866." Statista, Statista Inc., 25 Feb 2021, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1070565/middle-passage-death-rate-by-destination-1501-1866/
Slave Voyages & Statista, Share of captured slaves who died during the Middle Passage, by broad region of disembarkation, between 1501 and 1866 Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1070565/middle-passage-death-rate-by-destination-1501-1866/ (last visited September 01, 2024)
Share of captured slaves who died during the Middle Passage, by broad region of disembarkation, between 1501 and 1866 [Graph], Slave Voyages, & Statista, February 25, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1070565/middle-passage-death-rate-by-destination-1501-1866/