As Sweden was one of the first countries to implement smallpox vaccination on a large scale, and the second country in the world to successfully eradicate the disease, it is important to understand the role that smallpox had played Sweden's demographic development. In the late eighteenth century, smallpox epidemics swept across the Scandinavian country with relative regularity, peaking in four or five year intervals. In 1779 and 1784, smallpox epidemics were responsible for one quarter and one fifth of all Swedish deaths respectively; in other terms, this meant that roughly 0.7 percent and 0.6 percent of the entire population died due to smallpox in these years. While data for this time is scarce in other continents, when compared with other countries or cities in Europe, we can see that the trends observed here were not unique to Sweden; thus highlighting the devastating toll that smallpox pandemics took on Europe's population in the pre-vaccination era.
Share of total deaths due to smallpox in Sweden between 1774 and 1800
Characteristic
Share of total deaths
1800
16.28%
1799
6.35%
1798
2.52%
1797
3.15%
1796
7.98%
1795
10.6%
1794
7.43%
1793
3.87%
1792
3.66%
1791
5.54%
1790
9.27%
1789
9.72%
1788
9.53%
1787
3.41%
1786
1.2%
1785
8.35%
1784
19.53%
1783
6.5%
1782
4.26%
1781
2.73%
1780
7.38%
1779
25.44%
1778
12.01%
1777
3.8%
1776
3.29%
1775
2.57%
1774
4.74%
Zoomable Statistic: Select the range in the chart you want to zoom in on.
Profit from the additional features of your individual account
Currently, you are using a shared account. To use individual functions (e.g., mark statistics as favourites, set
statistic alerts) please log in with your personal account.
If you are an admin, please authenticate by logging in again.
Learn more about how Statista can support your business.
Royal College of Physicians. (December 31, 2018). Share of total deaths due to smallpox in Sweden between 1774 and 1800 [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved September 01, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1107692/smallpox-share-total-deaths-sweden-historical/
Royal College of Physicians. "Share of total deaths due to smallpox in Sweden between 1774 and 1800." Chart. December 31, 2018. Statista. Accessed September 01, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1107692/smallpox-share-total-deaths-sweden-historical/
Royal College of Physicians. (2018). Share of total deaths due to smallpox in Sweden between 1774 and 1800. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: September 01, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1107692/smallpox-share-total-deaths-sweden-historical/
Royal College of Physicians. "Share of Total Deaths Due to Smallpox in Sweden between 1774 and 1800." Statista, Statista Inc., 31 Dec 2018, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1107692/smallpox-share-total-deaths-sweden-historical/
Royal College of Physicians, Share of total deaths due to smallpox in Sweden between 1774 and 1800 Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1107692/smallpox-share-total-deaths-sweden-historical/ (last visited September 01, 2024)
Share of total deaths due to smallpox in Sweden between 1774 and 1800 [Graph], Royal College of Physicians, December 31, 2018. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1107692/smallpox-share-total-deaths-sweden-historical/