Information on deaths addresses death rates by race, sex, and age; expectation of life; major causes of death; HIV infection; firearm mortality, including homicides; and infant mortality. The provisional death rate per 100,000 population increased 3 percent from the 1992 rate. The infant mortality rate continued to decline while life expectancy at birth declined slightly. The age-adjusted death rate increased from the rate reported for 1992. Age-adjusted death rates were higher in 1993 for four leading death causes: pneumonia and influenza, diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases and allied conditions, and human immunodeficiency virus infection. There was an increase in deaths due to injury by firearms between 1992 and 1993; however, the change in the age-adjusted death rate was not statistically significant. Data for HIV infection reflected a 15-percent increase in the estimated number of deaths between 1992 and 1993, continuing the consistent pattern of increase. HIV infection remained eighth in the ranking of leading causes of death. 26 tables, 5 figures, and technical notes