Abstract: ObjectiveTo study main causes of death and PYLL of residents in the three gorges reservoir area in order to provide scientific basis in setting down policy and measure of disease control and prevention.MethodsTo collect death causes of residents from three gorges reservoir area health surveillance points and to make death causes analysis and PYLL analysis.ResultsIn 2005 the first five death causes of residents in the three gorges reservoir area were circulatory system disease,tumor,respiratory disease,injuries and poisonings,digestive system disease;which shared 87.96% of all causes of death.The sorting of PYLL was injuries and poisonings,tumor,circulatory system disease,endocrinopathy,respiratory disease;those PYLL were 20 406.43 man years.ConclusionThe major deaths were caused by chronic diseases,injuries and poisonings.These diseases became the priorities of public health and much attention should be paid to these diseases.