UNICEF's country profile for Afghanistan, including under-five mortality rates, child health, education and sanitation data.

In 2023, the infant mortality rate in deaths per 1,000 live births in Afghanistan stood at 50.4. Between 1960 and 2023, the figure dropped by 200.8, though the decline followed an uneven course rather than a steady trajectory.

Between 1955 and 2020, Afghanistan's infant mortality rate (for children under the age of one year old) dropped consistently and almost linearly. In 1955 the infant mortality rate totaled 276 deaths per thousand live births, which meant that over one quarter of all babies born did not make it to their first birthday. Today, Afghanistan's infant mortality rate is 56 deaths per thousand births, which is roughly one fifth the total seventy years ago. Despite this significant progress, Afghanistan still has one of the highest infant mortality rates in the world, and the highest of any non-African nation.

Historical dataset showing Afghanistan infant mortality rate by year from 1950 to 2025.

Afghanistan Mortality Rate: Infant: per 1000 Live Births data was reported at 50.400 Ratio in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 52.000 Ratio for 2022. Afghanistan Mortality Rate: Infant: per 1000 Live Births data is updated yearly, averaging 138.000 Ratio from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2023, with 64 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 251.200 Ratio in 1960 and a record low of 50.400 Ratio in 2023. Afghanistan Mortality Rate: Infant: per 1000 Live Births data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Afghanistan – Table AF.World Bank.WDI: Social: Health Statistics. Infant mortality rate is the number of infants dying before reaching one year of age, per 1,000 live births in a given year.;Estimates developed by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, UN DESA Population Division) at www.childmortality.org.;Weighted average;Given that data on the incidence and prevalence of diseases are frequently unavailable, mortality rates are often used to identify vulnerable populations. Moreover, they are among the indicators most frequently used to compare socioeconomic development across countries. Under-five mortality rates are higher for boys than for girls in countries in which parental gender preferences are insignificant. Under-five mortality captures the effect of gender discrimination better than infant mortality does, as malnutrition and medical interventions have more significant impacts to this age group. Where female under-five mortality is higher, girls are likely to have less access to resources than boys. Aggregate data for LIC, UMC, LMC, HIC are computed based on the groupings for the World Bank fiscal year in which the data was released by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation.

Yearly (annual) dataset of the Afghanistan Infant Mortality Rate, including historical data, latest releases, and long-term trends from 1960-12-31 to 2023-12-31. Available for free download in CSV format.

The child mortality rate in Afghanistan (for children under the age of five) was around 475 deaths per 1000 births during the course of 19th century. Given as a percentage, this means that 47.5% of children born would not make it to their 5th birthday. After 1950, the child morality rate dropped significantly due to considerable medical advancements, falling to 68 deaths per thousand in 2020. Despite this considerable decline in recent decades, Afghanistan still has one of the highest child mortality rates in the world. Afghanistan's infant mortality rate (among those aged below one year) in 2020 is 52 deaths per thousand births, meaning that the majority of child deaths occur during infancy.

This statistic shows the 20 countries* with the highest infant mortality rate in 2024. An estimated 101.3 infants per 1,000 live births died in the first year of life in Afghanistan in 2024. Infant and child mortality Infant mortality usually refers to the death of children younger than one year. Child mortality, which is often used synonymously with infant mortality, is the death of children younger than five. Among the main causes are pneumonia, diarrhea – which causes dehydration – and infections in newborns, with malnutrition also posing a severe problem. As can be seen above, most countries with a high infant mortality rate are developing countries or emerging countries, most of which are located in Africa. Good health care and hygiene are crucial in reducing child mortality; among the countries with the lowest infant mortality rate are exclusively developed countries, whose inhabitants usually have access to clean water and comprehensive health care. Access to vaccinations, antibiotics and a balanced nutrition also help reducing child mortality in these regions. In some countries, infants are killed if they turn out to be of a certain gender. India, for example, is known as a country where a lot of girls are aborted or killed right after birth, as they are considered to be too expensive for poorer families, who traditionally have to pay a costly dowry on the girl’s wedding day. Interestingly, the global mortality rate among boys is higher than that for girls, which could be due to the fact that more male infants are actually born than female ones. Other theories include a stronger immune system in girls, or more premature births among boys.

Afghanistan Mortality Rate: Under-5: Male: per 1000 Live Births data was reported at 59.200 Ratio in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 61.100 Ratio for 2022. Afghanistan Mortality Rate: Under-5: Male: per 1000 Live Births data is updated yearly, averaging 175.850 Ratio from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2023, with 64 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 360.500 Ratio in 1960 and a record low of 59.200 Ratio in 2023. Afghanistan Mortality Rate: Under-5: Male: per 1000 Live Births data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Afghanistan – Table AF.World Bank.WDI: Social: Health Statistics. Under-five mortality rate, male is the probability per 1,000 that a newborn male baby will die before reaching age five, if subject to male age-specific mortality rates of the specified year.;Estimates developed by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, UN DESA Population Division) at www.childmortality.org.;Weighted average;Given that data on the incidence and prevalence of diseases are frequently unavailable, mortality rates are often used to identify vulnerable populations. Moreover, they are among the indicators most frequently used to compare socioeconomic development across countries. Under-five mortality rates are higher for boys than for girls in countries in which parental gender preferences are insignificant. Under-five mortality captures the effect of gender discrimination better than infant mortality does, as malnutrition and medical interventions have more significant impacts to this age group. Where female under-five mortality is higher, girls are likely to have less access to resources than boys. Aggregate data for LIC, UMC, LMC, HIC are computed based on the groupings for the World Bank fiscal year in which the data was released by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation. This is a sex-disaggregated indicator for Sustainable Development Goal 3.2.1 [https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/metadata/].

Actual value and historical data chart for Afghanistan Mortality Rate Infant Per 1 000 Live Births

Afghanistan Mortality Rate: Under-5: per 1000 Live Births data was reported at 55.500 Ratio in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 57.400 Ratio for 2022. Afghanistan Mortality Rate: Under-5: per 1000 Live Births data is updated yearly, averaging 171.450 Ratio from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2023, with 64 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 353.200 Ratio in 1960 and a record low of 55.500 Ratio in 2023. Afghanistan Mortality Rate: Under-5: per 1000 Live Births data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Afghanistan – Table AF.World Bank.WDI: Social: Health Statistics. Under-five mortality rate is the probability per 1,000 that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five, if subject to age-specific mortality rates of the specified year.;Estimates developed by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, UN DESA Population Division) at www.childmortality.org.;Weighted average;Given that data on the incidence and prevalence of diseases are frequently unavailable, mortality rates are often used to identify vulnerable populations. Moreover, they are among the indicators most frequently used to compare socioeconomic development across countries. Under-five mortality rates are higher for boys than for girls in countries in which parental gender preferences are insignificant. Under-five mortality captures the effect of gender discrimination better than infant mortality does, as malnutrition and medical interventions have more significant impacts to this age group. Where female under-five mortality is higher, girls are likely to have less access to resources than boys. Aggregate data for LIC, UMC, LMC, HIC are computed based on the groupings for the World Bank fiscal year in which the data was released by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation. This is the Sustainable Development Goal indicator 3.2.1[https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/metadata/].

In 2022, the infant mortality rate in the United States was 5.4 out of every 1,000 live births. This is a significant decrease from 1960, when infant mortality was at around 26 deaths out of every 1,000 live births. What is infant mortality? The infant mortality rate is the number of deaths of babies under the age of one per 1,000 live births. There are many causes for infant mortality, which include birth defects, low birth weight, pregnancy complications, and sudden infant death syndrome. In order to decrease the high rates of infant mortality, there needs to be an increase in education and medicine so babies and mothers can receive the proper treatment needed. Maternal mortality is also related to infant mortality. If mothers can attend more prenatal visits and have more access to healthcare facilities, maternal mortality can decrease, and babies have a better chance of surviving in their first year. Worldwide infant mortality rates Infant mortality rates vary worldwide; however, some areas are more affected than others. Afghanistan suffered from the highest infant mortality rate in 2024, and the following 19 countries all came from Africa, with the exception of Pakistan. On the other hand, Slovenia had the lowest infant mortality rate that year. High infant mortality rates can be attributed to lack of sanitation, technological advancements, and proper natal care. In the United States, Massachusetts had the lowest infant mortality rate, while Mississippi had the highest in 2022. Overall, the number of neonatal and post neonatal deaths in the United States has been steadily decreasing since 1995.

Mortality rate, infant, female (per 1,000 live births) in Afghanistan was reported at 46.7 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Afghanistan - Mortality rate, infant, female (per 1,000 live births) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on November of 2025.

This statistic shows the 20 countries * with the lowest infant mortality rate in 2024. An estimated 1.5 out of 1,000 live births died in the first year of life in Slovenia and Singapore in 2024. Infant mortality Infant mortality rates are often used as an indicator of the health and well-being of a nation. Monaco, Iceland, and Japan are among the top three countries with the lowest infant mortality rates with around 2 infant deaths per 1,000 infants within their first year of life. Generally, the countries with the lowest infant mortality also have some of the highest average life expectancy figures. Additionally, the countries with the highest density of physicians and doctors also generally report low infant mortality. Yet, many different factors contribute to differing rates, including the overall income of a country, health spending per capita, a mother’s level of education, environmental conditions, and medical infrastructure, to name a few. This creates a lot of variation concerning the level of childbirth and infant care around the world. The countries with the highest rates of infant mortality include Afghanistan, Mali, and Somalia. These countries experience around 100 infant deaths per 1,000 infants in their first year of life. While the reasons for high rates of infant mortality are numerous, the leading causes of death for children under the year five around the world are Pneumonia, Diarrhea, and Prematurity.

In 2023, the state of Mississippi had the highest infant mortality rate in the United States, with around 8.94 deaths per 1,000 live births. Infant mortality is the death of an infant before the age of one. The countries with the lowest infant mortality rates worldwide are Slovenia, Singapore, and Iceland. The countries with the highest infant mortality rates include Afghanistan, Somalia, and the Central African Republic. Infant mortality in the United States The infant mortality rate in the United States has decreased over the past few decades, reaching a low of 5.4 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2022. The most common causes of infant death in the United States are congenital malformations, low birth weight, and sudden infant death syndrome. In 2023, congenital malformations accounted for around 111 infant deaths per 100,000 live births.

Afghanistan Number of Death: Infant data was reported at 73,191.000 Person in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 75,133.000 Person for 2022. Afghanistan Number of Death: Infant data is updated yearly, averaging 106,789.500 Person from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2023, with 64 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 131,491.000 Person in 1978 and a record low of 73,191.000 Person in 2023. Afghanistan Number of Death: Infant data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Afghanistan – Table AF.World Bank.WDI: Social: Health Statistics. Number of infants dying before reaching one year of age.;Estimates developed by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, UN DESA Population Division) at www.childmortality.org.;Sum;Aggregate data for LIC, UMC, LMC, HIC are computed based on the groupings for the World Bank fiscal year in which the data was released by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation.

Abstract

The Afghanistan Mortality Survey (AMS) 2010 was designed to measure mortality levels and causes of death, with a special focus on maternal mortality. In addition, the data obtained in the survey can be used to derive mortality trends by age and sex as well as sub-national estimates. The study also provides current data on fertility and family planning behavior and on the utilization of maternal and child health services.

OBJECTIVES

The specific objectives of the survey include the following: - National estimates of maternal mortality; causes and determinants of mortality for adults, children, and infants by age, sex, and wealth status; and other key socioeconomic background variables; - Estimates of indicators for the country as a whole, for the urban and the rural areas separately, and for each of the three survey domains of North, Central, and South, which were created by regrouping the eight geographic regions; - Information on determinants of maternal health; - Other demographic indicators, including life expectancy, crude birth and death rates, and fertility rates.

ORGANIZATION OF THE SURVEY

The AMS 2010 was carried out by the Afghan Public Health Institute (APHI) of the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) and the Central Statistics Organization (CSO) Afghanistan. Technical assistance for the survey was provided by ICF Macro, the Indian Institute of Health Management Research (IIHMR) and the World Health Organization Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean (WHO/EMRO). The AMS 2010 is part of the worldwide MEASURE DHS project that assists countries in the collection of data to monitor and evaluate population, health, and nutrition programs. Financial support for the survey was received from USAID, and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). WHO/EMRO’s contribution to the survey was supported with funds from USAID and the UK Department for International Development and the Health Metrics Network (DFID/HMN). Ethical approval for the survey was obtained from the institutional review boards at the MoPH, ICF Macro, IIHMR, and the WHO.

A steering committee was formed to coordinate, oversee, advise, and make decisions on all major aspects of the survey. The steering committee comprised representatives from various ministries and key stakeholders, including MoPH, CSO, USAID, ICF Macro, IIHMR, UNICEF, UNFPA, WHO, and local and international NGOs. A technical advisory group (TAG) made up of experts in the field of mortality and health was also formed to provide technical guidance throughout the survey, including reviewing the questionnaires, the tabulation plan for this final report, the final report, and the results of the survey.

Geographic coverage

National

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

The AMS 2010 is the first nationwide survey of its kind. A nationally representative sample of 24,032 households was selected. All women age 12-49 who were usual residents of the selected households or who slept in the households the night before the survey were eligible for the survey. The survey was designed to produce representative estimates of indicators for the country as a whole, for the urban and the rural areas separately, and for each of the three survey domains, which are regroupings of the eight geographical regions. The compositions of the domains are given below: - The North, which combines the Northern region and the North Eastern region, consists of nine provinces: Badakhshan, Baghlan, Balkh, Faryab, Jawzjan, Kunduz, Samangan, Sari Pul, and Takhar. - The Central, which combines the Western region, the Central Highland region, and the Capital region, consists of 12 provinces: Badghis, Bamyan, Daykundi, Farah, Ghor, Hirat, Kabul, Kapisa, Logar, Panjsher, Parwan, and Maydan Wardak. - The South, which combines the Southern region, the South Eastern region, and the Eastern region, consists of 13 provinces: Ghazni, Hilmand, Kandahar, Khost, Kunar, Laghman, Nangarhar, Nimroz, Nuristan, Paktika, Paktya, Uruzgan, and Zabul.

The sample for the AMS 2010 is a stratified sample selected in two stages from the 2011 Population and Housing Census (PHC) preparatory frame obtained from the Central Statistics Organization (CSO). Stratification was achieved by separating each domain into urban and rural areas. Because of the low urban proportion for most of the provinces, the combined urban areas of each domain form a single sampling stratum, which is the urban stratum of the domain. On the other hand, the rural areas of each domain are further split into strata according to province; that is, the rural areas of each province form a sampling stratum. In total, 34 sampling strata have been created after excluding the rural areas of Hilmand, Kandahar, and Zabul from the domain of the south. Among the 34 sampling strata, 3 are urban strata, and the remaining 31 are rural strata, which correspond with the total number of provinces and their rural areas. Samples were selected independently in each sampling stratum by a twostage selection process. Implicit stratification and proportional allocation were achieved at each of the lower administrative levels within a sampling stratum, by sorting the sampling frame according to administrative units at different levels within each stratum, and by using a probability proportional to size selection at the first stage of sampling.

The primary sampling unit was the enumeration area (EA). After selection of the EA and before the main fieldwork, a household listing operation was carried out in the selected EAs to provide the most updated sampling frame for the selection of households in the second stage. The household listing operation consisted of (1) visiting each of the 751 selected EAs, (2) drawing a location map and a detailed sketch, and (3) recording on the household listing forms all structures found in the EA and all households residing in the structure with the address and the name of the household head. The resulting lists of households serve as the sampling frame for the selection of households at the second stage of sampling. In the second stage of sampling, a fixed number of 32 households was selected randomly in each selected cluster by an equal probability systematic sampling technique. The household selection procedure was carried out at the IIHMR office in Kabul prior to the start of fieldwork. An Excel spreadsheet prepared by ICF Macro to facilitate the household selection was used. A level of non response, or refusals on the part of households and individuals, had already been taken into consideration in the sample design and sample calculation.

The survey interviewers interviewed only pre-selected households, and no replacements of pre-selected households were made during the fieldwork, thus maintaining the representativeness of the final results from the survey for the country. Interviewers were also trained to optimize their effort to identify selected households and to ensure that individuals cooperated to minimize non-response. It is important to note here that interviewers in the AMS were not remunerated according to the number of questionnaires completed but given a daily per diem for the number of days they spent in the field; in addition, it is also important to note that respondents were neither compensated in any way for agreeing to be interviewed nor coerced into completing an interview.

For security reasons, the rural areas of Kandahar, Hilmand, and Zabul, which constitute less than 9 percent of the population, were excluded during sample design from the sample selection; however, the urban areas of these provinces were included. Of the 751 EAs that were included in the sample, 34 EAs (5 urban and 29 rural) were not surveyed. Six of the selected EAs in Ghazni, 16 in Paktika, 1 in Uruzgan, 3 in Kandahar, 3 in Daykundi, and 2 in Faryab were not surveyed because of the security situation. In addition, two EAs from Badakshan and one from Takhar were not surveyed because base maps from the CSO were unavailable. The non-surveyed EAs-which were primarily in rural areas-represent 4 percent of the total population of the country,

Table 1.1 - Sample coverage (Percentage of the population represented by the sample surveyed in the Afghanistan Mortality Survey, Afghanistan 2010) Region / Urban / Rural / Total North / 97 / 98 / 98 Central / 100 / 98 / 99 South / 94 / 63 / 66 Total / 98 / 84 / 87

Overall, approximately 13 percent of the country was not surveyed; most of these areas were in the South zone. As shown in Table 1.1, the survey covered only 66 percent of the population in the South zone. Sample weights were adjusted accordingly to take into account those EAs that were selected but not completed for security or other reasons.

Overall, the AMS 2010 covered 87 percent of the population of the country, 98 percent of the urban population and 84 percent of the rural population. Nevertheless, the lack of total coverage and the disproportionate exclusion of areas in the South, and particularly the rural South, should be taken into consideration when interpreting national level estimates of key demographic indicators and estimates for the South zone and regions within. For this reason key indicators will be presented for all Afghanistan and Afghanistan excluding the South zone. Despite these exclusions, the AMS is the most comprehensive mortality survey conducted in Afghanistan in the last few decades in terms of geographic coverage of the country.

Throughout this report, numbers in the tables reflect weighted numbers unless indicated otherwise. In most cases, percentages based on 25-49 cases are shown in parentheses and percentages based on fewer than 25 unweighted cases are suppressed and replaced with an asterisk, to caution readers when interpreting data that a percentage may not

Afghanistan Life Expectancy at Birth: Female data was reported at 67.536 Year in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 67.236 Year for 2022. Afghanistan Life Expectancy at Birth: Female data is updated yearly, averaging 48.944 Year from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2023, with 64 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 67.536 Year in 2023 and a record low of 33.549 Year in 1960. Afghanistan Life Expectancy at Birth: Female data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Afghanistan – Table AF.World Bank.WDI: Social: Health Statistics. Life expectancy at birth indicates the number of years a newborn infant would live if prevailing patterns of mortality at the time of its birth were to stay the same throughout its life.;(1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2024 Revision; (2) Statistical databases and publications from national statistical offices; (3) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics.;Weighted average;

Time series data for the statistic Life_Expectancy and country Afghanistan. Indicator Definition:Life expectancy at birth indicates the number of years a newborn infant would live if prevailing patterns of mortality at the time of its birth were to stay the same throughout its life.The statistic "Life Expectancy" stands at 66.04 years as of 12/31/2023, the highest value at least since 12/31/1961, the period currently displayed. Regarding the One-Year-Change of the series, the current value constitutes an increase of 0.637 percent compared to the value the year prior.The 1 year change in percent is 0.637.The 3 year change in percent is 7.45.The 5 year change in percent is 5.75.The 10 year change in percent is 6.19.The Serie's long term average value is 48.09 years. It's latest available value, on 12/31/2023, is 37.32 percent higher, compared to it's long term average value.The Serie's change in percent from it's minimum value, on 12/31/1984, to it's latest available value, on 12/31/2023, is +109.81%.The Serie's change in percent from it's maximum value, on 12/31/2023, to it's latest available value, on 12/31/2023, is 0.0%.

Afghanistan Life Expectancy at Birth: Male data was reported at 64.467 Year in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 63.941 Year for 2022. Afghanistan Life Expectancy at Birth: Male data is updated yearly, averaging 43.362 Year from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2023, with 64 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 64.467 Year in 2023 and a record low of 27.823 Year in 1984. Afghanistan Life Expectancy at Birth: Male data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Afghanistan – Table AF.World Bank.WDI: Social: Health Statistics. Life expectancy at birth indicates the number of years a newborn infant would live if prevailing patterns of mortality at the time of its birth were to stay the same throughout its life.;(1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2024 Revision; (2) Statistical databases and publications from national statistical offices; (3) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics.;Weighted average;