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.

The average for 2021 based on 187 countries was 20 deaths per 1000 live births. The highest value was in Sierra Leone: 78 deaths per 1000 live births and the lowest value was in San Marino: 1 deaths per 1000 live births. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2022. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

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.

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.

In 2022, the state of Mississippi had the highest infant mortality rate in the United States, with around 9.11 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. Causes of infant mortality Rates and causes of infant mortality are different depending on the country and region. However, the leading causes of neonatal deaths include preterm birth complications, intrapartum-related events, and sepsis. The leading causes of death among children aged 1 to 59 months are pneumonia, diarrhea, and injury. 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 2021. The most common causes of infant death in the United States are congenital malformations, low birth weight, and sudden infant death syndrome. In 2022, congenital malformations accounted for around 108 infant deaths per 100,000 live births.

The infant mortality rate in Jordan decreased by 0.4 deaths per 1,000 live births (-3.17 percent) in 2023 in comparison to the previous year. Therefore, the infant mortality rate in Jordan saw its lowest number in that year with 12.2 deaths per 1,000 live births. The infant mortality rate refers to the number of infants who do not survive past the first year of life, expressed as a value per 1,000 births.Find more statistics on other topics about Jordan with key insights such as crude birth rate, total fertility rate, and total life expectancy at birth.

The infant mortality rate in Mexico decreased by 0.3 deaths per 1,000 live births (-2.7 percent) in 2023 in comparison to the previous year. Therefore, 2023 marks the lowest infant mortality rate during the observed period. The infant mortality rate refers to the number of infants who do not survive past the first year of life, expressed as a value per 1,000 births.Find more statistics on other topics about Mexico with key insights such as total life expectancy at birth, total fertility rate, and death rate.

Historical chart and dataset showing Cuba infant mortality rate by year from 1950 to 2025.

In 2023, the infant mortality rate in Kazakhstan remained nearly unchanged at around 7.6 deaths per 1,000 live births. Yet 2023 saw the lowest infant mortality rate in Kazakhstan with 7.6 deaths per 1,000 live births. The infant mortality rate refers to the number of newborns not expected to survive past the first year of life. This is generally expressed as a value per 1,000 live births, and infant mortality also includes neonatal mortality (deaths within the first 28 days of life).Find more statistics on other topics about Kazakhstan with key insights such as total life expectancy at birth, death rate, and total fertility rate.

The average for 2021 based on 19 countries was 15 deaths per 1000 live births. The highest value was in Haiti: 45 deaths per 1000 live births and the lowest value was in Chile: 6 deaths per 1000 live births. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2022. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

The infant mortality rate in Cameroon declined to 41.2 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2023. This marks the lowest infant mortality rate during the observed period. The infant mortality rate refers to the number of infants who do not survive past the first year of life, expressed as a value per 1,000 births.Find more statistics on other topics about Cameroon with key insights such as death rate, crude birth rate, and total fertility rate.

The infant mortality rate in Iraq decreased by 0.7 deaths per 1,000 live births (-3.26 percent) compared to the previous year. This marks the lowest infant mortality rate during the observed period. The infant mortality rate refers to the number of newborns not expected to survive past the first year of life. This is generally expressed as a value per 1,000 live births, and infant mortality also includes neonatal mortality (deaths within the first 28 days of life).Find more statistics on other topics about Iraq with key insights such as total life expectancy at birth, crude birth rate, and death rate.

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

The infant mortality rate in Gabon decreased by 0.7 deaths per 1,000 live births (-2.57 percent) in 2023 in comparison to the previous year. Therefore, 2023 marks the lowest infant mortality rate during the observed period. The infant mortality rate refers to the number of infants who do not survive past the first year of life, expressed as a value per 1,000 births.Find more statistics on other topics about Gabon with key insights such as total fertility rate, death rate, and crude birth rate.

The infant mortality rate in Finland, for children under the age of one year old, was over 222 deaths per thousand births in 1870. This means that for all babies born in 1870, over 22 percent did not survive past their first birthday. This rate generally decreased over the next century and a half, with the only spikes recorded in the late 1910s, as a result of the Spanish Flu pandemic that spread across the globe. Nowadays, Finland has one of the lowest infant mortality rates in the world, with just two deaths per thousand births in 2020.

In 2023, the infant mortality rate in Chad decreased by 1.6 deaths per 1,000 live births (-2.65 percent) compared to 2022. Therefore, 2023 marks the lowest infant mortality rate during the observed period. The infant mortality rate refers to the number of newborns not expected to survive past the first year of life. This is generally expressed as a value per 1,000 live births, and infant mortality also includes neonatal mortality (deaths within the first 28 days of life).Find more statistics on other topics about Chad with key insights such as total life expectancy at birth, death rate, and total fertility rate.

The average for 2022 based on 187 countries was 25 deaths per 1000 births. The highest value was in Niger: 117 deaths per 1000 births and the lowest value was in Estonia: 2 deaths per 1000 births. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2022. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

The infant mortality rate in the United States, for children under the age of one (twelve months), was 60 deaths per thousand births in 1935. Approximately six percent of children born in 1935 did not survive past their first birthday. Over the course of the next 85 years, this number has dropped significantly, and the rate has reached its lowest point ever in the period between 2015 and 2020, at six deaths per thousand births. Figures have been below ten since the 1990s.

The infant mortality rate in Angola decreased by 1.3 deaths per 1,000 live births (-3.28 percent) compared to the previous year. This marks the lowest infant mortality rate during the observed period. The infant mortality rate refers to the number of newborns not expected to survive past the first year of life. This is generally expressed as a value per 1,000 live births, and infant mortality also includes neonatal mortality (deaths within the first 28 days of life).Find more statistics on other topics about Angola with key insights such as crude birth rate, fertility rate of women aged between 15 and 19 years old, and total fertility rate.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the association between area and individual measures of social disadvantage and infant health in the United Kingdom (UK). DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analyses. DATA SOURCES: 26 databases and web sites, reference lists, experts in the field and hand-searching. STUDY SELECTION: 36 prospective and retrospective observational studies with socio-economic data and health outcomes for infants in the UK, published from 1994 to May 2011. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: Two independent reviewers assessed the methodological quality of the studies and abstracted data. Where possible, study outcomes were reported as odds ratios for the highest versus the lowest deprivation quintile. RESULTS: In relation to the highest versus lowest area deprivation quintiles the odds of adverse birth outcomes were 1.81 (1.71 to 1.92) for low birth weight, 1.67 (1.42 to 1.96) for premature birth and 1.54 (1.39 to 1.72) for still birth. For infant mortality rates the odds ratios were 1.7...