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

In 2022, the infant mortality rate in Afghanistan decreased by 1.3 deaths per 1,000 live births (-2.82 percent) compared to 2021. In 2022, the infant mortality rate thereby reached its lowest value in recent years. The infant mortality rate is the number of newborns who do not survive past the first 12 months of life. This is generally expressed as a value per 1,000 live births, and also includes neonatal mortality (deaths within the first 28 days of life).Find more statistics on other topics about Afghanistan with key insights such as total life expectancy at birth, total fertility rate, and crude birth rate.

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.

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.

Afghanistan Mortality Rate: Infant: per 1000 Live Births data was reported at 44.800 Ratio in 2022. This records a decrease from the previous number of 46.100 Ratio for 2021. Afghanistan Mortality Rate: Infant: per 1000 Live Births data is updated yearly, averaging 115.100 Ratio from Dec 1962 (Median) to 2022, with 61 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 231.400 Ratio in 1962 and a record low of 44.800 Ratio in 2022. 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.

Mortality rate, infant, male (per 1,000 live births) in Afghanistan was reported at 48.1 % in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Afghanistan - Mortality rate, infant, male (per 1,000 live births) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on March of 2025.

Afghanistan Mortality Rate: Under-5: Female: per 1000 Live Births data was reported at 54.000 Ratio in 2022. This records a decrease from the previous number of 55.800 Ratio for 2021. Afghanistan Mortality Rate: Under-5: Female: per 1000 Live Births data is updated yearly, averaging 164.900 Ratio from Dec 1962 (Median) to 2022, with 61 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 335.600 Ratio in 1962 and a record low of 54.000 Ratio in 2022. Afghanistan Mortality Rate: Under-5: Female: 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, female is the probability per 1,000 that a newborn female baby will die before reaching age five, if subject to female 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/].

Afghanistan Mortality Rate: Under-5: per 1000 Live Births data was reported at 57.700 Ratio in 2022. This records a decrease from the previous number of 59.600 Ratio for 2021. Afghanistan Mortality Rate: Under-5: per 1000 Live Births data is updated yearly, averaging 174.900 Ratio from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2022, with 63 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 354.600 Ratio in 1960 and a record low of 57.700 Ratio in 2022. 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/].

The death rate in Afghanistan decreased by 0.4 deaths per 1,000 inhabitants (-5.45 percent) in 2022 in comparison to the previous year. This decrease was preceded by an increase in death rate.The crude death rate is the annual number of deaths in a given population, expressed per 1,000 people. When looked at in unison with the crude birth rate, the rate of natural increase can be determined.Find more statistics on other topics about Afghanistan with key insights such as crude birth rate, infant mortality rate, and total life expectancy at birth.

Chart and table of the Afghanistan birth rate from 1950 to 2025. United Nations projections are also included through the year 2100.

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 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.

A major demographic difference between pre-industrial societies and today was the prevalence of infant mortality. In some periods, it is estimated that almost a third of babies born would not live to see their first birthday. In other periods, the absence of pandemics, and improvements in living standards saw lower rates of infant mortality. However, the introduction of vaccination, followed by other medical advances, was the most significant factor in reducing infant mortality, and kickstarting the demographic transition across the globe. Today, in the most developed countries, infant mortality is as low as 1.5 deaths per 1,000 births; compared to over 100 deaths per 1,000 births in Afghanistan.

58.0 (deaths per 1,000 live births) in 2020. Under-five mortality rate is the probability per 1,000 that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five, if subject to current age-specific mortality rates.

Afghanistan Number of Death: Infant data was reported at 64,145.000 Person in 2022. This records a decrease from the previous number of 64,996.000 Person for 2021. Afghanistan Number of Death: Infant data is updated yearly, averaging 83,791.500 Person from Dec 1963 (Median) to 2022, with 60 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 109,695.000 Person in 1977 and a record low of 64,072.000 Person in 1992. 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.

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.

The crude birth rate in Afghanistan decreased by 0.7 live births per 1,000 inhabitants (-1.95 percent) in 2022 in comparison to the previous year. In 2022, the rate thereby reached its lowest value in recent years. The crude birth rate is the annual number of live births in a given population, expressed per 1,000 people. When looked at in unison with the crude death rate, the rate of natural increase can be determined.Find more statistics on other topics about Afghanistan with key insights such as total fertility rate, total life expectancy at birth, and infant mortality rate.

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.

44,8 (muertes por cada 1000 nacidos vivos) in 2022. Infant mortality rate is the number of infants dying before reaching one year of age, per 1,000 live births in a given year.

From 1925 until 2000 the fertility rate of Afghanistan fluctuated between seven and 7.7 children per women, before dropping drastically by 2020. The fertility rate of a country is the average number of children that women from that country will have throughout their reproductive years. Although the graph shows a constant fertility rate during the second half of the twentieth century, this is likely due to the lack of data from reliable sources, rather than a real trend. From 2000 onwards the fertility rate has dropped by more than three children per woman, and today it is 4.6. This decline can be attributed to a reduction in infant and child mortality, and increased use of contraceptives; usage more than doubled since 2003, although roughly three quarters of Afghan couples still do not use any contraceptive method.