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.

Graph and download economic data for Infant Mortality Rate for Least Developed Countries (SPDYNIMRTINLDC) from 1990 to 2023 about mortality, infant, and rate.

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.

Graph and download economic data for Infant Mortality Rate for Developing Countries in Europe and Central Asia (SPDYNIMRTINECA) from 1990 to 2023 about Central Asia, mortality, infant, Europe, and rate.

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

United States - Infant Mortality Rate for Least Developed Countries was 39.66168 Number per 1,000 Live Births in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Infant Mortality Rate for Least Developed Countries reached a record high of 160.79593 in January of 1966 and a record low of 39.66168 in January of 2023. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Infant Mortality Rate for Least Developed Countries - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on July of 2025.

Graph and download economic data for Infant Mortality Rate for Developing Countries in Latin America and Caribbean (SPDYNIMRTINLAC) from 1990 to 2023 about Caribbean Economies, Latin America, mortality, infant, and rate.

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.

Graph and download economic data for Infant Mortality Rate: All Income Levels for Middle East and North Africa (SPDYNIMRTINMEA) from 1990 to 2023 about North Africa, Middle East, mortality, infant, income, and rate.

Infant Mortality Rate for Developing Countries in East Asia and Pacific was 12.31491 Number per 1,000 Live Births in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Infant Mortality Rate for Developing Countries in East Asia and Pacific reached a record high of 86.00000 in January of 1969 and a record low of 11.55135 in January of 2020. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Infant Mortality Rate for Developing Countries in East Asia and Pacific - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on June of 2025.

United States US: Mortality Rate: Infant: Male: per 1000 Live Births data was reported at 6.000 Ratio in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 6.200 Ratio for 2015. United States US: Mortality Rate: Infant: Male: per 1000 Live Births data is updated yearly, averaging 6.800 Ratio from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2017, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 10.400 Ratio in 1990 and a record low of 6.000 Ratio in 2017. United States US: Mortality Rate: Infant: 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 United States – Table US.World Bank.WDI: Health Statistics. Infant mortality rate, male is the number of male infants dying before reaching one year of age, per 1,000 male 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.

This dataset contains three CSV files documenting the relationship between log GDP and infant mortality rates for 30 countries. The data has been compiled to analyze the impact of economic status on child mortality rates. Each file includes relevant variables for conducting cross-national research on this topic.Files:Country_LogGDP.csvThis file contains the log-transformed GDP data for 30 countries.Variables:Country: The name of the country.Year: The year of the observation.LogGDP: The log-transformed value of the country's GDP for the corresponding year.Infant_Mortality.csvThis file provides the infant mortality rate data (number of infant deaths per 1,000 live births) for the same 30 countries.Variables:Country: The name of the country.Year: The year of the observation.Infant_Mortality: The infant mortality rate for the corresponding year.Average_LogGDP_InfantMortality.csvThis file contains the average log GDP and infant mortality rates for the 30 countries.Variables:Country: The name of the country.Average_LogGDP: The average log-transformed GDP for each country over the time period.Average_Infant_Mortality: The average infant mortality rate for each country over the time period.

Maternal mortality rates can vary significantly around the world. For example, in 2022, Estonia had a maternal mortality rate of zero per 100,000 live births, while Mexico reported a rate of 38 deaths per 100,000 live births. However, the regions with the highest number of maternal deaths are Sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia, with differences between countries and regions often reflecting inequalities in health care services and access. Most causes of maternal mortality are preventable and treatable with the most common causes including severe bleeding, infections, complications during delivery, high blood pressure during pregnancy, and unsafe abortion. Maternal mortality in the United States In 2022, there were a total of 817 maternal deaths in the United States. Women aged 25 to 39 years accounted for 578 of these deaths, however, rates of maternal mortality are much higher among women aged 40 years and older. In 2022, the rate of maternal mortality among women aged 40 years and older in the U.S. was 87 per 100,000 live births, compared to a rate of 21 among women aged 25 to 39 years. The rate of maternal mortality in the U.S. has risen in recent years among all age groups. Differences in maternal mortality in the U.S. by race/ethnicity Sadly, there are great disparities in maternal mortality in the United States among different races and ethnicities. In 2022, the rate of maternal mortality among non-Hispanic white women was about 19 per 100,000 live births, while non-Hispanic Black women died from maternal causes at a rate of almost 50 per 100,000 live births. Rates of maternal mortality have risen for white and Hispanic women in recent years, but Black women have by far seen the largest increase in maternal mortality. In 2022, around 253 Black women died from maternal causes in the United States.

United States US: Mortality Rate: Infant: per 1000 Live Births data was reported at 5.600 Ratio in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 5.700 Ratio for 2015. United States US: Mortality Rate: Infant: per 1000 Live Births data is updated yearly, averaging 10.000 Ratio from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2016, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 25.900 Ratio in 1960 and a record low of 5.600 Ratio in 2016. United States US: 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 USA – Table US.World Bank: 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.

Laos LA: Mortality Rate: Infant: Male: per 1000 Live Births data was reported at 54.200 Ratio in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 55.700 Ratio for 2015. Laos LA: Mortality Rate: Infant: Male: per 1000 Live Births data is updated yearly, averaging 64.800 Ratio from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2016, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 120.800 Ratio in 1990 and a record low of 54.200 Ratio in 2016. Laos LA: Mortality Rate: Infant: 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 Laos – Table LA.World Bank: Health Statistics. Infant mortality rate, male is the number of male infants dying before reaching one year of age, per 1,000 male 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.

Mali ML: Mortality Rate: Infant: per 1000 Live Births data was reported at 68.000 Ratio in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 69.600 Ratio for 2015. Mali ML: Mortality Rate: Infant: per 1000 Live Births data is updated yearly, averaging 131.200 Ratio from Dec 1963 (Median) to 2016, with 54 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 213.400 Ratio in 1963 and a record low of 68.000 Ratio in 2016. Mali ML: 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 Mali – Table ML.World Bank: 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.

Saudi Arabia SA: Mortality Rate: Infant: Male: per 1000 Live Births data was reported at 11.900 Ratio in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 12.300 Ratio for 2015. Saudi Arabia SA: Mortality Rate: Infant: Male: per 1000 Live Births data is updated yearly, averaging 14.500 Ratio from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2016, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 38.300 Ratio in 1990 and a record low of 11.900 Ratio in 2016. Saudi Arabia SA: Mortality Rate: Infant: 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 Saudi Arabia – Table SA.World Bank: Health Statistics. Infant mortality rate, male is the number of male infants dying before reaching one year of age, per 1,000 male 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.

This thesis studies the effect of US wheat aid on infant mortality rates in developing countries. There is debate on the effectiveness of US food aid; some claim it disrupts local food production, while others discuss its role in prolonging conflict. This paper aims to address the intended impact of food aid, feeding people, rather than unintended impacts tackled by previous studies. Infant mortality rates serve as a measure of the health of pregnant woman and infants, who make up a vulnerable population that is susceptible to food crises. An instrumental variable approach is taken, which uses lagged US wheat production, a country’s tendency to receive any US food aid, a rainshock variable, population, and a measure of intrastate conflict, to determine the impact of wheat aid on infant mortality rates in recipient countries. As shown by the results, infant mortality rates decrease with more US wheat aid, which is conducive to the goals of food aid set out by USAID. Specifically, a 100% increase in US food aid, decreases infant mortality rates by 19.3 deaths per 1,000 live births. Furthermore, the effect of US wheat aid on infant mortality rates is strongest in countries that are more likely to receive aid compared to those with a below average propensity to receive US food aid.

Infant Mortality Rate for Developing Countries in Latin America and Caribbean was 13.34297 Number per 1,000 Live Births in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Infant Mortality Rate for Developing Countries in Latin America and Caribbean reached a record high of 120.90000 in January of 1960 and a record low of 13.34297 in January of 2023. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Infant Mortality Rate for Developing Countries in Latin America and Caribbean - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on May of 2025.

Belarus BY: Mortality Rate: Infant: per 1000 Live Births data was reported at 1.900 Ratio in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 2.000 Ratio for 2022. Belarus BY: Mortality Rate: Infant: per 1000 Live Births data is updated yearly, averaging 12.350 Ratio from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2023, with 64 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 36.900 Ratio in 1960 and a record low of 1.900 Ratio in 2023. Belarus BY: 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 Belarus – Table BY.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.