An indicator of population health, the infant mortality rate measures the number of newborns (and occasionally unborn) that die each year. The number of infant deaths per 1,000 live births is often used.
One or more of the following may be blamed for a high rate of infant mortality in a country: poverty, malaria; malnutrition; poor infrastructure; or an absence of competent health care.
It should be noted that these are all frequent issues in the developing world. There are several nations with high birth and fertility rates that have high infant mortality rates, as well.
Neonatal encephalopathy, infections, preterm birth difficulties, lower respiratory infections, and diarrheal disorders are among the leading causes of infant death across the globe. Newborns under a week old have a diverse set of leading causes of mortality than older infants.
The infant mortality rate has declined dramatically over the last several decades, from 140 deaths per 1,000 live births in 1950-55 to 52.8 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2000 to 27.4 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2020.
10 countries have the highest infant mortality rate (UNICEF 2020 – deaths per 1,000 live births):
- Sierra Leone — 80.10
- Central African Republic — 77.50
- Somalia — 72.72
- Nigeria — 72.24
- Lesotho — 69.88
- Chad — 67.40
- DR Congo — 63.79
- South Sudan — 63.34
- Guinea — 61.99
- Mali — 58.77
The top 10 countries with the lowest infant mortality rate in the world:
- Iceland — 1.54
- San Marino — 1.56
- Estonia — 1.65
- Slovenia — 1.76
- Norway — 1.79
- Japan — 1.82
- Singapore — 1.85
- Finland — 1.88
- Montenegro — 1.95
- Sweden — 2.15
The United States has an alarmingly high rate of infant mortality.
The leading causes of infant death in the United States include birth defects, prematurity, low birth weight, difficulties during pregnancy, SIDS, and traumas (such as accidental suffocation).
According to the CDC, the death rate in the United States is expected to be 5.44 per 100,000 people in 2020. These numbers were much higher than those from other industrialized nations such as Sweden (2.15), Japan (1.82), and Australia (both 1.82), which came in at 50th place out of the 195 countries surveyed (3.14).
The gap in newborn mortality rates between the United States and other nations seems to be mostly attributable to country-to-country discrepancies in the compilation of infant mortality data.
Varied nations have different definitions of infant mortality, and the United State’s definition is far wider than the definitions of most other countries.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control, an infant’s death occurs between the time of conception (the beginning of pregnancy) and the child’s first birthday.
A child’s cause of death is not included unless it occurs during the first 42 days (about six weeks) following birth, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
The fact that the window of inclusion in the United States is 323 days (about 10.5 months) longer undoubtedly adds considerably to the higher totals of infant deaths in the United States in the United States. There is a comparable distortion of sexual assault numbers in Sweden.
Additionally, some nations do not include deaths during pregnancy (stillbirths, miscarriages, etc.) in their infant mortality rate since a kid is not considered an infant until it is delivered.
Although any infant mortality rate greater than 0.0 is cause for worry, the U.S. figure is probably not as bad as it first looks when compared to rates in other nations.
Also See: HIV Rates by Country 2022
Ranking | Country | Deaths per 1,000 live births (UNICEF 2020) | 2022 Population |
---|---|---|---|
195 | Sierra Leone | 80.1000 | 8306.4360 |
194 | Central African Republic | 77.5000 | 5016.6780 |
193 | Somalia | 72.7200 | 16841.7950 |
192 | Nigeria | 72.2400 | 216746.9340 |
191 | Lesotho | 69.8800 | 2175.6990 |
190 | Chad | 67.4000 | 17413.5800 |
189 | DR Congo | 63.7900 | 95240.7920 |
188 | South Sudan | 63.3400 | 11618.5110 |
187 | Guinea | 61.9900 | 13865.6910 |
186 | Mali | 58.7700 | 21473.7640 |
185 | Equatorial Guinea | 58.2800 | 1496.6620 |
184 | Liberia | 58.1500 | 5305.1170 |
183 | Ivory Coast | 57.8800 | 27742.2980 |
182 | Benin | 56.5400 | 12784.7260 |
181 | Pakistan | 54.1500 | 229488.9940 |
180 | Burkina Faso | 52.8200 | 22102.8380 |
179 | Mozambique | 52.7700 | 33089.4610 |
178 | Guinea-Bissau | 51.4000 | 2063.3670 |
177 | Mauritania | 49.0200 | 4901.9810 |
176 | Angola | 48.3400 | 35027.3430 |
175 | Cameroon | 48.3400 | 27911.5480 |
174 | Comoros | 47.2300 | 907.4190 |
173 | Djibouti | 47.1800 | 1016.0970 |
172 | Haiti | 46.6600 | 11680.2830 |
171 | Yemen | 45.7100 | 31154.8670 |
170 | Niger | 45.6100 | 26083.6600 |
169 | Afghanistan | 44.9700 | 40754.3880 |
168 | Togo | 44.3600 | 8680.8370 |
167 | Zambia | 41.6600 | 19470.2340 |
166 | Sudan | 39.9200 | 45992.0200 |
165 | Kiribati | 39.2100 | 123.4190 |
164 | Burundi | 38.6400 | 12624.8400 |
163 | Zimbabwe | 37.9300 | 15331.4280 |
162 | Eswatini | 37.4200 | 1184.8170 |
161 | Timor-Leste | 36.5200 | 1369.4290 |
160 | Madagascar | 36.2600 | 29178.0770 |
159 | Turkmenistan | 36.1000 | 6201.9430 |
158 | Botswana | 36.0800 | 2441.1620 |
157 | Ethiopia | 35.3700 | 120812.6980 |
156 | Laos | 35.3400 | 7481.0230 |
155 | Papua New Guinea | 35.2300 | 9292.1690 |
154 | Myanmar | 35.0500 | 55227.1430 |
153 | Gambia | 34.7400 | 2558.4820 |
152 | Tanzania | 34.7200 | 63298.5500 |
151 | Ghana | 33.0200 | 32395.4500 |
150 | Republic of the Congo | 32.9800 | 5797.8050 |
149 | Uganda | 31.8600 | 48432.8630 |
148 | Dominica | 31.6900 | 72.3440 |
147 | Kenya | 31.1500 | 56215.2210 |
146 | Gabon | 30.6900 | 2331.5330 |
145 | Rwanda | 30.2700 | 13600.4640 |
144 | Namibia | 30.1400 | 2633.8740 |
143 | Eritrea | 29.6900 | 3662.2440 |
142 | Malawi | 29.0200 | 20180.8390 |
141 | Senegal | 28.8500 | 17653.6710 |
140 | Tajikistan | 28.3500 | 9957.4640 |
139 | Dominican Republic | 27.8700 | 11056.3700 |
138 | India | 27.0100 | 1406631.7760 |
137 | South Africa | 25.7800 | 60756.1350 |
136 | Marshall Islands | 25.5200 | 60.0570 |
135 | Bangladesh | 24.3200 | 167885.6890 |
134 | Nauru | 23.8500 | 10.9030 |
133 | Guyana | 23.7800 | 794.0450 |
132 | Nepal | 23.5900 | 30225.5820 |
131 | Bhutan | 23.1800 | 787.9410 |
130 | Fiji | 23.0300 | 909.4660 |
129 | Cambodia | 22.0500 | 17168.6390 |
128 | Saint Lucia | 22.0200 | 185.1130 |
127 | Iraq | 21.3200 | 42164.9650 |
126 | Vanuatu | 21.0700 | 321.8320 |
125 | Venezuela | 21.0600 | 29266.9910 |
124 | Niue | 20.9700 | 1.6220 |
123 | Philippines | 20.9500 | 112508.9940 |
122 | Micronesia | 20.8500 | 117.4890 |
121 | Bolivia | 20.7200 | 11992.6560 |
120 | Guatemala | 20.0600 | 18584.0390 |
119 | Indonesia | 19.5500 | 279134.5050 |
118 | Algeria | 19.4600 | 45350.1480 |
117 | Tuvalu | 18.7400 | 12.0660 |
116 | Syria | 18.4500 | 19364.8090 |
115 | Azerbaijan | 17.3200 | 10300.2050 |
114 | Vietnam | 16.7000 | 98953.5410 |
113 | Egypt | 16.6500 | 106156.6920 |
112 | Solomon Islands | 16.5800 | 721.1590 |
111 | Paraguay | 16.1800 | 7305.8430 |
110 | Morocco | 16.0200 | 37772.7560 |
109 | Suriname | 15.7000 | 596.8310 |
108 | Kyrgyzstan | 15.6700 | 6728.2710 |
107 | Palau | 15.6700 | 18.2330 |
106 | Trinidad and Tobago | 14.8300 | 1406.5850 |
105 | Mauritius | 14.8000 | 1274.7270 |
104 | Samoa | 14.6200 | 202.2390 |
103 | Grenada | 14.5300 | 113.4750 |
102 | Tunisia | 14.2900 | 12046.6560 |
101 | Palestine | 14.2000 | 5345.5410 |
100 | Honduras | 13.9400 | 10221.2470 |
99 | Nicaragua | 13.7900 | 6779.1000 |
98 | Mongolia | 13.2200 | 3378.0780 |
97 | Brazil | 13.1300 | 215353.5930 |
96 | Jordan | 12.9200 | 10300.8690 |
95 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 12.9200 | 111.5510 |
94 | Sao Tome and Principe | 12.7400 | 227.6790 |
93 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 12.5800 | 53.8710 |
92 | Moldova | 12.4600 | 4013.1710 |
91 | Uzbekistan | 12.4600 | 34382.0840 |
90 | Panama | 12.3400 | 4446.9640 |
88 | Seychelles | 12 | 99.4260 |
87 | Mexico | 11.7700 | 131562.7720 |
86 | North Korea | 11.6000 | 25990.6790 |
85 | Jamaica | 11.4300 | 2985.0940 |
84 | Barbados | 11.3800 | 288.0230 |
83 | Colombia | 11.3500 | 51512.7620 |
82 | Ecuador | 11.1500 | 18113.3610 |
81 | Iran | 11.1400 | 86022.8370 |
80 | El Salvador | 11.0800 | 6550.3890 |
79 | Bahamas | 10.5300 | 400.5160 |
78 | Belize | 10.0300 | 412.1900 |
77 | Peru | 9.9500 | 33684.2080 |
76 | Tonga | 9.8100 | 107.7490 |
75 | Armenia | 9.7400 | 2971.9660 |
74 | Brunei | 9.6400 | 445.4310 |
73 | Libya | 9.5300 | 7040.7450 |
72 | Kazakhstan | 8.9200 | 19205.0430 |
71 | Albania | 8.7600 | 2866.3740 |
70 | Georgia | 8.2300 | 3968.7380 |
69 | Turkey | 8.1300 | 85561.9760 |
68 | Argentina | 7.6100 | 46010.2340 |
67 | Kuwait | 7.5800 | 4380.3260 |
66 | Thailand | 7.4100 | 70078.2030 |
65 | Malaysia | 7.3800 | 33181.0720 |
64 | Ukraine | 6.9400 | 43192.1220 |
63 | Costa Rica | 6.7300 | 5182.3540 |
62 | Oman | 6.4500 | 5323.9930 |
61 | Cook Islands | 6.3200 | 17.5710 |
60 | Saudi Arabia | 5.9900 | 35844.9090 |
59 | Lebanon | 5.9700 | 6684.8490 |
58 | Sri Lanka | 5.9200 | 21575.8420 |
57 | Bahrain | 5.7900 | 1783.9830 |
56 | Chile | 5.7700 | 19250.1950 |
55 | Malta | 5.6300 | 444.0330 |
54 | Romania | 5.6300 | 19031.3350 |
53 | United Arab Emirates | 5.6200 | 10081.7850 |
52 | Maldives | 5.5200 | 540.9850 |
51 | China | 5.4700 | 1448471.4000 |
50 | United States | 5.4400 | 334805.2690 |
49 | Antigua and Barbuda | 5.3800 | 99.5090 |
48 | Uruguay | 5.3200 | 3496.0160 |
47 | North Macedonia | 5.2000 | 2081.3040 |
46 | Bulgaria | 5.1400 | 6844.5970 |
45 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 4.9500 | 3249.3170 |
44 | Qatar | 4.9300 | 2979.9150 |
43 | Serbia | 4.8700 | 8653.0160 |
42 | Slovakia | 4.6900 | 5460.1930 |
41 | Canada | 4.3800 | 38388.4190 |
40 | Russia | 4.3600 | 145805.9470 |
39 | Cuba | 4.0800 | 11305.6520 |
38 | New Zealand | 3.9300 | 4898.2030 |
37 | Croatia | 3.8700 | 4059.2860 |
36 | Poland | 3.7400 | 37739.7850 |
35 | United Kingdom | 3.6200 | 68497.9070 |
34 | Greece | 3.5800 | 10316.6370 |
33 | Netherlands | 3.5800 | 17211.4470 |
32 | Switzerland | 3.5200 | 8773.6370 |
31 | France | 3.4500 | 65584.5180 |
30 | Belgium | 3.4400 | 11668.2780 |
29 | Latvia | 3.4400 | 1848.8370 |
28 | Hungary | 3.3600 | 9606.2590 |
27 | Australia | 3.1400 | 26068.7920 |
26 | Denmark | 3.1300 | 5834.9500 |
25 | Germany | 3.1000 | 83883.5960 |
24 | Austria | 2.9700 | 9066.7100 |
23 | Israel | 2.9000 | 8922.8920 |
22 | Portugal | 2.7300 | 10140.5700 |
21 | Spain | 2.7100 | 46719.1420 |
20 | Lithuania | 2.6800 | 2661.7080 |
19 | Ireland | 2.6200 | 5020.1990 |
18 | South Korea | 2.5900 | 51329.8990 |
17 | Italy | 2.4700 | 60262.7700 |
16 | Monaco | 2.4600 | 39.7830 |
15 | Andorra | 2.3800 | 77.4630 |
14 | Czech Republic | 2.3200 | 10736.7840 |
13 | Luxembourg | 2.2800 | 642.3710 |
12 | Cyprus | 2.2500 | 1223.3870 |
11 | Belarus | 2.1900 | 9432.8000 |
10 | Sweden | 2.1500 | 10218.9710 |
9 | Montenegro | 1.9500 | 627.9500 |
8 | Finland | 1.8800 | 5554.9600 |
7 | Singapore | 1.8500 | 5943.5460 |
6 | Japan | 1.8200 | 125584.8380 |
5 | Norway | 1.7900 | 5511.3700 |
4 | Slovenia | 1.7600 | 2078.0340 |
3 | Estonia | 1.6500 | 1321.9100 |
2 | San Marino | 1.5600 | 34.0850 |
1 | Iceland | 1.5400 | 345.3930 |