Number of child deaths by region in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Number of child deaths by region was 23,171 in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
23,171
Change on year
down 2.9%
World rank
41st
of 195 countries
All-time high
48,437
in 1992
All-time low
23,171
in 2024
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Number of child deaths by region in Sierra Leone, 1961–2024
Source: UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, UN Population Division), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2024, number of child deaths by region in Sierra Leone stood at 23,171. That is the lowest value across all 64 years on record.
The figure is down 2.9% on the previous year and down 29.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of child deaths by region in Sierra Leone peaked at 48,437 in 1992 and was at its lowest, 23,171, in 2024.
That places Sierra Leone 41st out of 195 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 64 years of available data.
Number of child deaths by region in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 40,528 | — |
| 1962 | 40,593 | +0.2% |
| 1963 | 40,665 | +0.2% |
| 1964 | 40,756 | +0.2% |
| 1965 | 40,768 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 40,758 | -0.0% |
| 1967 | 40,767 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 40,757 | -0.0% |
| 1969 | 40,711 | -0.1% |
| 1970 | 40,713 | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 40,716 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 40,737 | +0.1% |
| 1973 | 40,787 | +0.1% |
| 1974 | 40,988 | +0.5% |
| 1975 | 41,144 | +0.4% |
| 1976 | 41,267 | +0.3% |
| 1977 | 41,390 | +0.3% |
| 1978 | 41,576 | +0.4% |
| 1979 | 41,751 | +0.4% |
| 1980 | 41,900 | +0.4% |
| 1981 | 42,141 | +0.6% |
| 1982 | 42,440 | +0.7% |
| 1983 | 42,795 | +0.8% |
| 1984 | 43,224 | +1.0% |
| 1985 | 43,692 | +1.1% |
| 1986 | 44,179 | +1.1% |
| 1987 | 44,761 | +1.3% |
| 1988 | 45,386 | +1.4% |
| 1989 | 46,076 | +1.5% |
| 1990 | 46,771 | +1.5% |
| 1991 | 47,940 | +2.5% |
| 1992 | 48,437 | +1.0% |
| 1993 | 48,151 | -0.6% |
| 1994 | 47,888 | -0.5% |
| 1995 | 47,451 | -0.9% |
| 1996 | 46,672 | -1.6% |
| 1997 | 45,837 | -1.8% |
| 1998 | 45,155 | -1.5% |
| 1999 | 44,405 | -1.7% |
| 2000 | 43,470 | -2.1% |
| 2001 | 42,926 | -1.3% |
| 2002 | 43,209 | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 43,397 | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 43,024 | -0.9% |
| 2005 | 42,544 | -1.1% |
| 2006 | 41,995 | -1.3% |
| 2007 | 41,052 | -2.2% |
| 2008 | 39,871 | -2.9% |
| 2009 | 38,637 | -3.1% |
| 2010 | 37,316 | -3.4% |
| 2011 | 36,000 | -3.5% |
| 2012 | 34,728 | -3.5% |
| 2013 | 33,377 | -3.9% |
| 2014 | 32,934 | -1.3% |
| 2015 | 33,169 | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 29,487 | -11.1% |
| 2017 | 28,531 | -3.2% |
| 2018 | 27,645 | -3.1% |
| 2019 | 26,833 | -2.9% |
| 2020 | 26,058 | -2.9% |
| 2021 | 25,305 | -2.9% |
| 2022 | 24,567 | -2.9% |
| 2023 | 23,868 | -2.8% |
| 2024 | 23,171 | -2.9% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 23,171 is below the median for low income countries, which is 52,477, 44% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 23,171 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 31,761, 73% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 40,700 | 40,528 | 40,768 | 9 |
| 1970s | 41,107 | 40,713 | 41,751 | 10 |
| 1980s | 43,659 | 41,900 | 46,076 | 10 |
| 1990s | 46,871 | 44,405 | 48,437 | 10 |
| 2000s | 42,012 | 38,637 | 43,470 | 10 |
| 2010s | 32,002 | 26,833 | 37,316 | 10 |
| 2020s | 24,594 | 23,171 | 26,058 | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
More health data for Sierra Leone
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.34 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.773 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,199 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 4,209 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 38 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.6447 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0663 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.6611 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of child deaths by region in Sierra Leone?
- Number of child deaths by region in Sierra Leone was 23,171 in 2024, according to UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, UN Population Division), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of child deaths by region recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 48,437 in 1992.
- What is the lowest number of child deaths by region recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 23,171 in 2024.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for number of child deaths by region?
- Sierra Leone ranks 41st out of 195 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of child deaths by region rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is down 29.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sierra Leone data come from?
- The figures come from UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, UN Population Division), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of child deaths by region. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
The estimated number of children under five years old who die each year.