Number of child deaths by age in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Number of child deaths by age was 39,650 deaths in 2024. ▼ Falling
Number of child deaths by age in Ethiopia, 1971–2024
Source: United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of child deaths by age in Ethiopia is 39,650 deaths, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 54 years on record.
That represents a change of down 20.9% on the previous year and down 31.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of child deaths by age in Ethiopia peaked at 244,686 deaths in 1983 and was at its lowest, 39,650 deaths, in 2024.
Ethiopia ranks 6th of 199 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 54 years of available data.
Number of child deaths by age in Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | deaths | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 136,039 deaths | — |
| 1972 | 167,998 deaths | +23.5% |
| 1973 | 168,970 deaths | +0.6% |
| 1974 | 170,268 deaths | +0.8% |
| 1975 | 172,154 deaths | +1.1% |
| 1976 | 145,965 deaths | -15.2% |
| 1977 | 150,279 deaths | +3.0% |
| 1978 | 154,516 deaths | +2.8% |
| 1979 | 157,521 deaths | +1.9% |
| 1980 | 159,319 deaths | +1.1% |
| 1981 | 159,484 deaths | +0.1% |
| 1982 | 158,220 deaths | -0.8% |
| 1983 | 244,686 deaths | +54.6% |
| 1984 | 237,931 deaths | -2.8% |
| 1985 | 227,838 deaths | -4.2% |
| 1986 | 225,666 deaths | -1.0% |
| 1987 | 148,853 deaths | -34.0% |
| 1988 | 152,974 deaths | +2.8% |
| 1989 | 156,859 deaths | +2.5% |
| 1990 | 159,954 deaths | +2.0% |
| 1991 | 162,037 deaths | +1.3% |
| 1992 | 162,342 deaths | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 161,995 deaths | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 160,949 deaths | -0.6% |
| 1995 | 159,150 deaths | -1.1% |
| 1996 | 156,504 deaths | -1.7% |
| 1997 | 153,084 deaths | -2.2% |
| 1998 | 148,719 deaths | -2.9% |
| 1999 | 143,992 deaths | -3.2% |
| 2000 | 138,587 deaths | -3.8% |
| 2001 | 132,596 deaths | -4.3% |
| 2002 | 126,099 deaths | -4.9% |
| 2003 | 119,639 deaths | -5.1% |
| 2004 | 112,875 deaths | -5.7% |
| 2005 | 106,272 deaths | -5.8% |
| 2006 | 99,911 deaths | -6.0% |
| 2007 | 93,937 deaths | -6.0% |
| 2008 | 88,193 deaths | -6.1% |
| 2009 | 82,642 deaths | -6.3% |
| 2010 | 77,192 deaths | -6.6% |
| 2011 | 71,908 deaths | -6.8% |
| 2012 | 67,042 deaths | -6.8% |
| 2013 | 62,509 deaths | -6.8% |
| 2014 | 58,253 deaths | -6.8% |
| 2015 | 54,452 deaths | -6.5% |
| 2016 | 51,096 deaths | -6.2% |
| 2017 | 48,552 deaths | -5.0% |
| 2018 | 46,629 deaths | -4.0% |
| 2019 | 45,234 deaths | -3.0% |
| 2020 | 44,116 deaths | -2.5% |
| 2021 | 77,966 deaths | +76.7% |
| 2022 | 76,683 deaths | -1.6% |
| 2023 | 50,143 deaths | -34.6% |
| 2024 | 39,650 deaths | -20.9% |
Ethiopia compared with similar countries
- Ethiopia's 39,650 deaths is above the median for low income countries, which is 7,922 deaths, 5.0× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Ethiopia's 39,650 deaths is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 7,144 deaths, 5.6× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of child deaths by age in Ethiopia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | +76.7% | 44,116 deaths | 77,966 deaths |
| 1983 | +54.6% | 158,220 deaths | 244,686 deaths |
| 2023 | -34.6% | 76,683 deaths | 50,143 deaths |
| 1987 | -34.0% | 225,666 deaths | 148,853 deaths |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 158,190 deaths | 136,039 deaths | 172,154 deaths | 9 |
| 1980s | 187,183 deaths | 148,853 deaths | 244,686 deaths | 10 |
| 1990s | 156,873 deaths | 143,992 deaths | 162,342 deaths | 10 |
| 2000s | 110,075 deaths | 82,642 deaths | 138,587 deaths | 10 |
| 2010s | 58,287 deaths | 45,234 deaths | 77,192 deaths | 10 |
| 2020s | 57,712 deaths | 39,650 deaths | 77,966 deaths | 5 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
More health data for Ethiopia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.67 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.9494 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 744.3 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 19,997 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 148 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.34 % 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 0.0709 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.36 % 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 age in Ethiopia?
- Number of child deaths by age in Ethiopia was 39,650 deaths in 2024, according to United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of child deaths by age recorded in Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 244,686 deaths in 1983.
- What is the lowest number of child deaths by age recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 39,650 deaths in 2024.
- How does Ethiopia rank for number of child deaths by age?
- Ethiopia ranks 6th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of child deaths by age rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 31.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ethiopia data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of child deaths by age. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated number of deaths of children aged between 1 and 4 .