Number of child deaths by age in Malawi
Malawi: Number of child deaths by age was 6,960 deaths in 2024. ▼ Falling
Number of child deaths by age in Malawi, 1966–2024
Source: United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths.
Analysis
In 2024, number of child deaths by age in Malawi stood at 6,960 deaths. That is the lowest value across all 59 years on record.
The figure is down 2.6% on the previous year and down 38.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of child deaths by age in Malawi peaked at 51,946 deaths in 2001 and was at its lowest, 6,960 deaths, in 2024.
That places Malawi 32nd out of 199 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 59 years of available data.
Number of child deaths by age in Malawi, year by year
| Year | deaths | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1966 | 39,086 deaths | — |
| 1967 | 39,658 deaths | +1.5% |
| 1968 | 40,179 deaths | +1.3% |
| 1969 | 40,723 deaths | +1.4% |
| 1970 | 41,081 deaths | +0.9% |
| 1971 | 41,112 deaths | +0.1% |
| 1972 | 40,890 deaths | -0.5% |
| 1973 | 40,461 deaths | -1.0% |
| 1974 | 39,856 deaths | -1.5% |
| 1975 | 39,192 deaths | -1.7% |
| 1976 | 38,508 deaths | -1.7% |
| 1977 | 37,809 deaths | -1.8% |
| 1978 | 37,127 deaths | -1.8% |
| 1979 | 36,494 deaths | -1.7% |
| 1980 | 36,175 deaths | -0.9% |
| 1981 | 36,243 deaths | +0.2% |
| 1982 | 36,833 deaths | +1.6% |
| 1983 | 37,979 deaths | +3.1% |
| 1984 | 39,570 deaths | +4.2% |
| 1985 | 41,235 deaths | +4.2% |
| 1986 | 42,658 deaths | +3.5% |
| 1987 | 43,613 deaths | +2.2% |
| 1988 | 44,096 deaths | +1.1% |
| 1989 | 44,361 deaths | +0.6% |
| 1990 | 44,559 deaths | +0.4% |
| 1991 | 44,714 deaths | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 44,844 deaths | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 44,911 deaths | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 44,748 deaths | -0.4% |
| 1995 | 43,944 deaths | -1.8% |
| 1996 | 42,883 deaths | -2.4% |
| 1997 | 41,349 deaths | -3.6% |
| 1998 | 39,374 deaths | -4.8% |
| 1999 | 37,087 deaths | -5.8% |
| 2000 | 34,517 deaths | -6.9% |
| 2001 | 51,946 deaths | +50.5% |
| 2002 | 28,428 deaths | -45.3% |
| 2003 | 25,995 deaths | -8.6% |
| 2004 | 24,076 deaths | -7.4% |
| 2005 | 22,643 deaths | -6.0% |
| 2006 | 21,680 deaths | -4.3% |
| 2007 | 20,537 deaths | -5.3% |
| 2008 | 19,519 deaths | -5.0% |
| 2009 | 18,044 deaths | -7.6% |
| 2010 | 16,599 deaths | -8.0% |
| 2011 | 15,282 deaths | -7.9% |
| 2012 | 13,480 deaths | -11.8% |
| 2013 | 12,075 deaths | -10.4% |
| 2014 | 11,369 deaths | -5.8% |
| 2015 | 10,642 deaths | -6.4% |
| 2016 | 10,097 deaths | -5.1% |
| 2017 | 9,229 deaths | -8.6% |
| 2018 | 8,459 deaths | -8.3% |
| 2019 | 7,853 deaths | -7.2% |
| 2020 | 7,444 deaths | -5.2% |
| 2021 | 7,177 deaths | -3.6% |
| 2022 | 7,177 deaths | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 7,148 deaths | -0.4% |
| 2024 | 6,960 deaths | -2.6% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 6,960 deaths is below the median for low income countries, which is 7,922 deaths, 88% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 6,960 deaths is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 7,144 deaths, 97% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of child deaths by age in Malawi 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | +50.5% | 34,517 deaths | 51,946 deaths |
| 2002 | -45.3% | 51,946 deaths | 28,428 deaths |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 39,912 deaths | 39,086 deaths | 40,723 deaths | 4 |
| 1970s | 39,253 deaths | 36,494 deaths | 41,112 deaths | 10 |
| 1980s | 40,276 deaths | 36,175 deaths | 44,361 deaths | 10 |
| 1990s | 42,841 deaths | 37,087 deaths | 44,911 deaths | 10 |
| 2000s | 26,738 deaths | 18,044 deaths | 51,946 deaths | 10 |
| 2010s | 11,508 deaths | 7,853 deaths | 16,599 deaths | 10 |
| 2020s | 7,181 deaths | 6,960 deaths | 7,444 deaths | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More health data for Malawi
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -0.8368 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.9312 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 856.3 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 6,399 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.61 % 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 0.0714 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.63 % 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 Malawi?
- Number of child deaths by age in Malawi was 6,960 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 Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 51,946 deaths in 2001.
- What is the lowest number of child deaths by age recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 6,960 deaths in 2024.
- How does Malawi rank for number of child deaths by age?
- Malawi ranks 32nd out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of child deaths by age rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 38.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malawi 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 .