Number of child deaths by age in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Number of child deaths by age was 9,133 deaths in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
9,133 deaths
Change on year
down 3.7%
World rank
26th
of 199 countries
All-time high
22,917 deaths
in 1961
All-time low
9,133 deaths
in 2024
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Number of child deaths by age in Sierra Leone, 1961–2024
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 Sierra Leone is 9,133 deaths, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 64 years on record.
The figure is down 3.7% on the previous year and down 35.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of child deaths by age in Sierra Leone peaked at 22,917 deaths in 1961 and was at its lowest, 9,133 deaths, in 2024.
Sierra Leone ranks 26th of 199 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 64 years of available data.
Number of child deaths by age in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | deaths | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 22,917 deaths | — |
| 1962 | 22,799 deaths | -0.5% |
| 1963 | 22,681 deaths | -0.5% |
| 1964 | 22,578 deaths | -0.5% |
| 1965 | 22,463 deaths | -0.5% |
| 1966 | 22,328 deaths | -0.6% |
| 1967 | 22,184 deaths | -0.6% |
| 1968 | 22,056 deaths | -0.6% |
| 1969 | 21,912 deaths | -0.7% |
| 1970 | 21,774 deaths | -0.6% |
| 1971 | 21,635 deaths | -0.6% |
| 1972 | 21,502 deaths | -0.6% |
| 1973 | 21,383 deaths | -0.6% |
| 1974 | 21,298 deaths | -0.4% |
| 1975 | 21,227 deaths | -0.3% |
| 1976 | 21,181 deaths | -0.2% |
| 1977 | 21,122 deaths | -0.3% |
| 1978 | 21,079 deaths | -0.2% |
| 1979 | 21,029 deaths | -0.2% |
| 1980 | 20,980 deaths | -0.2% |
| 1981 | 20,963 deaths | -0.1% |
| 1982 | 20,952 deaths | -0.1% |
| 1983 | 20,968 deaths | +0.1% |
| 1984 | 21,009 deaths | +0.2% |
| 1985 | 21,085 deaths | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 21,174 deaths | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 21,277 deaths | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 21,403 deaths | +0.6% |
| 1989 | 21,600 deaths | +0.9% |
| 1990 | 21,791 deaths | +0.9% |
| 1991 | 21,984 deaths | +0.9% |
| 1992 | 22,263 deaths | +1.3% |
| 1993 | 22,456 deaths | +0.9% |
| 1994 | 22,350 deaths | -0.5% |
| 1995 | 22,068 deaths | -1.3% |
| 1996 | 21,541 deaths | -2.4% |
| 1997 | 20,918 deaths | -2.9% |
| 1998 | 20,377 deaths | -2.6% |
| 1999 | 19,888 deaths | -2.4% |
| 2000 | 19,404 deaths | -2.4% |
| 2001 | 18,899 deaths | -2.6% |
| 2002 | 18,466 deaths | -2.3% |
| 2003 | 18,208 deaths | -1.4% |
| 2004 | 18,084 deaths | -0.7% |
| 2005 | 17,968 deaths | -0.6% |
| 2006 | 17,763 deaths | -1.1% |
| 2007 | 17,372 deaths | -2.2% |
| 2008 | 16,834 deaths | -3.1% |
| 2009 | 16,246 deaths | -3.5% |
| 2010 | 15,644 deaths | -3.7% |
| 2011 | 15,026 deaths | -4.0% |
| 2012 | 14,437 deaths | -3.9% |
| 2013 | 13,905 deaths | -3.7% |
| 2014 | 14,113 deaths | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 14,606 deaths | +3.5% |
| 2016 | 12,227 deaths | -16.3% |
| 2017 | 11,695 deaths | -4.4% |
| 2018 | 11,224 deaths | -4.0% |
| 2019 | 10,822 deaths | -3.6% |
| 2020 | 10,483 deaths | -3.1% |
| 2021 | 10,151 deaths | -3.2% |
| 2022 | 9,813 deaths | -3.3% |
| 2023 | 9,479 deaths | -3.4% |
| 2024 | 9,133 deaths | -3.7% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 9,133 deaths is above the median for low income countries, which is 7,922 deaths, 1.2× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 9,133 deaths is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 7,144 deaths, 1.3× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 22,435 deaths | 21,912 deaths | 22,917 deaths | 9 |
| 1970s | 21,323 deaths | 21,029 deaths | 21,774 deaths | 10 |
| 1980s | 21,141 deaths | 20,952 deaths | 21,600 deaths | 10 |
| 1990s | 21,564 deaths | 19,888 deaths | 22,456 deaths | 10 |
| 2000s | 17,924 deaths | 16,246 deaths | 19,404 deaths | 10 |
| 2010s | 13,370 deaths | 10,822 deaths | 15,644 deaths | 10 |
| 2020s | 9,812 deaths | 9,133 deaths | 10,483 deaths | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
- 23 South Africa 12,865 deaths compare
- 24 Indonesia 11,410 deaths compare
- 25 Zambia 9,147 deaths compare
- 27 Philippines 8,954 deaths compare
- 28 South Sudan 7,922 deaths compare
- 29 Vietnam 7,647 deaths compare
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 age in Sierra Leone?
- Number of child deaths by age in Sierra Leone was 9,133 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 Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 22,917 deaths in 1961.
- What is the lowest number of child deaths by age recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 9,133 deaths in 2024.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for number of child deaths by age?
- Sierra Leone ranks 26th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of child deaths by age rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is down 35.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sierra Leone 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 .