Child mortality rate in Ghana
Ghana: Child mortality rate was 4.1% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
4.1%
Change on year
down 3.4%
World rank
39th
of 236 countries
All-time high
25.4%
in 1950
All-time low
4.1%
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Child mortality rate in Ghana, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of children.
Analysis
Ghana recorded 4.1% for child mortality rate in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
The figure is down 3.4% on the previous year and down 32.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, child mortality rate in Ghana peaked at 25.4% in 1950 and was at its lowest, 4.1%, in 2023.
Ghana ranks 39th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Child mortality rate in Ghana, year by year
| Year | % of children | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 25.4% | — |
| 1951 | 24.8% | -2.3% |
| 1952 | 24.2% | -2.1% |
| 1953 | 23.7% | -2.2% |
| 1954 | 23.2% | -2.2% |
| 1955 | 22.7% | -2.0% |
| 1956 | 22.3% | -1.8% |
| 1957 | 21.9% | -1.8% |
| 1958 | 21.6% | -1.5% |
| 1959 | 21.3% | -1.5% |
| 1960 | 21.0% | -1.2% |
| 1961 | 20.8% | -1.0% |
| 1962 | 20.6% | -0.9% |
| 1963 | 20.5% | -0.7% |
| 1964 | 20.4% | -0.6% |
| 1965 | 20.3% | -0.3% |
| 1966 | 20.3% | -0.1% |
| 1967 | 20.3% | -0.1% |
| 1968 | 20.2% | -0.1% |
| 1969 | 20.2% | -0.4% |
| 1970 | 20.1% | -0.2% |
| 1971 | 20.0% | -0.5% |
| 1972 | 19.7% | -1.4% |
| 1973 | 19.4% | -1.6% |
| 1974 | 19.0% | -1.9% |
| 1975 | 18.6% | -2.2% |
| 1976 | 18.2% | -2.4% |
| 1977 | 17.8% | -2.1% |
| 1978 | 17.4% | -2.1% |
| 1979 | 17.1% | -1.8% |
| 1980 | 16.8% | -1.5% |
| 1981 | 16.6% | -1.4% |
| 1982 | 16.4% | -1.0% |
| 1983 | 16.1% | -1.8% |
| 1984 | 15.7% | -2.3% |
| 1985 | 15.3% | -2.7% |
| 1986 | 14.9% | -3.0% |
| 1987 | 14.4% | -3.3% |
| 1988 | 13.9% | -3.6% |
| 1989 | 13.4% | -3.6% |
| 1990 | 12.9% | -3.4% |
| 1991 | 12.5% | -3.0% |
| 1992 | 12.2% | -2.8% |
| 1993 | 11.9% | -2.3% |
| 1994 | 11.7% | -1.3% |
| 1995 | 11.4% | -2.5% |
| 1996 | 11.2% | -2.3% |
| 1997 | 10.9% | -2.3% |
| 1998 | 10.6% | -2.7% |
| 1999 | 10.3% | -3.0% |
| 2000 | 10.0% | -3.5% |
| 2001 | 9.6% | -3.5% |
| 2002 | 9.3% | -3.6% |
| 2003 | 8.9% | -3.5% |
| 2004 | 8.6% | -3.4% |
| 2005 | 8.4% | -3.3% |
| 2006 | 8.1% | -3.3% |
| 2007 | 7.8% | -3.4% |
| 2008 | 7.5% | -3.6% |
| 2009 | 7.2% | -3.8% |
| 2010 | 6.9% | -4.1% |
| 2011 | 6.6% | -4.2% |
| 2012 | 6.4% | -4.4% |
| 2013 | 6.1% | -4.5% |
| 2014 | 5.8% | -4.4% |
| 2015 | 5.5% | -4.3% |
| 2016 | 5.3% | -4.1% |
| 2017 | 5.1% | -4.0% |
| 2018 | 4.9% | -3.8% |
| 2019 | 4.7% | -3.8% |
| 2020 | 4.6% | -3.7% |
| 2021 | 4.4% | -3.5% |
| 2022 | 4.2% | -3.4% |
| 2023 | 4.1% | -3.4% |
Ghana compared with similar countries
- Ghana's 4.1% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 3.9%, 1.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Ghana's 4.1% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.0%, 82% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 23.1% | 21.3% | 25.4% | 10 |
| 1960s | 20.5% | 20.2% | 21.0% | 10 |
| 1970s | 18.7% | 17.1% | 20.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 15.3% | 13.4% | 16.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 11.6% | 10.3% | 12.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.5% | 7.2% | 10.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.7% | 4.7% | 6.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.3% | 4.1% | 4.6% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
More health data for Ghana
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.37 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.6224 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 986.1 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 8,361 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.5623 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.06 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.5816 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is child mortality rate in Ghana?
- Child mortality rate in Ghana was 4.1% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest child mortality rate recorded in Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 25.4% in 1950.
- What is the lowest child mortality rate recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.1% in 2023.
- How does Ghana rank for child mortality rate?
- Ghana ranks 39th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is child mortality rate rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 32.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ghana data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Child mortality rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of children who die before reaching the age of 5.