Child mortality rate in Samoa
Samoa: Child mortality rate was 1.6% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Child mortality rate in Samoa, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of children.
Analysis
Samoa recorded 1.6% for child mortality rate in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
The figure is down 2.7% on the previous year and down 17.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, child mortality rate in Samoa peaked at 15.5% in 1950 and was at its lowest, 1.6%, in 2023.
Samoa ranks 99th of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Child mortality rate in Samoa, year by year
| Year | % of children | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 15.5% | — |
| 1951 | 15.1% | -3.2% |
| 1952 | 14.6% | -3.2% |
| 1953 | 14.1% | -3.3% |
| 1954 | 13.6% | -3.4% |
| 1955 | 13.1% | -3.6% |
| 1956 | 12.6% | -3.8% |
| 1957 | 12.1% | -3.7% |
| 1958 | 11.7% | -3.9% |
| 1959 | 11.2% | -4.0% |
| 1960 | 10.8% | -4.0% |
| 1961 | 10.3% | -4.0% |
| 1962 | 9.9% | -3.9% |
| 1963 | 9.5% | -3.8% |
| 1964 | 11.1% | +16.0% |
| 1965 | 8.8% | -20.1% |
| 1966 | 8.6% | -3.0% |
| 1967 | 8.2% | -4.8% |
| 1968 | 7.8% | -4.2% |
| 1969 | 7.5% | -4.3% |
| 1970 | 7.2% | -4.5% |
| 1971 | 6.8% | -4.6% |
| 1972 | 6.5% | -4.7% |
| 1973 | 6.2% | -4.8% |
| 1974 | 5.9% | -4.8% |
| 1975 | 5.6% | -4.9% |
| 1976 | 5.3% | -4.9% |
| 1977 | 5.1% | -4.9% |
| 1978 | 4.8% | -4.8% |
| 1979 | 4.6% | -4.8% |
| 1980 | 4.4% | -4.7% |
| 1981 | 4.2% | -4.4% |
| 1982 | 4.0% | -4.3% |
| 1983 | 3.8% | -4.2% |
| 1984 | 3.7% | -4.0% |
| 1985 | 3.5% | -3.8% |
| 1986 | 3.4% | -3.7% |
| 1987 | 3.3% | -3.5% |
| 1988 | 3.2% | -3.4% |
| 1989 | 3.1% | -3.3% |
| 1990 | 3.0% | -1.5% |
| 1991 | 3.0% | -2.0% |
| 1992 | 2.8% | -6.1% |
| 1993 | 2.7% | -3.2% |
| 1994 | 2.6% | -3.3% |
| 1995 | 2.5% | -3.3% |
| 1996 | 2.4% | -3.4% |
| 1997 | 2.4% | -3.4% |
| 1998 | 2.3% | -3.4% |
| 1999 | 2.2% | -3.3% |
| 2000 | 2.1% | -3.1% |
| 2001 | 2.1% | -2.8% |
| 2002 | 2.0% | -2.4% |
| 2003 | 2.0% | -2.0% |
| 2004 | 2.0% | -1.0% |
| 2005 | 2.0% | +1.6% |
| 2006 | 1.9% | -3.2% |
| 2007 | 1.9% | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 1.9% | -0.0% |
| 2009 | 2.6% | +33.1% |
| 2010 | 1.9% | -25.1% |
| 2011 | 1.9% | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 2.0% | +3.0% |
| 2013 | 1.9% | -4.2% |
| 2014 | 1.9% | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 1.9% | -1.1% |
| 2016 | 1.8% | -1.2% |
| 2017 | 1.8% | -1.4% |
| 2018 | 1.8% | -1.7% |
| 2019 | 2.0% | +14.1% |
| 2020 | 1.8% | -13.3% |
| 2021 | 1.7% | -5.7% |
| 2022 | 1.6% | -2.7% |
| 2023 | 1.6% | -2.7% |
Samoa compared with similar countries
- Samoa's 1.6% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.4%, 1.1× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Samoa's 1.6% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.6%, 1.0× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Child mortality rate in Samoa 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | +33.1% | 1.9% | 2.6% |
| 2010 | -25.1% | 2.6% | 1.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 13.4% | 11.2% | 15.5% | 10 |
| 1960s | 9.3% | 7.5% | 11.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 5.8% | 4.6% | 7.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.7% | 3.1% | 4.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.6% | 2.2% | 3.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.1% | 1.9% | 2.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.9% | 1.8% | 2.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.6% | 1.6% | 1.8% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Samoa
- 96 Suriname 1.6% compare
- 97 Grenada 1.6% compare
- 98 Trinidad and Tobago 1.6% compare
- 100 Honduras 1.5% compare
- 101 Saint Kitts and Nevis 1.5% compare
- 102 Sint Maarten (Dutch part) 1.5% compare
More health data for Samoa
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 1.71 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 708.7 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 17 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -2.45 % 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 0.0591 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -2.5 % 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 Samoa?
- Child mortality rate in Samoa was 1.6% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest child mortality rate recorded in Samoa?
- The highest recorded value was 15.5% in 1950.
- What is the lowest child mortality rate recorded in Samoa?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.6% in 2023.
- How does Samoa rank for child mortality rate?
- Samoa ranks 99th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is child mortality rate rising or falling in Samoa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Samoa 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.