Child mortality by sex in Malawi
Malawi: Child mortality by sex was 5.39 in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Child mortality by sex in Malawi, 1961–2024
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for child mortality by sex in Malawi is 5.39, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 64 years on record.
The figure is down 1.6% on the previous year and down 18.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, child mortality by sex in Malawi peaked at 37.31 in 1961 and was at its lowest, 5.39, in 2024.
Malawi ranks 28th of 199 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Child mortality by sex in Malawi, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 37.31 | — |
| 1962 | 37.11 | -0.5% |
| 1963 | 36.94 | -0.4% |
| 1964 | 36.8 | -0.4% |
| 1965 | 36.64 | -0.4% |
| 1966 | 36.47 | -0.4% |
| 1967 | 36.34 | -0.4% |
| 1968 | 36.16 | -0.5% |
| 1969 | 35.93 | -0.7% |
| 1970 | 35.56 | -1.0% |
| 1971 | 35.06 | -1.4% |
| 1972 | 34.39 | -1.9% |
| 1973 | 33.58 | -2.3% |
| 1974 | 32.66 | -2.7% |
| 1975 | 31.71 | -2.9% |
| 1976 | 30.74 | -3.1% |
| 1977 | 29.74 | -3.2% |
| 1978 | 28.71 | -3.5% |
| 1979 | 27.68 | -3.6% |
| 1980 | 26.82 | -3.1% |
| 1981 | 26.15 | -2.5% |
| 1982 | 25.72 | -1.6% |
| 1983 | 25.64 | -0.3% |
| 1984 | 25.88 | +0.9% |
| 1985 | 26.25 | +1.4% |
| 1986 | 26.55 | +1.1% |
| 1987 | 26.65 | +0.4% |
| 1988 | 26.47 | -0.7% |
| 1989 | 26.04 | -1.6% |
| 1990 | 25.44 | -2.3% |
| 1991 | 24.69 | -2.9% |
| 1992 | 23.88 | -3.3% |
| 1993 | 23.12 | -3.2% |
| 1994 | 22.43 | -3.0% |
| 1995 | 21.71 | -3.2% |
| 1996 | 21.18 | -2.4% |
| 1997 | 20.68 | -2.4% |
| 1998 | 20.06 | -3.0% |
| 1999 | 19.18 | -4.4% |
| 2000 | 18.03 | -6.0% |
| 2001 | 24.81 | +37.6% |
| 2002 | 15.2 | -38.7% |
| 2003 | 13.84 | -8.9% |
| 2004 | 12.68 | -8.4% |
| 2005 | 11.74 | -7.4% |
| 2006 | 11.03 | -6.1% |
| 2007 | 10.44 | -5.3% |
| 2008 | 9.83 | -5.9% |
| 2009 | 9.24 | -6.0% |
| 2010 | 8.7 | -5.8% |
| 2011 | 8.06 | -7.4% |
| 2012 | 7.42 | -8.0% |
| 2013 | 6.88 | -7.2% |
| 2014 | 6.59 | -4.3% |
| 2015 | 6.3 | -4.3% |
| 2016 | 6.13 | -2.7% |
| 2017 | 5.92 | -3.5% |
| 2018 | 5.73 | -3.2% |
| 2019 | 5.64 | -1.4% |
| 2020 | 5.56 | -1.5% |
| 2021 | 5.52 | -0.7% |
| 2022 | 5.54 | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 5.48 | -1.0% |
| 2024 | 5.39 | -1.6% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 5.39 is below the median for low income countries, which is 6.64, 81% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 5.39 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.38, 1.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Child mortality by sex 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 | +37.6% | 18.03 | 24.81 |
| 2002 | -38.7% | 24.81 | 15.2 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 36.63 | 35.93 | 37.31 | 9 |
| 1970s | 31.98 | 27.68 | 35.56 | 10 |
| 1980s | 26.22 | 25.64 | 26.82 | 10 |
| 1990s | 22.24 | 19.18 | 25.44 | 10 |
| 2000s | 13.68 | 9.24 | 24.81 | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.74 | 5.64 | 8.7 | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.5 | 5.39 | 5.56 | 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)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 6,399 (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)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0718 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is child mortality by sex in Malawi?
- Child mortality by sex in Malawi was 5.39 in 2024, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest child mortality by sex recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 37.31 in 1961.
- What is the lowest child mortality by sex recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.39 in 2024.
- How does Malawi rank for child mortality by sex?
- Malawi ranks 28th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is child mortality by sex rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 18.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Child mortality by sex. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 64 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).