Child mortality rate (aged 1-4 years) in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Child mortality rate was 2.37 in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
2.37
Change on year
up 11.2%
World rank
78th
of 200 countries
All-time high
90.86
in 1954
All-time low
2.05
in 2018
Years of data
71
1954–2024
Child mortality rate in Zimbabwe, 1954–2024
Source: UNICEF.
Analysis
Zimbabwe recorded 2.37 for child mortality rate in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 11.2% on the previous year and down 56.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, child mortality rate in Zimbabwe peaked at 90.86 in 1954 and was at its lowest, 2.05, in 2018.
That places Zimbabwe 78th out of 200 countries with data for 2024, putting it 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 Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1954 | 90.86 | — |
| 1955 | 89.18 | -1.9% |
| 1956 | 87.58 | -1.8% |
| 1957 | 85.93 | -1.9% |
| 1958 | 84.21 | -2.0% |
| 1959 | 82.43 | -2.1% |
| 1960 | 80.54 | -2.3% |
| 1961 | 78.36 | -2.7% |
| 1962 | 76.03 | -3.0% |
| 1963 | 73.65 | -3.1% |
| 1964 | 71.12 | -3.4% |
| 1965 | 68.44 | -3.8% |
| 1966 | 65.85 | -3.8% |
| 1967 | 63.42 | -3.7% |
| 1968 | 61.41 | -3.2% |
| 1969 | 59.82 | -2.6% |
| 1970 | 58.37 | -2.4% |
| 1971 | 57.05 | -2.3% |
| 1972 | 55.91 | -2.0% |
| 1973 | 54.99 | -1.7% |
| 1974 | 54.28 | -1.3% |
| 1975 | 53.66 | -1.2% |
| 1976 | 52.79 | -1.6% |
| 1977 | 51.73 | -2.0% |
| 1978 | 50.59 | -2.2% |
| 1979 | 49.05 | -3.1% |
| 1980 | 46.79 | -4.6% |
| 1981 | 43.36 | -7.3% |
| 1982 | 39.28 | -9.4% |
| 1983 | 35.04 | -10.8% |
| 1984 | 31.06 | -11.4% |
| 1985 | 27.74 | -10.7% |
| 1986 | 25.52 | -8.0% |
| 1987 | 24.64 | -3.4% |
| 1988 | 25.39 | +3.1% |
| 1989 | 27.79 | +9.5% |
| 1990 | 31.74 | +14.2% |
| 1991 | 36.36 | +14.6% |
| 1992 | 40.88 | +12.4% |
| 1993 | 44.71 | +9.4% |
| 1994 | 47.46 | +6.1% |
| 1995 | 48.4 | +2.0% |
| 1996 | 47.95 | -0.9% |
| 1997 | 41.13 | -14.2% |
| 1998 | 39.86 | -3.1% |
| 1999 | 43.28 | +8.6% |
| 2000 | 43.6 | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 40.37 | -7.4% |
| 2002 | 37.29 | -7.6% |
| 2003 | 34.41 | -7.7% |
| 2004 | 31.4 | -8.7% |
| 2005 | 29.03 | -7.5% |
| 2006 | 23.3 | -19.8% |
| 2007 | 23.38 | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 22.92 | -2.0% |
| 2009 | 21.55 | -6.0% |
| 2010 | 19.09 | -11.4% |
| 2011 | 13.81 | -27.6% |
| 2012 | 9.72 | -29.6% |
| 2013 | 6.42 | -33.9% |
| 2014 | 5.43 | -15.5% |
| 2015 | 4.81 | -11.4% |
| 2016 | 3.41 | -29.1% |
| 2017 | 2.66 | -21.9% |
| 2018 | 2.05 | -23.2% |
| 2019 | 3.06 | +49.5% |
| 2020 | 4.04 | +32.0% |
| 2021 | 2.7 | -33.1% |
| 2022 | 2.6 | -4.0% |
| 2023 | 2.13 | -17.8% |
| 2024 | 2.37 | +11.2% |
Zimbabwe compared with similar countries
- Zimbabwe's 2.37 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 4.43, 54% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zimbabwe's 2.37 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 13.74, 17% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Child mortality rate in Zimbabwe 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | +49.5% | 2.05 | 3.06 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 86.7 | 82.43 | 90.86 | 6 |
| 1960s | 69.86 | 59.82 | 80.54 | 10 |
| 1970s | 53.84 | 49.05 | 58.37 | 10 |
| 1980s | 32.66 | 24.64 | 46.79 | 10 |
| 1990s | 42.18 | 31.74 | 48.4 | 10 |
| 2000s | 30.73 | 21.55 | 43.6 | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.05 | 2.05 | 19.09 | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.77 | 2.13 | 4.04 | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
More health data for Zimbabwe
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.39 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 1.11 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 874.6 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 4,457 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.9632 % 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 0.0689 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.9673 % 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 Zimbabwe?
- Child mortality rate in Zimbabwe was 2.37 in 2024, according to UNICEF.
- What is the highest child mortality rate recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 90.86 in 1954.
- What is the lowest child mortality rate recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.05 in 2018.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for child mortality rate?
- Zimbabwe ranks 78th out of 200 countries with data for 2024.
- Is child mortality rate rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 56.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zimbabwe data come from?
- The figures come from UNICEF, published as part of Child mortality rate (aged 1-4 years). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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