Child mortality rate in Guatemala
Guatemala: Child mortality rate was 2.1% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
2.1%
Change on year
down 3.2%
World rank
78th
of 236 countries
All-time high
26.2%
in 1950
All-time low
2.1%
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Child mortality rate in Guatemala, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of children.
Analysis
Guatemala recorded 2.1% for child mortality rate in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.2% on the previous year and down 30.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, child mortality rate in Guatemala peaked at 26.2% in 1950 and was at its lowest, 2.1%, in 2023.
That places Guatemala 78th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, 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 Guatemala, year by year
| Year | % of children | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 26.2% | — |
| 1951 | 25.9% | -1.3% |
| 1952 | 25.6% | -1.2% |
| 1953 | 25.2% | -1.3% |
| 1954 | 24.9% | -1.4% |
| 1955 | 24.5% | -1.5% |
| 1956 | 24.1% | -1.7% |
| 1957 | 23.6% | -1.9% |
| 1958 | 23.1% | -2.1% |
| 1959 | 22.6% | -2.2% |
| 1960 | 22.1% | -2.3% |
| 1961 | 21.6% | -2.4% |
| 1962 | 21.1% | -2.4% |
| 1963 | 20.6% | -2.4% |
| 1964 | 20.1% | -2.4% |
| 1965 | 19.6% | -2.5% |
| 1966 | 19.1% | -2.1% |
| 1967 | 18.6% | -2.7% |
| 1968 | 18.1% | -3.1% |
| 1969 | 17.6% | -2.6% |
| 1970 | 17.0% | -3.1% |
| 1971 | 16.5% | -3.0% |
| 1972 | 16.0% | -3.1% |
| 1973 | 15.5% | -3.1% |
| 1974 | 15.0% | -3.2% |
| 1975 | 14.6% | -3.2% |
| 1976 | 16.3% | +12.3% |
| 1977 | 13.6% | -16.9% |
| 1978 | 13.1% | -3.6% |
| 1979 | 12.7% | -3.2% |
| 1980 | 12.3% | -3.2% |
| 1981 | 11.7% | -4.5% |
| 1982 | 13.6% | +15.6% |
| 1983 | 10.8% | -20.0% |
| 1984 | 10.4% | -4.0% |
| 1985 | 10.0% | -4.1% |
| 1986 | 9.6% | -4.2% |
| 1987 | 9.2% | -4.0% |
| 1988 | 8.8% | -4.5% |
| 1989 | 8.4% | -4.3% |
| 1990 | 8.1% | -3.7% |
| 1991 | 7.7% | -5.0% |
| 1992 | 7.4% | -4.2% |
| 1993 | 7.0% | -4.2% |
| 1994 | 6.7% | -4.5% |
| 1995 | 6.4% | -4.2% |
| 1996 | 6.2% | -4.4% |
| 1997 | 5.9% | -4.2% |
| 1998 | 5.7% | -3.4% |
| 1999 | 5.4% | -4.8% |
| 2000 | 5.2% | -3.9% |
| 2001 | 5.0% | -4.0% |
| 2002 | 4.8% | -4.0% |
| 2003 | 4.6% | -4.0% |
| 2004 | 4.4% | -4.0% |
| 2005 | 4.4% | -0.9% |
| 2006 | 4.1% | -6.9% |
| 2007 | 3.9% | -3.9% |
| 2008 | 3.8% | -3.8% |
| 2009 | 3.6% | -4.2% |
| 2010 | 3.5% | -3.6% |
| 2011 | 3.3% | -4.2% |
| 2012 | 3.2% | -4.3% |
| 2013 | 3.1% | -4.0% |
| 2014 | 3.0% | -3.9% |
| 2015 | 2.9% | -3.2% |
| 2016 | 2.7% | -4.3% |
| 2017 | 2.6% | -3.6% |
| 2018 | 2.6% | -2.8% |
| 2019 | 2.5% | -4.2% |
| 2020 | 2.4% | -3.5% |
| 2021 | 2.3% | -3.3% |
| 2022 | 2.2% | -3.3% |
| 2023 | 2.1% | -3.2% |
Guatemala compared with similar countries
- Guatemala's 2.1% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.4%, 1.6× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Guatemala's 2.1% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 1.4%, 1.5× the median. (42 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 24.6% | 22.6% | 26.2% | 10 |
| 1960s | 19.8% | 17.6% | 22.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 15.0% | 12.7% | 17.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 10.5% | 8.4% | 13.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.7% | 5.4% | 8.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.4% | 3.6% | 5.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.9% | 2.5% | 3.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.3% | 2.1% | 2.4% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Guatemala
More health data for Guatemala
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.92 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.7968 % change on previous year (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 1,022 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.4059 % 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 0.0487 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.3488 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0504 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is child mortality rate in Guatemala?
- Child mortality rate in Guatemala was 2.1% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest child mortality rate recorded in Guatemala?
- The highest recorded value was 26.2% in 1950.
- What is the lowest child mortality rate recorded in Guatemala?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.1% in 2023.
- How does Guatemala rank for child mortality rate?
- Guatemala ranks 78th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is child mortality rate rising or falling in Guatemala?
- Over the last ten years it is down 30.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Guatemala 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.