Child mortality rate in South Sudan
South Sudan: Child mortality rate was 9.9% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Child mortality rate in South Sudan, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of children.
Analysis
The most recent figure for child mortality rate in South Sudan is 9.9%, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.3% on the previous year and down 4.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, child mortality rate in South Sudan peaked at 68.9% in 1988 and was at its lowest, 9.9%, in 2023.
South Sudan ranks 5th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Child mortality rate in South Sudan, year by year
| Year | % of children | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 39.4% | — |
| 1951 | 38.8% | -1.3% |
| 1952 | 38.4% | -1.2% |
| 1953 | 37.9% | -1.2% |
| 1954 | 37.5% | -1.1% |
| 1955 | 37.1% | -1.0% |
| 1956 | 37.1% | -0.2% |
| 1957 | 37.0% | -0.1% |
| 1958 | 37.8% | +2.0% |
| 1959 | 37.5% | -0.7% |
| 1960 | 37.2% | -0.7% |
| 1961 | 36.9% | -0.7% |
| 1962 | 36.6% | -0.8% |
| 1963 | 37.9% | +3.4% |
| 1964 | 35.2% | -7.1% |
| 1965 | 37.2% | +5.7% |
| 1966 | 39.3% | +5.5% |
| 1967 | 39.0% | -0.8% |
| 1968 | 38.6% | -0.9% |
| 1969 | 39.0% | +1.0% |
| 1970 | 38.7% | -0.9% |
| 1971 | 34.8% | -10.1% |
| 1972 | 34.4% | -1.1% |
| 1973 | 31.6% | -8.1% |
| 1974 | 31.2% | -1.2% |
| 1975 | 30.9% | -1.2% |
| 1976 | 30.5% | -1.1% |
| 1977 | 30.2% | -1.1% |
| 1978 | 29.8% | -1.1% |
| 1979 | 29.5% | -1.1% |
| 1980 | 29.2% | -1.2% |
| 1981 | 28.8% | -1.2% |
| 1982 | 28.5% | -1.3% |
| 1983 | 29.2% | +2.6% |
| 1984 | 29.8% | +2.0% |
| 1985 | 29.3% | -1.6% |
| 1986 | 28.9% | -1.4% |
| 1987 | 33.8% | +16.9% |
| 1988 | 68.9% | +103.9% |
| 1989 | 29.4% | -57.3% |
| 1990 | 28.9% | -1.8% |
| 1991 | 28.3% | -2.0% |
| 1992 | 31.3% | +10.7% |
| 1993 | 30.7% | -2.0% |
| 1994 | 22.8% | -25.9% |
| 1995 | 25.7% | +12.9% |
| 1996 | 25.0% | -2.6% |
| 1997 | 24.1% | -3.8% |
| 1998 | 40.1% | +66.6% |
| 1999 | 19.8% | -50.6% |
| 2000 | 18.5% | -6.7% |
| 2001 | 17.6% | -4.7% |
| 2002 | 16.8% | -4.7% |
| 2003 | 15.6% | -7.1% |
| 2004 | 14.8% | -4.9% |
| 2005 | 14.1% | -5.1% |
| 2006 | 13.5% | -4.4% |
| 2007 | 12.8% | -4.9% |
| 2008 | 12.2% | -5.0% |
| 2009 | 11.6% | -4.2% |
| 2010 | 11.2% | -4.1% |
| 2011 | 10.9% | -2.8% |
| 2012 | 10.5% | -3.3% |
| 2013 | 10.3% | -1.5% |
| 2014 | 18.9% | +82.6% |
| 2015 | 24.5% | +29.6% |
| 2016 | 27.3% | +11.4% |
| 2017 | 28.7% | +5.4% |
| 2018 | 14.3% | -50.3% |
| 2019 | 9.9% | -30.4% |
| 2020 | 9.9% | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 9.9% | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 9.9% | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 9.9% | -0.3% |
South Sudan compared with similar countries
- South Sudan's 9.9% is above the median for low income countries, which is 6.4%, 1.5× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- South Sudan's 9.9% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.0%, 2.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Child mortality rate in South Sudan 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | +103.9% | 33.8% | 68.9% |
| 2014 | +82.6% | 10.3% | 18.9% |
| 1998 | +66.6% | 24.1% | 40.1% |
| 1989 | -57.3% | 68.9% | 29.4% |
| 1999 | -50.6% | 40.1% | 19.8% |
| 2018 | -50.3% | 28.7% | 14.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 37.9% | 37.0% | 39.4% | 10 |
| 1960s | 37.7% | 35.2% | 39.3% | 10 |
| 1970s | 32.2% | 29.5% | 38.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 33.6% | 28.5% | 68.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 27.7% | 19.8% | 40.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 14.8% | 11.6% | 18.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.6% | 9.9% | 28.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.9% | 9.9% | 9.9% | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Sudan
More health data for South Sudan
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.47 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.665 % change on previous year (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 12,029 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 57 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.93 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2015)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0637 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.92 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2015)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0654 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is child mortality rate in South Sudan?
- Child mortality rate in South Sudan was 9.9% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest child mortality rate recorded in South Sudan?
- The highest recorded value was 68.9% in 1988.
- What is the lowest child mortality rate recorded in South Sudan?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.9% in 2023.
- How does South Sudan rank for child mortality rate?
- South Sudan ranks 5th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is child mortality rate rising or falling in South Sudan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Sudan 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of children who die before reaching the age of 5.