Child mortality rate in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Child mortality rate was 0.6% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Child mortality rate in Sri Lanka, 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 Sri Lanka is 0.6%, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
The figure is down 3.8% on the previous year and down 36.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, child mortality rate in Sri Lanka peaked at 15.2% in 1950 and was at its lowest, 0.6%, in 2023.
Sri Lanka ranks 171st 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 Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % of children | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 15.2% | — |
| 1951 | 14.6% | -4.3% |
| 1952 | 13.9% | -4.3% |
| 1953 | 13.3% | -4.3% |
| 1954 | 12.7% | -4.4% |
| 1955 | 12.2% | -4.4% |
| 1956 | 11.6% | -4.5% |
| 1957 | 11.1% | -4.4% |
| 1958 | 10.6% | -5.0% |
| 1959 | 10.0% | -4.9% |
| 1960 | 9.6% | -4.8% |
| 1961 | 9.1% | -4.4% |
| 1962 | 8.8% | -3.9% |
| 1963 | 8.5% | -3.3% |
| 1964 | 8.3% | -2.8% |
| 1965 | 8.0% | -3.1% |
| 1966 | 7.8% | -2.7% |
| 1967 | 7.6% | -2.7% |
| 1968 | 7.4% | -2.6% |
| 1969 | 7.2% | -2.2% |
| 1970 | 7.1% | -2.2% |
| 1971 | 6.9% | -1.8% |
| 1972 | 6.8% | -1.8% |
| 1973 | 6.7% | -2.1% |
| 1974 | 6.5% | -2.4% |
| 1975 | 6.3% | -3.8% |
| 1976 | 6.0% | -4.5% |
| 1977 | 5.7% | -5.3% |
| 1978 | 5.4% | -5.0% |
| 1979 | 5.0% | -7.6% |
| 1980 | 4.6% | -7.0% |
| 1981 | 4.3% | -7.3% |
| 1982 | 4.0% | -7.6% |
| 1983 | 3.7% | -7.1% |
| 1984 | 3.3% | -9.3% |
| 1985 | 3.0% | -8.5% |
| 1986 | 2.8% | -7.8% |
| 1987 | 2.6% | -7.2% |
| 1988 | 2.5% | -6.0% |
| 1989 | 2.8% | +13.8% |
| 1990 | 2.3% | -18.8% |
| 1991 | 2.2% | -1.4% |
| 1992 | 2.2% | -2.5% |
| 1993 | 2.1% | -2.5% |
| 1994 | 2.1% | -2.5% |
| 1995 | 2.0% | -2.5% |
| 1996 | 2.0% | -1.0% |
| 1997 | 1.9% | -5.3% |
| 1998 | 1.8% | -3.6% |
| 1999 | 1.8% | -3.9% |
| 2000 | 1.7% | -3.9% |
| 2001 | 1.6% | -3.5% |
| 2002 | 1.6% | -4.0% |
| 2003 | 1.5% | -2.1% |
| 2004 | 3.0% | +93.1% |
| 2005 | 1.4% | -53.0% |
| 2006 | 1.3% | -4.2% |
| 2007 | 1.3% | -4.3% |
| 2008 | 1.2% | -4.1% |
| 2009 | 2.2% | +77.6% |
| 2010 | 1.1% | -48.3% |
| 2011 | 1.1% | -3.2% |
| 2012 | 1.0% | -5.0% |
| 2013 | 1.0% | -4.1% |
| 2014 | 0.9% | -4.5% |
| 2015 | 0.9% | -6.2% |
| 2016 | 0.9% | -3.1% |
| 2017 | 0.8% | -2.0% |
| 2018 | 0.8% | -8.9% |
| 2019 | 0.7% | -3.1% |
| 2020 | 0.7% | -5.3% |
| 2021 | 0.7% | -3.5% |
| 2022 | 0.7% | -3.9% |
| 2023 | 0.6% | -3.8% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 0.6% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.4%, 45% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 0.6% is below the median for South Asia, which is 2.4%, 26% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Child mortality rate in Sri Lanka 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | +93.1% | 1.5% | 3.0% |
| 2009 | +77.6% | 1.2% | 2.2% |
| 2005 | -53.0% | 3.0% | 1.4% |
| 2010 | -48.3% | 2.2% | 1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 12.5% | 10.0% | 15.2% | 10 |
| 1960s | 8.2% | 7.2% | 9.6% | 10 |
| 1970s | 6.2% | 5.0% | 7.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.4% | 2.5% | 4.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.0% | 1.8% | 2.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.7% | 1.2% | 3.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.9% | 0.7% | 1.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.7% | 0.6% | 0.7% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
- 168 Reunion 0.6% compare
- 169 Montserrat 0.6% compare
- 170 Bahrain 0.6% compare
- 172 Northern Mariana Islands 0.6% compare
- 173 Saudi Arabia 0.6% compare
- 174 United States 0.6% compare
More health data for Sri Lanka
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.62 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.7332 % change on previous year (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 304 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -2.13 % 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 0.0339 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -2.12 % 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 0.0353 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is child mortality rate in Sri Lanka?
- Child mortality rate in Sri Lanka was 0.6% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest child mortality rate recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 15.2% in 1950.
- What is the lowest child mortality rate recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.6% in 2023.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for child mortality rate?
- Sri Lanka ranks 171st out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is child mortality rate rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 36.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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.