Child mortality rate in Zambia
Zambia: Child mortality rate was 5.2% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
5.2%
Change on year
down 5.1%
World rank
27th
of 236 countries
All-time high
24.2%
in 1950
All-time low
5.2%
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Child mortality rate in Zambia, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of children.
Analysis
In 2023, child mortality rate in Zambia stood at 5.2%. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 5.1% on the previous year and down 27.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, child mortality rate in Zambia peaked at 24.2% in 1950 and was at its lowest, 5.2%, in 2023.
Zambia ranks 27th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Child mortality rate in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % of children | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 24.2% | — |
| 1951 | 23.8% | -1.7% |
| 1952 | 23.4% | -1.7% |
| 1953 | 23.0% | -1.7% |
| 1954 | 22.7% | -1.7% |
| 1955 | 22.3% | -1.6% |
| 1956 | 21.9% | -1.7% |
| 1957 | 21.6% | -1.6% |
| 1958 | 21.2% | -1.8% |
| 1959 | 20.8% | -1.8% |
| 1960 | 20.5% | -1.7% |
| 1961 | 20.1% | -1.7% |
| 1962 | 19.8% | -1.4% |
| 1963 | 19.6% | -1.3% |
| 1964 | 19.5% | -0.3% |
| 1965 | 19.1% | -1.9% |
| 1966 | 18.9% | -1.0% |
| 1967 | 18.7% | -1.1% |
| 1968 | 18.5% | -1.3% |
| 1969 | 18.2% | -1.6% |
| 1970 | 17.8% | -1.9% |
| 1971 | 17.4% | -2.3% |
| 1972 | 17.0% | -2.4% |
| 1973 | 16.6% | -2.5% |
| 1974 | 16.2% | -2.3% |
| 1975 | 15.9% | -1.8% |
| 1976 | 15.7% | -1.2% |
| 1977 | 15.6% | -0.7% |
| 1978 | 15.6% | -0.1% |
| 1979 | 15.6% | +0.2% |
| 1980 | 15.7% | +0.6% |
| 1981 | 15.9% | +0.8% |
| 1982 | 16.1% | +1.3% |
| 1983 | 16.3% | +1.2% |
| 1984 | 16.6% | +1.8% |
| 1985 | 16.9% | +1.9% |
| 1986 | 17.2% | +1.9% |
| 1987 | 17.5% | +1.8% |
| 1988 | 17.8% | +1.6% |
| 1989 | 18.0% | +1.2% |
| 1990 | 18.2% | +0.9% |
| 1991 | 18.3% | +0.6% |
| 1992 | 18.2% | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 18.0% | -0.9% |
| 1994 | 17.8% | -1.3% |
| 1995 | 17.5% | -1.5% |
| 1996 | 17.2% | -1.8% |
| 1997 | 16.8% | -2.2% |
| 1998 | 16.4% | -2.8% |
| 1999 | 15.9% | -3.1% |
| 2000 | 15.2% | -4.4% |
| 2001 | 14.3% | -5.3% |
| 2002 | 13.5% | -6.3% |
| 2003 | 12.5% | -6.8% |
| 2004 | 11.6% | -7.1% |
| 2005 | 10.8% | -7.4% |
| 2006 | 10.1% | -6.6% |
| 2007 | 9.4% | -6.6% |
| 2008 | 8.9% | -5.8% |
| 2009 | 8.4% | -5.2% |
| 2010 | 8.0% | -4.7% |
| 2011 | 7.7% | -3.9% |
| 2012 | 7.4% | -3.5% |
| 2013 | 7.2% | -3.3% |
| 2014 | 6.9% | -3.3% |
| 2015 | 6.8% | -2.4% |
| 2016 | 6.6% | -2.8% |
| 2017 | 6.4% | -2.6% |
| 2018 | 6.3% | -2.4% |
| 2019 | 6.1% | -2.9% |
| 2020 | 5.9% | -2.8% |
| 2021 | 5.7% | -2.9% |
| 2022 | 5.5% | -4.6% |
| 2023 | 5.2% | -5.1% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 5.2% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 3.9%, 1.3× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 5.2% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.0%, 1.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 22.5% | 20.8% | 24.2% | 10 |
| 1960s | 19.3% | 18.2% | 20.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 16.4% | 15.6% | 17.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 16.8% | 15.7% | 18.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 17.4% | 15.9% | 18.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 11.5% | 8.4% | 15.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.9% | 6.1% | 8.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.6% | 5.2% | 5.9% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More health data for Zambia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.09 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.7971 % change on previous year (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 8,894 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.68 % 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 0.0743 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.69 % 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 0.0744 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is child mortality rate in Zambia?
- Child mortality rate in Zambia was 5.2% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest child mortality rate recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 24.2% in 1950.
- What is the lowest child mortality rate recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.2% in 2023.
- How does Zambia rank for child mortality rate?
- Zambia ranks 27th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is child mortality rate rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 27.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Zambia 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.