Child mortality rate in Malawi
Malawi: Child mortality rate was 4.88 deaths per 100 live births in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Child mortality rate in Malawi, 1970–2024
Source: United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100 live births.
Analysis
The most recent figure for child mortality rate in Malawi is 4.88 deaths per 100 live births, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 55 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.7% on the previous year and down 18.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, child mortality rate in Malawi peaked at 34.17 deaths per 100 live births in 1970 and was at its lowest, 4.88 deaths per 100 live births, in 2024.
Malawi ranks 30th of 199 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 30.7 deaths per 100 live births | 26.54 deaths per 100 live births | 34.17 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1980s | 25.09 deaths per 100 live births | 24.55 deaths per 100 live births | 25.69 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1990s | 21.26 deaths per 100 live births | 18.23 deaths per 100 live births | 24.35 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 12.88 deaths per 100 live births | 8.53 deaths per 100 live births | 23.9 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.15 deaths per 100 live births | 5.13 deaths per 100 live births | 8.01 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.98 deaths per 100 live births | 4.88 deaths per 100 live births | 5.04 deaths per 100 live births | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 27 Haiti 5.28 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 28 Angola 4.9 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 29 Djibouti 4.89 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 31 Uganda 4.87 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 32 Zambia 4.84 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 33 East Timor 4.76 deaths per 100 live births compare
More health data for Malawi
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 856.3 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 6,399 deaths (2100)
- Deaths in armed conflicts based on where they occurred 0 deaths (2026)
- Deaths in armed conflicts by region 0 deaths (2026)
- Age population, age 25, male, interpolated 193,780 (2025)
- Age population, age 25, female, interpolated 198,476 (2025)
- Age population, age 24, male, interpolated 200,046 (2025)
- Age population, age 24, female, interpolated 204,753 (2025)
- Age population, age 23, male, interpolated 207,829 (2025)
- Age population, age 23, female, interpolated 212,512 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is child mortality rate in Malawi?
- Child mortality rate in Malawi was 4.88 deaths per 100 live births in 2024, according to United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest child mortality rate recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 34.17 deaths per 100 live births in 1970.
- What is the lowest child mortality rate recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.88 deaths per 100 live births in 2024.
- How does Malawi rank for child mortality rate?
- Malawi ranks 30th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is child mortality rate rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 18.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – 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
The estimated number of deaths of children aged under five years, per 100 live births .