Child mortality in Australia
Australia: Child mortality was 0.36 in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
0.36
Change on year
down 2.7%
World rank
176th
of 200 countries
All-time high
22.22
in 1875
All-time low
0.36
in 2024
Years of data
155
1870–2024
Child mortality in Australia, 1870–2024
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2024, child mortality in Australia stood at 0.36. That is the lowest value across all 155 years on record.
That represents a change of down 2.7% on the previous year and down 10.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, child mortality in Australia peaked at 22.22 in 1875 and was at its lowest, 0.36, in 2024.
Australia ranks 176th of 200 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Child mortality in Australia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 16.97 | — |
| 1871 | 15.66 | -7.7% |
| 1872 | 18.28 | +16.7% |
| 1873 | 17.53 | -4.1% |
| 1874 | 19.6 | +11.8% |
| 1875 | 22.22 | +13.4% |
| 1876 | 18.47 | -16.9% |
| 1877 | 19.97 | +8.1% |
| 1878 | 20.72 | +3.8% |
| 1879 | 17.72 | -14.5% |
| 1880 | 18.09 | +2.1% |
| 1881 | 17.91 | -1.0% |
| 1882 | 21.47 | +19.9% |
| 1883 | 18.84 | -12.2% |
| 1884 | 19.6 | +4.0% |
| 1885 | 20.16 | +2.9% |
| 1886 | 19.78 | -1.9% |
| 1887 | 17.91 | -9.5% |
| 1888 | 17.91 | +0.0% |
| 1889 | 20.91 | +16.8% |
| 1890 | 16.22 | -22.4% |
| 1891 | 17.72 | +9.2% |
| 1892 | 16.04 | -9.5% |
| 1893 | 17.91 | +11.7% |
| 1894 | 15.66 | -12.6% |
| 1895 | 15.11 | -3.5% |
| 1896 | 17.53 | +16.0% |
| 1897 | 15.85 | -9.6% |
| 1898 | 20.16 | +27.2% |
| 1899 | 17.91 | -11.2% |
| 1900 | 14.93 | -16.6% |
| 1901 | 15.66 | +4.9% |
| 1902 | 16.22 | +3.6% |
| 1903 | 16.97 | +4.6% |
| 1904 | 11.72 | -30.9% |
| 1905 | 11.72 | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 11.89 | +1.5% |
| 1907 | 11.54 | -2.9% |
| 1908 | 11.03 | -4.4% |
| 1909 | 10.02 | -9.2% |
| 1910 | 10.52 | +5.0% |
| 1911 | 9.36 | -11.0% |
| 1912 | 10.02 | +7.1% |
| 1913 | 10.02 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 9.85 | -1.7% |
| 1915 | 9.36 | -5.0% |
| 1916 | 9.69 | +3.5% |
| 1917 | 7.5 | -22.6% |
| 1918 | 7.97 | +6.3% |
| 1919 | 9.52 | +19.4% |
| 1920 | 9.52 | +0.0% |
| 1921 | 8.91 | -6.4% |
| 1922 | 7.1 | -20.3% |
| 1923 | 7.95 | +12.0% |
| 1924 | 7.61 | -4.3% |
| 1925 | 6.98 | -8.3% |
| 1926 | 7.02 | +0.6% |
| 1927 | 7.23 | +3.0% |
| 1928 | 7.16 | -1.0% |
| 1929 | 6.81 | -4.9% |
| 1930 | 6.38 | -6.3% |
| 1931 | 5.43 | -14.9% |
| 1932 | 5.36 | -1.3% |
| 1933 | 5.33 | -0.6% |
| 1934 | 5.8 | +8.8% |
| 1935 | 5.36 | -7.6% |
| 1936 | 5.58 | +4.1% |
| 1937 | 5.07 | -9.1% |
| 1938 | 5.05 | -0.4% |
| 1939 | 5.05 | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 5.02 | -0.6% |
| 1941 | 5.25 | +4.6% |
| 1942 | 5.15 | -1.9% |
| 1943 | 5.03 | -2.3% |
| 1944 | 4.14 | -17.7% |
| 1945 | 3.79 | -8.5% |
| 1946 | 3.85 | +1.6% |
| 1947 | 3.58 | -7.0% |
| 1948 | 3.39 | -5.3% |
| 1949 | 3.22 | -5.0% |
| 1950 | 3.16 | -1.9% |
| 1951 | 3.1 | -1.9% |
| 1952 | 3.03 | -2.3% |
| 1953 | 2.95 | -2.6% |
| 1954 | 2.87 | -2.7% |
| 1955 | 2.8 | -2.4% |
| 1956 | 2.73 | -2.5% |
| 1957 | 2.66 | -2.6% |
| 1958 | 2.6 | -2.3% |
| 1959 | 2.54 | -2.3% |
| 1960 | 2.49 | -2.0% |
| 1961 | 2.43 | -2.4% |
| 1962 | 2.37 | -2.5% |
| 1963 | 2.32 | -2.1% |
| 1964 | 2.27 | -2.2% |
| 1965 | 2.23 | -1.8% |
| 1966 | 2.21 | -0.9% |
| 1967 | 2.2 | -0.5% |
| 1968 | 2.19 | -0.5% |
| 1969 | 2.17 | -0.9% |
| 1970 | 2.15 | -0.9% |
| 1971 | 2.1 | -2.3% |
| 1972 | 2.03 | -3.3% |
| 1973 | 1.94 | -4.4% |
| 1974 | 1.84 | -5.2% |
| 1975 | 1.73 | -6.0% |
| 1976 | 1.62 | -6.4% |
| 1977 | 1.52 | -6.2% |
| 1978 | 1.44 | -5.3% |
| 1979 | 1.36 | -5.6% |
| 1980 | 1.3 | -4.4% |
| 1981 | 1.25 | -3.8% |
| 1982 | 1.22 | -2.4% |
| 1983 | 1.19 | -2.5% |
| 1984 | 1.16 | -2.5% |
| 1985 | 1.13 | -2.6% |
| 1986 | 1.1 | -2.7% |
| 1987 | 1.06 | -3.6% |
| 1988 | 1.02 | -3.8% |
| 1989 | 0.97 | -4.9% |
| 1990 | 0.92 | -5.2% |
| 1991 | 0.87 | -5.4% |
| 1992 | 0.82 | -5.7% |
| 1993 | 0.77 | -6.1% |
| 1994 | 0.73 | -5.2% |
| 1995 | 0.7 | -4.1% |
| 1996 | 0.68 | -2.9% |
| 1997 | 0.66 | -2.9% |
| 1998 | 0.64 | -3.0% |
| 1999 | 0.63 | -1.6% |
| 2000 | 0.62 | -1.6% |
| 2001 | 0.61 | -1.6% |
| 2002 | 0.6 | -1.6% |
| 2003 | 0.59 | -1.7% |
| 2004 | 0.58 | -1.7% |
| 2005 | 0.57 | -1.7% |
| 2006 | 0.56 | -1.8% |
| 2007 | 0.54 | -3.6% |
| 2008 | 0.52 | -3.7% |
| 2009 | 0.5 | -3.8% |
| 2010 | 0.48 | -4.0% |
| 2011 | 0.45 | -6.2% |
| 2012 | 0.43 | -4.4% |
| 2013 | 0.41 | -4.7% |
| 2014 | 0.4 | -2.4% |
| 2015 | 0.39 | -2.5% |
| 2016 | 0.38 | -2.6% |
| 2017 | 0.38 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 0.38 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 0.38 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 0.38 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 0.37 | -2.6% |
| 2022 | 0.37 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 0.37 | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 0.36 | -2.7% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 0.36 is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.47, 77% of the median. (65 countries reporting)
- Australia's 0.36 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.72, 21% of the median. (30 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Child mortality in Australia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1898 | +27.2% | 15.85 | 20.16 |
| 1904 | -30.9% | 16.97 | 11.72 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870s | 18.71 | 15.66 | 22.22 | 10 |
| 1880s | 19.26 | 17.91 | 21.47 | 10 |
| 1890s | 17.01 | 15.11 | 20.16 | 10 |
| 1900s | 13.17 | 10.02 | 16.97 | 10 |
| 1910s | 9.38 | 7.5 | 10.52 | 10 |
| 1920s | 7.63 | 6.81 | 9.52 | 10 |
| 1930s | 5.44 | 5.05 | 6.38 | 10 |
| 1940s | 4.24 | 3.22 | 5.25 | 10 |
| 1950s | 2.84 | 2.54 | 3.16 | 10 |
| 1960s | 2.29 | 2.17 | 2.49 | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.77 | 1.36 | 2.15 | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.14 | 0.97 | 1.3 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.742 | 0.63 | 0.92 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.569 | 0.5 | 0.62 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.408 | 0.38 | 0.48 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.37 | 0.36 | 0.38 | 5 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More health data for Australia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.83 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.9072 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 215 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2021)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.45 % 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 0.0279 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.35 % 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 0.0295 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is child mortality in Australia?
- Child mortality in Australia was 0.36 in 2024, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest child mortality recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 22.22 in 1875.
- What is the lowest child mortality recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.36 in 2024.
- How does Australia rank for child mortality?
- Australia ranks 176th out of 200 countries with data for 2024.
- Is child mortality rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Child mortality. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 155 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).