Child mortality in China
China: Child mortality was 0.57 in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Child mortality in China, 1950–2024
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2024, child mortality in China stood at 0.57. That is the lowest value across all 65 years on record.
That represents a change of down 6.6% on the previous year and down 50.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, child mortality in China peaked at 31.71 in 1950 and was at its lowest, 0.57, in 2024.
That places China 151st out of 200 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Child mortality in China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 31.71 | — |
| 1955 | 29.1 | -8.2% |
| 1958 | 23.33 | -19.8% |
| 1959 | 26.85 | +15.1% |
| 1960 | 30.9 | +15.1% |
| 1961 | 26.19 | -15.2% |
| 1962 | 16.78 | -35.9% |
| 1965 | 11.54 | -31.2% |
| 1968 | 13.23 | +14.6% |
| 1969 | 11.8 | -10.8% |
| 1970 | 11.21 | -5.0% |
| 1971 | 10.63 | -5.2% |
| 1972 | 10.08 | -5.2% |
| 1973 | 9.52 | -5.6% |
| 1974 | 8.97 | -5.8% |
| 1975 | 8.43 | -6.0% |
| 1976 | 7.91 | -6.2% |
| 1977 | 7.42 | -6.2% |
| 1978 | 6.98 | -5.9% |
| 1979 | 6.59 | -5.6% |
| 1980 | 6.26 | -5.0% |
| 1981 | 5.99 | -4.3% |
| 1982 | 5.77 | -3.7% |
| 1983 | 5.61 | -2.8% |
| 1984 | 5.49 | -2.1% |
| 1985 | 5.42 | -1.3% |
| 1986 | 5.39 | -0.6% |
| 1987 | 5.38 | -0.2% |
| 1988 | 5.39 | +0.2% |
| 1989 | 5.38 | -0.2% |
| 1990 | 5.36 | -0.4% |
| 1991 | 5.3 | -1.1% |
| 1992 | 5.21 | -1.7% |
| 1993 | 5.08 | -2.5% |
| 1994 | 4.92 | -3.1% |
| 1995 | 4.74 | -3.7% |
| 1996 | 4.55 | -4.0% |
| 1997 | 4.35 | -4.4% |
| 1998 | 4.14 | -4.8% |
| 1999 | 3.91 | -5.6% |
| 2000 | 3.66 | -6.4% |
| 2001 | 3.41 | -6.8% |
| 2002 | 3.14 | -7.9% |
| 2003 | 2.88 | -8.3% |
| 2004 | 2.63 | -8.7% |
| 2005 | 2.4 | -8.7% |
| 2006 | 2.19 | -8.8% |
| 2007 | 2.01 | -8.2% |
| 2008 | 1.85 | -8.0% |
| 2009 | 1.71 | -7.6% |
| 2010 | 1.57 | -8.2% |
| 2011 | 1.46 | -7.0% |
| 2012 | 1.35 | -7.5% |
| 2013 | 1.25 | -7.4% |
| 2014 | 1.16 | -7.2% |
| 2015 | 1.07 | -7.8% |
| 2016 | 1 | -6.5% |
| 2017 | 0.93 | -7.0% |
| 2018 | 0.86 | -7.5% |
| 2019 | 0.8 | -7.0% |
| 2020 | 0.75 | -6.3% |
| 2021 | 0.7 | -6.7% |
| 2022 | 0.66 | -5.7% |
| 2023 | 0.61 | -7.6% |
| 2024 | 0.57 | -6.6% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 0.57 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.3, 44% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- China's 0.57 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.72, 33% of the median. (30 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Child mortality in China 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | -35.9% | 26.19 | 16.78 |
| 1965 | -31.2% | 16.78 | 11.54 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 27.75 | 23.33 | 31.71 | 4 |
| 1960s | 18.41 | 11.54 | 30.9 | 6 |
| 1970s | 8.77 | 6.59 | 11.21 | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.61 | 5.38 | 6.26 | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.76 | 3.91 | 5.36 | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.59 | 1.71 | 3.66 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.15 | 0.8 | 1.57 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.658 | 0.57 | 0.75 | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
More health data for China
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.15 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.0985 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 4,642 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 10 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -8.22 % 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 0.0159 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -8.73 % 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 0.0176 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is child mortality in China?
- Child mortality in China was 0.57 in 2024, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest child mortality recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 31.71 in 1950.
- What is the lowest child mortality recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.57 in 2024.
- How does China rank for child mortality?
- China ranks 151st out of 200 countries with data for 2024.
- Is child mortality rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 50.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China 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 — 65 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).