Child mortality rate in North Korea
North Korea: Child mortality rate was 1.67 deaths per 100 live births in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
1.67 deaths per 100 live births
Change on year
down 7.2%
World rank
90th
of 200 countries
All-time high
46.32 deaths per 100 live births
in 1950
All-time low
1.67 deaths per 100 live births
in 2024
Years of data
75
1950–2024
Child mortality rate in North Korea, 1950–2024
Source: Gapminder (2015); UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100 live births.
Analysis
In 2024, child mortality rate in North Korea stood at 1.67 deaths per 100 live births. That is the lowest value across all 75 years on record.
That represents a change of down 7.2% on the previous year and down 26.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, child mortality rate in North Korea peaked at 46.32 deaths per 100 live births in 1950 and was at its lowest, 1.67 deaths per 100 live births, in 2024.
That places North Korea 90th out of 200 countries with data for 2024, putting it 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 North Korea, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 46.32 deaths per 100 live births | — |
| 1951 | 40.49 deaths per 100 live births | -12.6% |
| 1952 | 26.54 deaths per 100 live births | -34.5% |
| 1953 | 21.8 deaths per 100 live births | -17.9% |
| 1954 | 16.9 deaths per 100 live births | -22.5% |
| 1955 | 15.54 deaths per 100 live births | -8.0% |
| 1956 | 14.38 deaths per 100 live births | -7.5% |
| 1957 | 13.43 deaths per 100 live births | -6.6% |
| 1958 | 12.67 deaths per 100 live births | -5.7% |
| 1959 | 12.06 deaths per 100 live births | -4.8% |
| 1960 | 11.58 deaths per 100 live births | -4.0% |
| 1961 | 11.16 deaths per 100 live births | -3.6% |
| 1962 | 10.76 deaths per 100 live births | -3.6% |
| 1963 | 10.36 deaths per 100 live births | -3.7% |
| 1964 | 9.92 deaths per 100 live births | -4.2% |
| 1965 | 9.46 deaths per 100 live births | -4.6% |
| 1966 | 8.96 deaths per 100 live births | -5.3% |
| 1967 | 8.45 deaths per 100 live births | -5.7% |
| 1968 | 7.94 deaths per 100 live births | -6.0% |
| 1969 | 7.45 deaths per 100 live births | -6.2% |
| 1970 | 6.99 deaths per 100 live births | -6.2% |
| 1971 | 6.58 deaths per 100 live births | -5.9% |
| 1972 | 6.2 deaths per 100 live births | -5.8% |
| 1973 | 5.86 deaths per 100 live births | -5.5% |
| 1974 | 5.56 deaths per 100 live births | -5.1% |
| 1975 | 5.28 deaths per 100 live births | -5.0% |
| 1976 | 5.03 deaths per 100 live births | -4.7% |
| 1977 | 4.8 deaths per 100 live births | -4.6% |
| 1978 | 4.59 deaths per 100 live births | -4.4% |
| 1979 | 4.4 deaths per 100 live births | -4.1% |
| 1980 | 4.22 deaths per 100 live births | -4.1% |
| 1981 | 4.05 deaths per 100 live births | -4.0% |
| 1982 | 3.91 deaths per 100 live births | -3.5% |
| 1983 | 3.8 deaths per 100 live births | -2.8% |
| 1984 | 3.71 deaths per 100 live births | -2.4% |
| 1985 | 3.68 deaths per 100 live births | -0.8% |
| 1986 | 3.68 deaths per 100 live births | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 3.78 deaths per 100 live births | +2.7% |
| 1988 | 3.83 deaths per 100 live births | +1.3% |
| 1989 | 3.95 deaths per 100 live births | +3.1% |
| 1990 | 4.07 deaths per 100 live births | +3.0% |
| 1991 | 4.18 deaths per 100 live births | +2.7% |
| 1992 | 4.25 deaths per 100 live births | +1.7% |
| 1993 | 4.27 deaths per 100 live births | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 4.25 deaths per 100 live births | -0.5% |
| 1995 | 10.77 deaths per 100 live births | +153.4% |
| 1996 | 10.62 deaths per 100 live births | -1.4% |
| 1997 | 10.46 deaths per 100 live births | -1.5% |
| 1998 | 10.32 deaths per 100 live births | -1.3% |
| 1999 | 10.17 deaths per 100 live births | -1.5% |
| 2000 | 10.02 deaths per 100 live births | -1.5% |
| 2001 | 9.9 deaths per 100 live births | -1.2% |
| 2002 | 9.78 deaths per 100 live births | -1.2% |
| 2003 | 3.45 deaths per 100 live births | -64.7% |
| 2004 | 3.38 deaths per 100 live births | -2.0% |
| 2005 | 3.33 deaths per 100 live births | -1.5% |
| 2006 | 3.28 deaths per 100 live births | -1.5% |
| 2007 | 3.24 deaths per 100 live births | -1.2% |
| 2008 | 3.1 deaths per 100 live births | -4.3% |
| 2009 | 3 deaths per 100 live births | -3.2% |
| 2010 | 2.87 deaths per 100 live births | -4.3% |
| 2011 | 2.72 deaths per 100 live births | -5.2% |
| 2012 | 2.57 deaths per 100 live births | -5.5% |
| 2013 | 2.41 deaths per 100 live births | -6.2% |
| 2014 | 2.26 deaths per 100 live births | -6.2% |
| 2015 | 2.14 deaths per 100 live births | -5.3% |
| 2016 | 2.06 deaths per 100 live births | -3.7% |
| 2017 | 1.91 deaths per 100 live births | -7.3% |
| 2018 | 1.84 deaths per 100 live births | -3.7% |
| 2019 | 1.77 deaths per 100 live births | -3.8% |
| 2020 | 1.74 deaths per 100 live births | -1.7% |
| 2021 | 1.74 deaths per 100 live births | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 1.77 deaths per 100 live births | +1.7% |
| 2023 | 1.8 deaths per 100 live births | +1.7% |
| 2024 | 1.67 deaths per 100 live births | -7.2% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 1.67 deaths per 100 live births is below the median for low income countries, which is 6.16 deaths per 100 live births, 27% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 1.67 deaths per 100 live births is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.72 deaths per 100 live births, 97% of the median. (30 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Child mortality rate in North Korea 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | +153.4% | 4.25 deaths per 100 live births | 10.77 deaths per 100 live births |
| 2003 | -64.7% | 9.78 deaths per 100 live births | 3.45 deaths per 100 live births |
| 1952 | -34.5% | 40.49 deaths per 100 live births | 26.54 deaths per 100 live births |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 22.01 deaths per 100 live births | 12.06 deaths per 100 live births | 46.32 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1960s | 9.6 deaths per 100 live births | 7.45 deaths per 100 live births | 11.58 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1970s | 5.53 deaths per 100 live births | 4.4 deaths per 100 live births | 6.99 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.86 deaths per 100 live births | 3.68 deaths per 100 live births | 4.22 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1990s | 7.34 deaths per 100 live births | 4.07 deaths per 100 live births | 10.77 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.25 deaths per 100 live births | 3 deaths per 100 live births | 10.02 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.25 deaths per 100 live births | 1.77 deaths per 100 live births | 2.87 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.74 deaths per 100 live births | 1.67 deaths per 100 live births | 1.8 deaths per 100 live births | 5 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
- 88 Vanuatu 1.71 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 89 Kyrgyzstan 1.68 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 91 Moldova 1.65 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 92 Paraguay 1.63 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 93 Saint Kitts and Nevis 1.59 deaths per 100 live births compare
More health data for North Korea
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.16 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.2456 % change on previous year (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 767 deaths (2100)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,462 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Deaths in armed conflicts by region 0 deaths (2026)
- Deaths in armed conflicts based on where they occurred 0 deaths (2026)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.6303 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.031 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0327 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.6995 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is child mortality rate in North Korea?
- Child mortality rate in North Korea was 1.67 deaths per 100 live births in 2024, according to Gapminder (2015); UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest child mortality rate recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 46.32 deaths per 100 live births in 1950.
- What is the lowest child mortality rate recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.67 deaths per 100 live births in 2024.
- How does North Korea rank for child mortality rate?
- North Korea ranks 90th out of 200 countries with data for 2024.
- Is child mortality rate rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 26.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Gapminder (2015); UN 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
Long-run estimated share of newborns who die before reaching the age of five.