Child mortality in New Zealand
New Zealand: Child mortality was 0.47 in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
0.47
Change on year
down 4.1%
World rank
163rd
of 200 countries
All-time high
19.78
in 1875
All-time low
0.47
in 2024
Years of data
163
1862–2024
Child mortality in New Zealand, 1862–2024
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
New Zealand recorded 0.47 for child mortality in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 163 years on record.
The figure is down 4.1% on the previous year and down 19.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, child mortality in New Zealand peaked at 19.78 in 1875 and was at its lowest, 0.47, in 2024.
That places New Zealand 163rd 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 New Zealand, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1862 | 11.54 | — |
| 1863 | 17.34 | +50.3% |
| 1864 | 18.66 | +7.6% |
| 1865 | 16.78 | -10.1% |
| 1866 | 14.93 | -11.0% |
| 1867 | 14.56 | -2.5% |
| 1868 | 14.2 | -2.5% |
| 1869 | 14.56 | +2.5% |
| 1870 | 13.66 | -6.2% |
| 1871 | 11.89 | -13.0% |
| 1872 | 14.93 | +25.6% |
| 1873 | 16.41 | +9.9% |
| 1874 | 16.59 | +1.1% |
| 1875 | 19.78 | +19.2% |
| 1876 | 15.48 | -21.7% |
| 1877 | 13.3 | -14.1% |
| 1878 | 12.06 | -9.3% |
| 1879 | 16.22 | +34.5% |
| 1880 | 13.66 | -15.8% |
| 1881 | 13.48 | -1.3% |
| 1882 | 12.77 | -5.3% |
| 1883 | 15.66 | +22.6% |
| 1884 | 11.2 | -28.5% |
| 1885 | 12.94 | +15.5% |
| 1886 | 14.56 | +12.5% |
| 1887 | 13.84 | -4.9% |
| 1888 | 9.85 | -28.8% |
| 1889 | 11.2 | +13.7% |
| 1890 | 11.2 | +0.0% |
| 1891 | 13.3 | +18.8% |
| 1892 | 12.94 | -2.7% |
| 1893 | 12.77 | -1.3% |
| 1894 | 11.54 | -9.6% |
| 1895 | 12.77 | +10.7% |
| 1896 | 10.86 | -15.0% |
| 1897 | 10.02 | -7.7% |
| 1898 | 11.37 | +13.5% |
| 1899 | 14.2 | +24.9% |
| 1900 | 10.52 | -25.9% |
| 1901 | 9.85 | -6.4% |
| 1902 | 11.89 | +20.7% |
| 1903 | 11.54 | -2.9% |
| 1904 | 9.85 | -14.6% |
| 1905 | 9.36 | -5.0% |
| 1906 | 8.42 | -10.0% |
| 1907 | 12.94 | +53.7% |
| 1908 | 9.36 | -27.7% |
| 1909 | 8.42 | -10.0% |
| 1910 | 9.36 | +11.2% |
| 1911 | 7.5 | -19.9% |
| 1912 | 6.73 | -10.3% |
| 1913 | 7.97 | +18.4% |
| 1914 | 6.73 | -15.6% |
| 1915 | 6.73 | +0.0% |
| 1916 | 6.73 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 6.28 | -6.7% |
| 1918 | 6.28 | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 5.83 | -7.2% |
| 1920 | 6.73 | +15.4% |
| 1921 | 6.28 | -6.7% |
| 1922 | 5.4 | -14.0% |
| 1923 | 5.69 | +5.4% |
| 1924 | 5.11 | -10.2% |
| 1925 | 5.69 | +11.4% |
| 1926 | 5.69 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 5.83 | +2.5% |
| 1928 | 5.11 | -12.3% |
| 1929 | 4.69 | -8.2% |
| 1930 | 4.83 | +3.0% |
| 1931 | 4.69 | -2.9% |
| 1932 | 4.83 | +3.0% |
| 1933 | 4.83 | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 4.97 | +2.9% |
| 1935 | 5.25 | +5.6% |
| 1936 | 5.25 | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 4.97 | -5.3% |
| 1938 | 6.58 | +32.4% |
| 1939 | 5.4 | -17.9% |
| 1940 | 4.69 | -13.1% |
| 1941 | 5.11 | +9.0% |
| 1942 | 4.69 | -8.2% |
| 1943 | 4.97 | +6.0% |
| 1944 | 4.97 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 4.41 | -11.3% |
| 1946 | 4.01 | -9.1% |
| 1947 | 3.73 | -7.0% |
| 1948 | 3.6 | -3.5% |
| 1949 | 3.63 | +0.8% |
| 1950 | 3.55 | -2.2% |
| 1951 | 3.47 | -2.3% |
| 1952 | 3.39 | -2.3% |
| 1953 | 3.3 | -2.7% |
| 1954 | 3.21 | -2.7% |
| 1955 | 3.13 | -2.5% |
| 1956 | 3.07 | -1.9% |
| 1957 | 3.01 | -2.0% |
| 1958 | 2.94 | -2.3% |
| 1959 | 2.87 | -2.4% |
| 1960 | 2.78 | -3.1% |
| 1961 | 2.68 | -3.6% |
| 1962 | 2.58 | -3.7% |
| 1963 | 2.48 | -3.9% |
| 1964 | 2.39 | -3.6% |
| 1965 | 2.31 | -3.3% |
| 1966 | 2.25 | -2.6% |
| 1967 | 2.2 | -2.2% |
| 1968 | 2.16 | -1.8% |
| 1969 | 2.12 | -1.9% |
| 1970 | 2.08 | -1.9% |
| 1971 | 2.03 | -2.4% |
| 1972 | 1.98 | -2.5% |
| 1973 | 1.94 | -2.0% |
| 1974 | 1.88 | -3.1% |
| 1975 | 1.83 | -2.7% |
| 1976 | 1.77 | -3.3% |
| 1977 | 1.71 | -3.4% |
| 1978 | 1.66 | -2.9% |
| 1979 | 1.61 | -3.0% |
| 1980 | 1.56 | -3.1% |
| 1981 | 1.52 | -2.6% |
| 1982 | 1.48 | -2.6% |
| 1983 | 1.45 | -2.0% |
| 1984 | 1.41 | -2.8% |
| 1985 | 1.38 | -2.1% |
| 1986 | 1.34 | -2.9% |
| 1987 | 1.29 | -3.7% |
| 1988 | 1.24 | -3.9% |
| 1989 | 1.18 | -4.8% |
| 1990 | 1.12 | -5.1% |
| 1991 | 1.06 | -5.4% |
| 1992 | 1 | -5.7% |
| 1993 | 0.95 | -5.0% |
| 1994 | 0.91 | -4.2% |
| 1995 | 0.87 | -4.4% |
| 1996 | 0.84 | -3.4% |
| 1997 | 0.81 | -3.6% |
| 1998 | 0.78 | -3.7% |
| 1999 | 0.76 | -2.6% |
| 2000 | 0.74 | -2.6% |
| 2001 | 0.72 | -2.7% |
| 2002 | 0.7 | -2.8% |
| 2003 | 0.69 | -1.4% |
| 2004 | 0.67 | -2.9% |
| 2005 | 0.66 | -1.5% |
| 2006 | 0.65 | -1.5% |
| 2007 | 0.64 | -1.5% |
| 2008 | 0.64 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 0.63 | -1.6% |
| 2010 | 0.62 | -1.6% |
| 2011 | 0.61 | -1.6% |
| 2012 | 0.6 | -1.6% |
| 2013 | 0.59 | -1.7% |
| 2014 | 0.58 | -1.7% |
| 2015 | 0.56 | -3.4% |
| 2016 | 0.55 | -1.8% |
| 2017 | 0.54 | -1.8% |
| 2018 | 0.53 | -1.9% |
| 2019 | 0.52 | -1.9% |
| 2020 | 0.51 | -1.9% |
| 2021 | 0.5 | -2.0% |
| 2022 | 0.5 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 0.49 | -2.0% |
| 2024 | 0.47 | -4.1% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 0.47 is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.47, 1.0× the median. (65 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 0.47 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.72, 27% of the median. (30 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Child mortality in New Zealand 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1907 | +53.7% | 8.42 | 12.94 |
| 1863 | +50.3% | 11.54 | 17.34 |
| 1879 | +34.5% | 12.06 | 16.22 |
| 1938 | +32.4% | 4.97 | 6.58 |
| 1872 | +25.6% | 11.89 | 14.93 |
| 1888 | -28.8% | 13.84 | 9.85 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1860s | 15.32 | 11.54 | 18.66 | 8 |
| 1870s | 15.03 | 11.89 | 19.78 | 10 |
| 1880s | 12.92 | 9.85 | 15.66 | 10 |
| 1890s | 12.1 | 10.02 | 14.2 | 10 |
| 1900s | 10.21 | 8.42 | 12.94 | 10 |
| 1910s | 7.01 | 5.83 | 9.36 | 10 |
| 1920s | 5.62 | 4.69 | 6.73 | 10 |
| 1930s | 5.16 | 4.69 | 6.58 | 10 |
| 1940s | 4.38 | 3.6 | 5.11 | 10 |
| 1950s | 3.19 | 2.87 | 3.55 | 10 |
| 1960s | 2.4 | 2.12 | 2.78 | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.85 | 1.61 | 2.08 | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.39 | 1.18 | 1.56 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.91 | 0.76 | 1.12 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.674 | 0.63 | 0.74 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.57 | 0.52 | 0.62 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.494 | 0.47 | 0.51 | 5 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 160 Russian Federation 0.52 compare
- 161 Cyprus 0.5 compare
- 162 United Arab Emirates 0.48 compare
- 163 Turks and Caicos Islands 0.47 compare
- 163 United Kingdom 0.47 compare
- 166 France 0.43 compare
More health data for New Zealand
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.94 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.4815 % change on previous year (2090)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates 1,116 (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 33 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.1187 % 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 0.0277 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.018 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is child mortality in New Zealand?
- Child mortality in New Zealand was 0.47 in 2024, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest child mortality recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 19.78 in 1875.
- What is the lowest child mortality recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.47 in 2024.
- How does New Zealand rank for child mortality?
- New Zealand ranks 163rd out of 200 countries with data for 2024.
- Is child mortality rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this New Zealand 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 — 163 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).