Child mortality rate in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Child mortality rate was 0.6 deaths per 100 live births in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
0.6 deaths per 100 live births
Change on year
down 3.2%
World rank
148th
of 200 countries
All-time high
24.25 deaths per 100 live births
in 1960
All-time low
0.6 deaths per 100 live births
in 2024
Years of data
56
1960–2024
Child mortality rate in Saudi Arabia, 1960–2024
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
The most recent figure for child mortality rate in Saudi Arabia is 0.6 deaths per 100 live births, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 56 years on record.
The figure is down 3.2% on the previous year and down 37.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, child mortality rate in Saudi Arabia peaked at 24.25 deaths per 100 live births in 1960 and was at its lowest, 0.6 deaths per 100 live births, in 2024.
That places Saudi Arabia 148th 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 Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 24.25 deaths per 100 live births | — |
| 1970 | 18.28 deaths per 100 live births | -24.6% |
| 1971 | 17.12 deaths per 100 live births | -6.3% |
| 1972 | 15.94 deaths per 100 live births | -6.9% |
| 1973 | 14.89 deaths per 100 live births | -6.6% |
| 1974 | 13.92 deaths per 100 live births | -6.5% |
| 1975 | 13.04 deaths per 100 live births | -6.3% |
| 1976 | 12.2 deaths per 100 live births | -6.4% |
| 1977 | 11.4 deaths per 100 live births | -6.6% |
| 1978 | 10.66 deaths per 100 live births | -6.5% |
| 1979 | 9.96 deaths per 100 live births | -6.6% |
| 1980 | 9.31 deaths per 100 live births | -6.5% |
| 1981 | 8.68 deaths per 100 live births | -6.8% |
| 1982 | 8.09 deaths per 100 live births | -6.8% |
| 1983 | 7.52 deaths per 100 live births | -7.0% |
| 1984 | 7 deaths per 100 live births | -6.9% |
| 1985 | 6.5 deaths per 100 live births | -7.1% |
| 1986 | 6.03 deaths per 100 live births | -7.2% |
| 1987 | 5.59 deaths per 100 live births | -7.3% |
| 1988 | 5.17 deaths per 100 live births | -7.5% |
| 1989 | 4.77 deaths per 100 live births | -7.7% |
| 1990 | 4.41 deaths per 100 live births | -7.5% |
| 1991 | 4.08 deaths per 100 live births | -7.5% |
| 1992 | 3.78 deaths per 100 live births | -7.4% |
| 1993 | 3.51 deaths per 100 live births | -7.1% |
| 1994 | 3.26 deaths per 100 live births | -7.1% |
| 1995 | 3.03 deaths per 100 live births | -7.1% |
| 1996 | 2.83 deaths per 100 live births | -6.6% |
| 1997 | 2.65 deaths per 100 live births | -6.4% |
| 1998 | 2.48 deaths per 100 live births | -6.4% |
| 1999 | 2.33 deaths per 100 live births | -6.0% |
| 2000 | 2.19 deaths per 100 live births | -6.0% |
| 2001 | 2.06 deaths per 100 live births | -5.9% |
| 2002 | 1.94 deaths per 100 live births | -5.8% |
| 2003 | 1.84 deaths per 100 live births | -5.2% |
| 2004 | 1.73 deaths per 100 live births | -6.0% |
| 2005 | 1.63 deaths per 100 live births | -5.8% |
| 2006 | 1.54 deaths per 100 live births | -5.5% |
| 2007 | 1.45 deaths per 100 live births | -5.8% |
| 2008 | 1.37 deaths per 100 live births | -5.5% |
| 2009 | 1.29 deaths per 100 live births | -5.8% |
| 2010 | 1.21 deaths per 100 live births | -6.2% |
| 2011 | 1.14 deaths per 100 live births | -5.8% |
| 2012 | 1.08 deaths per 100 live births | -5.3% |
| 2013 | 1.01 deaths per 100 live births | -6.5% |
| 2014 | 0.96 deaths per 100 live births | -5.0% |
| 2015 | 0.9 deaths per 100 live births | -6.2% |
| 2016 | 0.85 deaths per 100 live births | -5.6% |
| 2017 | 0.8 deaths per 100 live births | -5.9% |
| 2018 | 0.76 deaths per 100 live births | -5.0% |
| 2019 | 0.72 deaths per 100 live births | -5.3% |
| 2020 | 0.69 deaths per 100 live births | -4.2% |
| 2021 | 0.67 deaths per 100 live births | -2.9% |
| 2022 | 0.64 deaths per 100 live births | -4.5% |
| 2023 | 0.62 deaths per 100 live births | -3.1% |
| 2024 | 0.6 deaths per 100 live births | -3.2% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 0.6 deaths per 100 live births is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.47 deaths per 100 live births, 1.3× the median. (65 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 0.6 deaths per 100 live births is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 1.29 deaths per 100 live births, 47% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 24.25 deaths per 100 live births | 24.25 deaths per 100 live births | 24.25 deaths per 100 live births | 1 |
| 1970s | 13.74 deaths per 100 live births | 9.96 deaths per 100 live births | 18.28 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.87 deaths per 100 live births | 4.77 deaths per 100 live births | 9.31 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.24 deaths per 100 live births | 2.33 deaths per 100 live births | 4.41 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.7 deaths per 100 live births | 1.29 deaths per 100 live births | 2.19 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.943 deaths per 100 live births | 0.72 deaths per 100 live births | 1.21 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.644 deaths per 100 live births | 0.6 deaths per 100 live births | 0.69 deaths per 100 live births | 5 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
- 145 United States 0.65 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 146 Montserrat 0.64 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 147 Slovakia 0.63 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 149 Qatar 0.59 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 149 Sri Lanka 0.59 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 151 Bulgaria 0.57 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 151 China 0.57 deaths per 100 live births compare
More health data for Saudi Arabia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -0.8373 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.3736 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 483.6 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 829 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 5.31 % 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 0.0384 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 5.38 % 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 rate in Saudi Arabia?
- Child mortality rate in Saudi Arabia was 0.6 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 Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 24.25 deaths per 100 live births in 1960.
- What is the lowest child mortality rate recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.6 deaths per 100 live births in 2024.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for child mortality rate?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 148th out of 200 countries with data for 2024.
- Is child mortality rate rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 37.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia 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.