Child mortality rate in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Child mortality rate was 0.59 deaths per 100 live births in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
0.59 deaths per 100 live births
Change on year
down 3.3%
World rank
149th
of 200 countries
All-time high
14.02 deaths per 100 live births
in 1950
All-time low
0.59 deaths per 100 live births
in 2024
Years of data
75
1950–2024
Child mortality rate in Sri Lanka, 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
The most recent figure for child mortality rate in Sri Lanka is 0.59 deaths per 100 live births, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 75 years on record.
The figure is down 3.3% on the previous year and down 35.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, child mortality rate in Sri Lanka peaked at 14.02 deaths per 100 live births in 1950 and was at its lowest, 0.59 deaths per 100 live births, in 2024.
Sri Lanka ranks 149th of 200 countries on this measure, 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 Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 14.02 deaths per 100 live births | — |
| 1951 | 13.2 deaths per 100 live births | -5.8% |
| 1952 | 13.02 deaths per 100 live births | -1.4% |
| 1953 | 12.82 deaths per 100 live births | -1.5% |
| 1954 | 12.56 deaths per 100 live births | -2.0% |
| 1955 | 12.23 deaths per 100 live births | -2.6% |
| 1956 | 11.8 deaths per 100 live births | -3.5% |
| 1957 | 11.25 deaths per 100 live births | -4.7% |
| 1958 | 10.62 deaths per 100 live births | -5.6% |
| 1959 | 9.99 deaths per 100 live births | -5.9% |
| 1960 | 9.41 deaths per 100 live births | -5.8% |
| 1961 | 8.96 deaths per 100 live births | -4.8% |
| 1962 | 8.67 deaths per 100 live births | -3.2% |
| 1963 | 8.48 deaths per 100 live births | -2.2% |
| 1964 | 8.3 deaths per 100 live births | -2.1% |
| 1965 | 8.07 deaths per 100 live births | -2.8% |
| 1966 | 7.81 deaths per 100 live births | -3.2% |
| 1967 | 7.55 deaths per 100 live births | -3.3% |
| 1968 | 7.31 deaths per 100 live births | -3.2% |
| 1969 | 7.13 deaths per 100 live births | -2.5% |
| 1970 | 7.01 deaths per 100 live births | -1.7% |
| 1971 | 6.91 deaths per 100 live births | -1.4% |
| 1972 | 6.83 deaths per 100 live births | -1.2% |
| 1973 | 6.73 deaths per 100 live births | -1.5% |
| 1974 | 6.59 deaths per 100 live births | -2.1% |
| 1975 | 6.38 deaths per 100 live births | -3.2% |
| 1976 | 6.11 deaths per 100 live births | -4.2% |
| 1977 | 5.76 deaths per 100 live births | -5.7% |
| 1978 | 5.37 deaths per 100 live births | -6.8% |
| 1979 | 4.99 deaths per 100 live births | -7.1% |
| 1980 | 4.63 deaths per 100 live births | -7.2% |
| 1981 | 4.29 deaths per 100 live births | -7.3% |
| 1982 | 3.98 deaths per 100 live births | -7.2% |
| 1983 | 3.67 deaths per 100 live births | -7.8% |
| 1984 | 3.35 deaths per 100 live births | -8.7% |
| 1985 | 3.02 deaths per 100 live births | -9.9% |
| 1986 | 2.74 deaths per 100 live births | -9.3% |
| 1987 | 2.53 deaths per 100 live births | -7.7% |
| 1988 | 2.41 deaths per 100 live births | -4.7% |
| 1989 | 2.79 deaths per 100 live births | +15.8% |
| 1990 | 2.33 deaths per 100 live births | -16.5% |
| 1991 | 2.32 deaths per 100 live births | -0.4% |
| 1992 | 2.29 deaths per 100 live births | -1.3% |
| 1993 | 2.22 deaths per 100 live births | -3.1% |
| 1994 | 2.14 deaths per 100 live births | -3.6% |
| 1995 | 2.05 deaths per 100 live births | -4.2% |
| 1996 | 1.95 deaths per 100 live births | -4.9% |
| 1997 | 1.86 deaths per 100 live births | -4.6% |
| 1998 | 1.76 deaths per 100 live births | -5.4% |
| 1999 | 1.69 deaths per 100 live births | -4.0% |
| 2000 | 1.63 deaths per 100 live births | -3.6% |
| 2001 | 1.58 deaths per 100 live births | -3.1% |
| 2002 | 1.55 deaths per 100 live births | -1.9% |
| 2003 | 1.52 deaths per 100 live births | -1.9% |
| 2004 | 2.9 deaths per 100 live births | +90.8% |
| 2005 | 1.4 deaths per 100 live births | -51.7% |
| 2006 | 1.33 deaths per 100 live births | -5.0% |
| 2007 | 1.26 deaths per 100 live births | -5.3% |
| 2008 | 1.2 deaths per 100 live births | -4.8% |
| 2009 | 2.15 deaths per 100 live births | +79.2% |
| 2010 | 1.12 deaths per 100 live births | -47.9% |
| 2011 | 1.08 deaths per 100 live births | -3.6% |
| 2012 | 1.03 deaths per 100 live births | -4.6% |
| 2013 | 0.98 deaths per 100 live births | -4.9% |
| 2014 | 0.92 deaths per 100 live births | -6.1% |
| 2015 | 0.87 deaths per 100 live births | -5.4% |
| 2016 | 0.83 deaths per 100 live births | -4.6% |
| 2017 | 0.79 deaths per 100 live births | -4.8% |
| 2018 | 0.76 deaths per 100 live births | -3.8% |
| 2019 | 0.72 deaths per 100 live births | -5.3% |
| 2020 | 0.69 deaths per 100 live births | -4.2% |
| 2021 | 0.66 deaths per 100 live births | -4.3% |
| 2022 | 0.63 deaths per 100 live births | -4.5% |
| 2023 | 0.61 deaths per 100 live births | -3.2% |
| 2024 | 0.59 deaths per 100 live births | -3.3% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 0.59 deaths per 100 live births is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.3 deaths per 100 live births, 45% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 0.59 deaths per 100 live births is below the median for South Asia, which is 2.11 deaths per 100 live births, 28% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Child mortality rate in Sri Lanka 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | +90.8% | 1.52 deaths per 100 live births | 2.9 deaths per 100 live births |
| 2009 | +79.2% | 1.2 deaths per 100 live births | 2.15 deaths per 100 live births |
| 2005 | -51.7% | 2.9 deaths per 100 live births | 1.4 deaths per 100 live births |
| 2010 | -47.9% | 2.15 deaths per 100 live births | 1.12 deaths per 100 live births |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 12.15 deaths per 100 live births | 9.99 deaths per 100 live births | 14.02 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1960s | 8.17 deaths per 100 live births | 7.13 deaths per 100 live births | 9.41 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1970s | 6.27 deaths per 100 live births | 4.99 deaths per 100 live births | 7.01 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.34 deaths per 100 live births | 2.41 deaths per 100 live births | 4.63 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.06 deaths per 100 live births | 1.69 deaths per 100 live births | 2.33 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.65 deaths per 100 live births | 1.2 deaths per 100 live births | 2.9 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.91 deaths per 100 live births | 0.72 deaths per 100 live births | 1.12 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.636 deaths per 100 live births | 0.59 deaths per 100 live births | 0.69 deaths per 100 live births | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
- 146 Montserrat 0.64 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 147 Slovakia 0.63 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 148 Saudi Arabia 0.6 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 149 Qatar 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 Sri Lanka
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.62 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.7332 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,250 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 304 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -2.13 % 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 0.0339 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -2.12 % 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 Sri Lanka?
- Child mortality rate in Sri Lanka was 0.59 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 Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 14.02 deaths per 100 live births in 1950.
- What is the lowest child mortality rate recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.59 deaths per 100 live births in 2024.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for child mortality rate?
- Sri Lanka ranks 149th out of 200 countries with data for 2024.
- Is child mortality rate rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 35.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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.