Infant mortality by sex in New Zealand
New Zealand: Infant mortality by sex was 0.4324 deaths per 100 live births in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
0.4324 deaths per 100 live births
Change on year
down 2.2%
World rank
161st
of 199 countries
All-time high
3.16 deaths per 100 live births
in 1950
All-time low
0.4324 deaths per 100 live births
in 2024
Years of data
75
1950–2024
Infant mortality by sex in New Zealand, 1950–2024
Source: United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100 live births.
Analysis
New Zealand recorded 0.4324 deaths per 100 live births for infant mortality by sex in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 75 years on record.
The figure is down 2.2% on the previous year and down 16.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, infant mortality by sex in New Zealand peaked at 3.16 deaths per 100 live births in 1950 and was at its lowest, 0.4324 deaths per 100 live births, in 2024.
That places New Zealand 161st out of 199 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.
Infant mortality by sex in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 3.16 deaths per 100 live births | — |
| 1951 | 3.11 deaths per 100 live births | -1.9% |
| 1952 | 3.03 deaths per 100 live births | -2.3% |
| 1953 | 2.97 deaths per 100 live births | -2.1% |
| 1954 | 2.9 deaths per 100 live births | -2.4% |
| 1955 | 2.83 deaths per 100 live births | -2.2% |
| 1956 | 2.77 deaths per 100 live births | -2.2% |
| 1957 | 2.72 deaths per 100 live births | -1.8% |
| 1958 | 2.67 deaths per 100 live births | -2.0% |
| 1959 | 2.61 deaths per 100 live births | -2.3% |
| 1960 | 2.54 deaths per 100 live births | -2.7% |
| 1961 | 2.46 deaths per 100 live births | -3.3% |
| 1962 | 2.37 deaths per 100 live births | -3.7% |
| 1963 | 2.28 deaths per 100 live births | -3.7% |
| 1964 | 2.2 deaths per 100 live births | -3.4% |
| 1965 | 2.14 deaths per 100 live births | -3.0% |
| 1966 | 2.08 deaths per 100 live births | -2.5% |
| 1967 | 2.04 deaths per 100 live births | -2.2% |
| 1968 | 2 deaths per 100 live births | -2.0% |
| 1969 | 1.96 deaths per 100 live births | -1.9% |
| 1970 | 1.92 deaths per 100 live births | -2.1% |
| 1971 | 1.87 deaths per 100 live births | -2.1% |
| 1972 | 1.84 deaths per 100 live births | -2.1% |
| 1973 | 1.8 deaths per 100 live births | -2.1% |
| 1974 | 1.75 deaths per 100 live births | -2.5% |
| 1975 | 1.7 deaths per 100 live births | -2.9% |
| 1976 | 1.65 deaths per 100 live births | -3.2% |
| 1977 | 1.59 deaths per 100 live births | -3.2% |
| 1978 | 1.54 deaths per 100 live births | -3.3% |
| 1979 | 1.49 deaths per 100 live births | -3.3% |
| 1980 | 1.44 deaths per 100 live births | -3.2% |
| 1981 | 1.4 deaths per 100 live births | -2.9% |
| 1982 | 1.37 deaths per 100 live births | -2.5% |
| 1983 | 1.33 deaths per 100 live births | -2.4% |
| 1984 | 1.3 deaths per 100 live births | -2.4% |
| 1985 | 1.27 deaths per 100 live births | -2.8% |
| 1986 | 1.23 deaths per 100 live births | -3.1% |
| 1987 | 1.18 deaths per 100 live births | -3.6% |
| 1988 | 1.13 deaths per 100 live births | -4.2% |
| 1989 | 1.08 deaths per 100 live births | -4.8% |
| 1990 | 1.02 deaths per 100 live births | -5.4% |
| 1991 | 0.9649 deaths per 100 live births | -5.5% |
| 1992 | 0.91 deaths per 100 live births | -5.7% |
| 1993 | 0.8634 deaths per 100 live births | -5.1% |
| 1994 | 0.8233 deaths per 100 live births | -4.6% |
| 1995 | 0.7868 deaths per 100 live births | -4.4% |
| 1996 | 0.7572 deaths per 100 live births | -3.8% |
| 1997 | 0.7314 deaths per 100 live births | -3.4% |
| 1998 | 0.7059 deaths per 100 live births | -3.5% |
| 1999 | 0.6849 deaths per 100 live births | -3.0% |
| 2000 | 0.6663 deaths per 100 live births | -2.7% |
| 2001 | 0.6499 deaths per 100 live births | -2.5% |
| 2002 | 0.6351 deaths per 100 live births | -2.3% |
| 2003 | 0.6217 deaths per 100 live births | -2.1% |
| 2004 | 0.6097 deaths per 100 live births | -1.9% |
| 2005 | 0.6001 deaths per 100 live births | -1.6% |
| 2006 | 0.5897 deaths per 100 live births | -1.7% |
| 2007 | 0.5829 deaths per 100 live births | -1.2% |
| 2008 | 0.5769 deaths per 100 live births | -1.0% |
| 2009 | 0.5699 deaths per 100 live births | -1.2% |
| 2010 | 0.5627 deaths per 100 live births | -1.3% |
| 2011 | 0.5536 deaths per 100 live births | -1.6% |
| 2012 | 0.5432 deaths per 100 live births | -1.9% |
| 2013 | 0.5321 deaths per 100 live births | -2.1% |
| 2014 | 0.5203 deaths per 100 live births | -2.2% |
| 2015 | 0.5089 deaths per 100 live births | -2.2% |
| 2016 | 0.4981 deaths per 100 live births | -2.1% |
| 2017 | 0.4878 deaths per 100 live births | -2.1% |
| 2018 | 0.4793 deaths per 100 live births | -1.7% |
| 2019 | 0.4718 deaths per 100 live births | -1.6% |
| 2020 | 0.465 deaths per 100 live births | -1.4% |
| 2021 | 0.4583 deaths per 100 live births | -1.4% |
| 2022 | 0.4505 deaths per 100 live births | -1.7% |
| 2023 | 0.442 deaths per 100 live births | -1.9% |
| 2024 | 0.4324 deaths per 100 live births | -2.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 2.88 deaths per 100 live births | 2.61 deaths per 100 live births | 3.16 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1960s | 2.2 deaths per 100 live births | 1.96 deaths per 100 live births | 2.54 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.72 deaths per 100 live births | 1.49 deaths per 100 live births | 1.92 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.27 deaths per 100 live births | 1.08 deaths per 100 live births | 1.44 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.8249 deaths per 100 live births | 0.6849 deaths per 100 live births | 1.02 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.6102 deaths per 100 live births | 0.5699 deaths per 100 live births | 0.6663 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.5158 deaths per 100 live births | 0.4718 deaths per 100 live births | 0.5627 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.4496 deaths per 100 live births | 0.4324 deaths per 100 live births | 0.465 deaths per 100 live births | 5 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 158 Russian Federation 0.4542 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 159 Croatia 0.4475 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 160 Cyprus 0.4415 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 162 China 0.4283 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 163 United Arab Emirates 0.4138 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 164 Poland 0.3977 deaths per 100 live births 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)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,116 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 33 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 75-79, female, annual growth rate 4.22 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, female, per capita 0.019 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, male, annual growth rate 4.19 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, male, per capita 0.0172 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is infant mortality by sex in New Zealand?
- Infant mortality by sex in New Zealand was 0.4324 deaths per 100 live births in 2024, according to United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest infant mortality by sex recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 3.16 deaths per 100 live births in 1950.
- What is the lowest infant mortality by sex recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.4324 deaths per 100 live births in 2024.
- How does New Zealand rank for infant mortality by sex?
- New Zealand ranks 161st out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is infant mortality by sex rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Infant mortality by sex. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Estimated number of deaths of male children aged under one year, per 100 live births .