Infant mortality rate (deaths per 1,000 live births) in Zambia
Zambia: Infant mortality rate (deaths per 1,000 live births) was 34.61 per 1,000 live births in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
34.61 per 1,000 live births
Change on year
down 1.2%
World rank
37th
of 213 countries
All-time high
89.3 per 1,000 live births
in 2000
All-time low
34.61 per 1,000 live births
in 2024
Years of data
25
2000–2024
Infant mortality rate in Zambia, 2000–2024
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in per 1,000 live births.
Analysis
Zambia recorded 34.61 per 1,000 live births for infant mortality rate in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.2% on the previous year and down 19.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, infant mortality rate in Zambia peaked at 89.3 per 1,000 live births in 2000 and was at its lowest, 34.61 per 1,000 live births, in 2024.
Zambia ranks 37th of 213 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Infant mortality rate (deaths per 1,000 live births) in Zambia, year by year
| Year | per 1,000 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 89.3 per 1,000 live births | — |
| 2001 | 84.59 per 1,000 live births | -5.3% |
| 2002 | 78.68 per 1,000 live births | -7.0% |
| 2003 | 72.32 per 1,000 live births | -8.1% |
| 2004 | 65.84 per 1,000 live births | -9.0% |
| 2005 | 60.23 per 1,000 live births | -8.5% |
| 2006 | 56.36 per 1,000 live births | -6.4% |
| 2007 | 54.35 per 1,000 live births | -3.6% |
| 2008 | 52.08 per 1,000 live births | -4.2% |
| 2009 | 50.19 per 1,000 live births | -3.6% |
| 2010 | 48.63 per 1,000 live births | -3.1% |
| 2011 | 47.38 per 1,000 live births | -2.6% |
| 2012 | 46.12 per 1,000 live births | -2.7% |
| 2013 | 44.5 per 1,000 live births | -3.5% |
| 2014 | 43.02 per 1,000 live births | -3.3% |
| 2015 | 42.39 per 1,000 live births | -1.4% |
| 2016 | 40.6 per 1,000 live births | -4.2% |
| 2017 | 38.78 per 1,000 live births | -4.5% |
| 2018 | 37.69 per 1,000 live births | -2.8% |
| 2019 | 36.09 per 1,000 live births | -4.3% |
| 2020 | 35.73 per 1,000 live births | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 35.64 per 1,000 live births | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 35.41 per 1,000 live births | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 35.02 per 1,000 live births | -1.1% |
| 2024 | 34.61 per 1,000 live births | -1.2% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 34.61 per 1,000 live births is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 30.22 per 1,000 live births, 1.1× the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 34.61 per 1,000 live births is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 37.96 per 1,000 live births, 91% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 66.39 per 1,000 live births | 50.19 per 1,000 live births | 89.3 per 1,000 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 42.52 per 1,000 live births | 36.09 per 1,000 live births | 48.63 per 1,000 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 35.28 per 1,000 live births | 34.61 per 1,000 live births | 35.73 per 1,000 live births | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More health data for Zambia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.09 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.7971 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 8,894 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.68 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0743 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.69 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0744 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is infant mortality rate in Zambia?
- Infant mortality rate in Zambia was 34.61 per 1,000 live births in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest infant mortality rate recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 89.3 per 1,000 live births in 2000.
- What is the lowest infant mortality rate recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 34.61 per 1,000 live births in 2024.
- How does Zambia rank for infant mortality rate?
- Zambia ranks 37th out of 213 countries with data for 2024.
- Is infant mortality rate rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Infant mortality rate (deaths per 1,000 live births). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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