Infant mortality rate by sex in Benin
Benin: Infant mortality rate by sex was 4.02 deaths per 100 live births in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
4.02 deaths per 100 live births
Change on year
down 3.0%
World rank
17th
of 199 countries
All-time high
15.87 deaths per 100 live births
in 1950
All-time low
4.02 deaths per 100 live births
in 2024
Years of data
75
1950–2024
Infant mortality rate by sex in Benin, 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
Benin recorded 4.02 deaths per 100 live births for infant mortality rate by sex in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 75 years on record.
That represents a change of down 3.0% on the previous year and down 23.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, infant mortality rate by sex in Benin peaked at 15.87 deaths per 100 live births in 1950 and was at its lowest, 4.02 deaths per 100 live births, in 2024.
Benin ranks 17th of 199 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 75 years of available data.
Infant mortality rate by sex in Benin, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 15.87 deaths per 100 live births | — |
| 1951 | 15.82 deaths per 100 live births | -0.4% |
| 1952 | 15.76 deaths per 100 live births | -0.3% |
| 1953 | 15.7 deaths per 100 live births | -0.4% |
| 1954 | 15.64 deaths per 100 live births | -0.4% |
| 1955 | 15.56 deaths per 100 live births | -0.5% |
| 1956 | 15.47 deaths per 100 live births | -0.6% |
| 1957 | 15.35 deaths per 100 live births | -0.7% |
| 1958 | 15.22 deaths per 100 live births | -0.8% |
| 1959 | 15.06 deaths per 100 live births | -1.1% |
| 1960 | 14.88 deaths per 100 live births | -1.2% |
| 1961 | 14.68 deaths per 100 live births | -1.3% |
| 1962 | 14.46 deaths per 100 live births | -1.5% |
| 1963 | 14.23 deaths per 100 live births | -1.6% |
| 1964 | 13.99 deaths per 100 live births | -1.6% |
| 1965 | 13.77 deaths per 100 live births | -1.6% |
| 1966 | 13.55 deaths per 100 live births | -1.6% |
| 1967 | 13.34 deaths per 100 live births | -1.6% |
| 1968 | 13.13 deaths per 100 live births | -1.5% |
| 1969 | 12.96 deaths per 100 live births | -1.4% |
| 1970 | 12.77 deaths per 100 live births | -1.5% |
| 1971 | 12.57 deaths per 100 live births | -1.5% |
| 1972 | 12.38 deaths per 100 live births | -1.5% |
| 1973 | 12.17 deaths per 100 live births | -1.7% |
| 1974 | 11.95 deaths per 100 live births | -1.8% |
| 1975 | 11.72 deaths per 100 live births | -1.9% |
| 1976 | 11.47 deaths per 100 live births | -2.1% |
| 1977 | 11.24 deaths per 100 live births | -2.0% |
| 1978 | 11.02 deaths per 100 live births | -1.9% |
| 1979 | 10.81 deaths per 100 live births | -1.8% |
| 1980 | 10.63 deaths per 100 live births | -1.7% |
| 1981 | 10.46 deaths per 100 live births | -1.6% |
| 1982 | 10.29 deaths per 100 live births | -1.6% |
| 1983 | 10.13 deaths per 100 live births | -1.5% |
| 1984 | 10.01 deaths per 100 live births | -1.2% |
| 1985 | 9.88 deaths per 100 live births | -1.2% |
| 1986 | 9.76 deaths per 100 live births | -1.2% |
| 1987 | 9.63 deaths per 100 live births | -1.4% |
| 1988 | 9.49 deaths per 100 live births | -1.4% |
| 1989 | 9.32 deaths per 100 live births | -1.8% |
| 1990 | 9.14 deaths per 100 live births | -1.9% |
| 1991 | 8.95 deaths per 100 live births | -2.0% |
| 1992 | 8.76 deaths per 100 live births | -2.1% |
| 1993 | 8.58 deaths per 100 live births | -2.1% |
| 1994 | 8.4 deaths per 100 live births | -2.1% |
| 1995 | 8.23 deaths per 100 live births | -2.0% |
| 1996 | 8.07 deaths per 100 live births | -1.9% |
| 1997 | 7.92 deaths per 100 live births | -1.9% |
| 1998 | 7.77 deaths per 100 live births | -1.9% |
| 1999 | 7.6 deaths per 100 live births | -2.2% |
| 2000 | 7.41 deaths per 100 live births | -2.4% |
| 2001 | 7.22 deaths per 100 live births | -2.6% |
| 2002 | 7.04 deaths per 100 live births | -2.5% |
| 2003 | 6.87 deaths per 100 live births | -2.4% |
| 2004 | 6.7 deaths per 100 live births | -2.4% |
| 2005 | 6.53 deaths per 100 live births | -2.6% |
| 2006 | 6.36 deaths per 100 live births | -2.6% |
| 2007 | 6.2 deaths per 100 live births | -2.5% |
| 2008 | 6.05 deaths per 100 live births | -2.4% |
| 2009 | 5.91 deaths per 100 live births | -2.3% |
| 2010 | 5.77 deaths per 100 live births | -2.4% |
| 2011 | 5.62 deaths per 100 live births | -2.5% |
| 2012 | 5.5 deaths per 100 live births | -2.2% |
| 2013 | 5.37 deaths per 100 live births | -2.4% |
| 2014 | 5.23 deaths per 100 live births | -2.5% |
| 2015 | 5.11 deaths per 100 live births | -2.4% |
| 2016 | 4.99 deaths per 100 live births | -2.3% |
| 2017 | 4.86 deaths per 100 live births | -2.5% |
| 2018 | 4.75 deaths per 100 live births | -2.4% |
| 2019 | 4.63 deaths per 100 live births | -2.6% |
| 2020 | 4.5 deaths per 100 live births | -2.7% |
| 2021 | 4.38 deaths per 100 live births | -2.6% |
| 2022 | 4.26 deaths per 100 live births | -2.7% |
| 2023 | 4.14 deaths per 100 live births | -2.8% |
| 2024 | 4.02 deaths per 100 live births | -3.0% |
Benin compared with similar countries
- Benin's 4.02 deaths per 100 live births is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 2.51 deaths per 100 live births, 1.6× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Benin's 4.02 deaths per 100 live births is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3.31 deaths per 100 live births, 1.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 15.55 deaths per 100 live births | 15.06 deaths per 100 live births | 15.87 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1960s | 13.9 deaths per 100 live births | 12.96 deaths per 100 live births | 14.88 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1970s | 11.81 deaths per 100 live births | 10.81 deaths per 100 live births | 12.77 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1980s | 9.96 deaths per 100 live births | 9.32 deaths per 100 live births | 10.63 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.34 deaths per 100 live births | 7.6 deaths per 100 live births | 9.14 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.63 deaths per 100 live births | 5.91 deaths per 100 live births | 7.41 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.18 deaths per 100 live births | 4.63 deaths per 100 live births | 5.77 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.26 deaths per 100 live births | 4.02 deaths per 100 live births | 4.5 deaths per 100 live births | 5 |
Countries ranked near Benin
- 14 Mali 4.33 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 15 Pakistan 4.28 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 16 Equatorial Guinea 4.26 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 18 Mozambique 3.98 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 19 Burkina Faso 3.92 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 20 Cote d'Ivoire 3.89 deaths per 100 live births compare
More health data for Benin
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.1 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.8458 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,002 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 13,632 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 21 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.21 % 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 0.0741 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.24 % 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 infant mortality rate by sex in Benin?
- Infant mortality rate by sex in Benin was 4.02 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 rate by sex recorded in Benin?
- The highest recorded value was 15.87 deaths per 100 live births in 1950.
- What is the lowest infant mortality rate by sex recorded in Benin?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.02 deaths per 100 live births in 2024.
- How does Benin rank for infant mortality rate by sex?
- Benin ranks 17th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is infant mortality rate by sex rising or falling in Benin?
- Over the last ten years it is down 23.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Benin 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 rate by sex. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 75 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Estimated number of deaths of female children aged under one year, per 100 live births .