Infant mortality rate by sex in North Korea
North Korea: Infant mortality rate by sex was 1.19 deaths per 100 live births in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
1.19 deaths per 100 live births
Change on year
down 8.3%
World rank
95th
of 199 countries
All-time high
22.35 deaths per 100 live births
in 1950
All-time low
1.19 deaths per 100 live births
in 2024
Years of data
75
1950–2024
Infant mortality rate by sex in North Korea, 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
The most recent figure for infant mortality rate by sex in North Korea is 1.19 deaths per 100 live births, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 75 years on record.
That represents a change of down 8.3% on the previous year and down 26.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, infant mortality rate by sex in North Korea peaked at 22.35 deaths per 100 live births in 1950 and was at its lowest, 1.19 deaths per 100 live births, in 2024.
That places North Korea 95th out of 199 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.
Infant mortality rate by sex in North Korea, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 22.35 deaths per 100 live births | — |
| 1951 | 19.74 deaths per 100 live births | -11.7% |
| 1952 | 14.11 deaths per 100 live births | -28.5% |
| 1953 | 12.19 deaths per 100 live births | -13.6% |
| 1954 | 10.23 deaths per 100 live births | -16.0% |
| 1955 | 9.55 deaths per 100 live births | -6.7% |
| 1956 | 8.95 deaths per 100 live births | -6.3% |
| 1957 | 8.45 deaths per 100 live births | -5.6% |
| 1958 | 8.04 deaths per 100 live births | -4.9% |
| 1959 | 7.71 deaths per 100 live births | -4.2% |
| 1960 | 7.44 deaths per 100 live births | -3.5% |
| 1961 | 7.21 deaths per 100 live births | -3.2% |
| 1962 | 6.98 deaths per 100 live births | -3.1% |
| 1963 | 6.74 deaths per 100 live births | -3.4% |
| 1964 | 6.49 deaths per 100 live births | -3.7% |
| 1965 | 6.22 deaths per 100 live births | -4.2% |
| 1966 | 5.93 deaths per 100 live births | -4.7% |
| 1967 | 5.61 deaths per 100 live births | -5.3% |
| 1968 | 5.3 deaths per 100 live births | -5.5% |
| 1969 | 5 deaths per 100 live births | -5.7% |
| 1970 | 4.72 deaths per 100 live births | -5.6% |
| 1971 | 4.46 deaths per 100 live births | -5.4% |
| 1972 | 4.22 deaths per 100 live births | -5.4% |
| 1973 | 4.01 deaths per 100 live births | -5.1% |
| 1974 | 3.81 deaths per 100 live births | -4.9% |
| 1975 | 3.63 deaths per 100 live births | -4.7% |
| 1976 | 3.47 deaths per 100 live births | -4.5% |
| 1977 | 3.32 deaths per 100 live births | -4.4% |
| 1978 | 3.18 deaths per 100 live births | -4.1% |
| 1979 | 3.05 deaths per 100 live births | -4.0% |
| 1980 | 2.93 deaths per 100 live births | -3.8% |
| 1981 | 2.83 deaths per 100 live births | -3.6% |
| 1982 | 2.73 deaths per 100 live births | -3.4% |
| 1983 | 2.65 deaths per 100 live births | -2.9% |
| 1984 | 2.6 deaths per 100 live births | -2.1% |
| 1985 | 2.57 deaths per 100 live births | -1.0% |
| 1986 | 2.58 deaths per 100 live births | +0.3% |
| 1987 | 2.63 deaths per 100 live births | +2.0% |
| 1988 | 2.68 deaths per 100 live births | +1.7% |
| 1989 | 2.76 deaths per 100 live births | +3.1% |
| 1990 | 2.84 deaths per 100 live births | +3.0% |
| 1991 | 2.91 deaths per 100 live births | +2.4% |
| 1992 | 2.95 deaths per 100 live births | +1.5% |
| 1993 | 2.97 deaths per 100 live births | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 2.96 deaths per 100 live births | -0.4% |
| 1995 | 5.82 deaths per 100 live births | +96.6% |
| 1996 | 5.73 deaths per 100 live births | -1.4% |
| 1997 | 5.63 deaths per 100 live births | -1.8% |
| 1998 | 5.54 deaths per 100 live births | -1.6% |
| 1999 | 5.45 deaths per 100 live births | -1.7% |
| 2000 | 5.36 deaths per 100 live births | -1.7% |
| 2001 | 5.28 deaths per 100 live births | -1.4% |
| 2002 | 5.21 deaths per 100 live births | -1.5% |
| 2003 | 2.43 deaths per 100 live births | -53.4% |
| 2004 | 2.38 deaths per 100 live births | -2.1% |
| 2005 | 2.34 deaths per 100 live births | -1.6% |
| 2006 | 2.3 deaths per 100 live births | -1.6% |
| 2007 | 2.27 deaths per 100 live births | -1.4% |
| 2008 | 2.19 deaths per 100 live births | -3.5% |
| 2009 | 2.12 deaths per 100 live births | -3.4% |
| 2010 | 2.03 deaths per 100 live births | -4.3% |
| 2011 | 1.93 deaths per 100 live births | -4.9% |
| 2012 | 1.82 deaths per 100 live births | -5.4% |
| 2013 | 1.71 deaths per 100 live births | -6.0% |
| 2014 | 1.61 deaths per 100 live births | -5.8% |
| 2015 | 1.52 deaths per 100 live births | -5.5% |
| 2016 | 1.46 deaths per 100 live births | -4.0% |
| 2017 | 1.37 deaths per 100 live births | -6.3% |
| 2018 | 1.32 deaths per 100 live births | -3.8% |
| 2019 | 1.27 deaths per 100 live births | -3.5% |
| 2020 | 1.25 deaths per 100 live births | -1.3% |
| 2021 | 1.26 deaths per 100 live births | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 1.28 deaths per 100 live births | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 1.3 deaths per 100 live births | +1.5% |
| 2024 | 1.19 deaths per 100 live births | -8.3% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 1.19 deaths per 100 live births is below the median for low income countries, which is 3.84 deaths per 100 live births, 31% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 1.19 deaths per 100 live births is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.26 deaths per 100 live births, 94% of the median. (30 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Infant mortality rate by sex in North Korea 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | +96.6% | 2.96 deaths per 100 live births | 5.82 deaths per 100 live births |
| 2003 | -53.4% | 5.21 deaths per 100 live births | 2.43 deaths per 100 live births |
| 1952 | -28.5% | 19.74 deaths per 100 live births | 14.11 deaths per 100 live births |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 12.13 deaths per 100 live births | 7.71 deaths per 100 live births | 22.35 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1960s | 6.29 deaths per 100 live births | 5 deaths per 100 live births | 7.44 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.79 deaths per 100 live births | 3.05 deaths per 100 live births | 4.72 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.7 deaths per 100 live births | 2.57 deaths per 100 live births | 2.93 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.28 deaths per 100 live births | 2.84 deaths per 100 live births | 5.82 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.19 deaths per 100 live births | 2.12 deaths per 100 live births | 5.36 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.6 deaths per 100 live births | 1.27 deaths per 100 live births | 2.03 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.25 deaths per 100 live births | 1.19 deaths per 100 live births | 1.3 deaths per 100 live births | 5 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
- 92 Saint Kitts and Nevis 1.25 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 93 Mauritius 1.23 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 94 Bhutan 1.21 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 96 Seychelles 1.19 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 97 Azerbaijan 1.16 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 98 British Virgin Islands 1.15 deaths per 100 live births compare
More health data for North Korea
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.2456 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.16 % change on previous year (2100)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 767 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 65 and above, female, annual growth rate 2.07 % change on previous year (2025)
- Deaths in armed conflicts based on where they occurred 0 deaths (2026)
- Population ages 15-64, female, annual growth rate -0.1835 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, total, per capita 0.1893 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, total, per capita 0.6836 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, total, annual growth rate 0.1729 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per capita 0.0972 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is infant mortality rate by sex in North Korea?
- Infant mortality rate by sex in North Korea was 1.19 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 North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 22.35 deaths per 100 live births in 1950.
- What is the lowest infant mortality rate by sex recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.19 deaths per 100 live births in 2024.
- How does North Korea rank for infant mortality rate by sex?
- North Korea ranks 95th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is infant mortality rate by sex rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 26.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this North Korea 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.
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About this data
Estimated number of deaths of female children aged under one year, per 100 live births .