Infant mortality rate by sex in Malaysia
Malaysia: Infant mortality rate by sex was 0.6327 deaths per 100 live births in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
0.6327 deaths per 100 live births
Change on year
up 0.9%
World rank
140th
of 199 countries
All-time high
10.54 deaths per 100 live births
in 1951
All-time low
0.5893 deaths per 100 live births
in 2012
Years of data
74
1951–2024
Infant mortality rate by sex in Malaysia, 1951–2024
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
In 2024, infant mortality rate by sex in Malaysia stood at 0.6327 deaths per 100 live births.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.9% on the previous year and up 6.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, infant mortality rate by sex in Malaysia peaked at 10.54 deaths per 100 live births in 1951 and was at its lowest, 0.5893 deaths per 100 live births, in 2012.
That places Malaysia 140th 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 Malaysia, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 10.54 deaths per 100 live births | — |
| 1952 | 9.96 deaths per 100 live births | -5.5% |
| 1953 | 9.41 deaths per 100 live births | -5.5% |
| 1954 | 8.91 deaths per 100 live births | -5.4% |
| 1955 | 8.43 deaths per 100 live births | -5.4% |
| 1956 | 7.97 deaths per 100 live births | -5.4% |
| 1957 | 7.53 deaths per 100 live births | -5.6% |
| 1958 | 7.08 deaths per 100 live births | -5.9% |
| 1959 | 6.65 deaths per 100 live births | -6.2% |
| 1960 | 6.21 deaths per 100 live births | -6.5% |
| 1961 | 5.8 deaths per 100 live births | -6.6% |
| 1962 | 5.42 deaths per 100 live births | -6.7% |
| 1963 | 5.07 deaths per 100 live births | -6.4% |
| 1964 | 4.77 deaths per 100 live births | -5.8% |
| 1965 | 4.52 deaths per 100 live births | -5.4% |
| 1966 | 4.3 deaths per 100 live births | -4.8% |
| 1967 | 4.12 deaths per 100 live births | -4.3% |
| 1968 | 3.95 deaths per 100 live births | -4.0% |
| 1969 | 3.81 deaths per 100 live births | -3.8% |
| 1970 | 3.66 deaths per 100 live births | -3.9% |
| 1971 | 3.5 deaths per 100 live births | -4.3% |
| 1972 | 3.33 deaths per 100 live births | -4.8% |
| 1973 | 3.16 deaths per 100 live births | -5.3% |
| 1974 | 2.97 deaths per 100 live births | -5.8% |
| 1975 | 2.79 deaths per 100 live births | -6.1% |
| 1976 | 2.61 deaths per 100 live births | -6.3% |
| 1977 | 2.45 deaths per 100 live births | -6.2% |
| 1978 | 2.29 deaths per 100 live births | -6.5% |
| 1979 | 2.14 deaths per 100 live births | -6.6% |
| 1980 | 2 deaths per 100 live births | -6.6% |
| 1981 | 1.87 deaths per 100 live births | -6.6% |
| 1982 | 1.74 deaths per 100 live births | -6.6% |
| 1983 | 1.63 deaths per 100 live births | -6.4% |
| 1984 | 1.53 deaths per 100 live births | -6.3% |
| 1985 | 1.44 deaths per 100 live births | -6.0% |
| 1986 | 1.36 deaths per 100 live births | -5.7% |
| 1987 | 1.28 deaths per 100 live births | -5.4% |
| 1988 | 1.22 deaths per 100 live births | -5.1% |
| 1989 | 1.16 deaths per 100 live births | -4.8% |
| 1990 | 1.1 deaths per 100 live births | -4.7% |
| 1991 | 1.05 deaths per 100 live births | -4.6% |
| 1992 | 1.01 deaths per 100 live births | -4.3% |
| 1993 | 0.9649 deaths per 100 live births | -4.2% |
| 1994 | 0.9284 deaths per 100 live births | -3.8% |
| 1995 | 0.8944 deaths per 100 live births | -3.7% |
| 1996 | 0.8637 deaths per 100 live births | -3.4% |
| 1997 | 0.8322 deaths per 100 live births | -3.6% |
| 1998 | 0.7868 deaths per 100 live births | -5.5% |
| 1999 | 0.7324 deaths per 100 live births | -6.9% |
| 2000 | 0.6782 deaths per 100 live births | -7.4% |
| 2001 | 0.64 deaths per 100 live births | -5.6% |
| 2002 | 0.6129 deaths per 100 live births | -4.2% |
| 2003 | 0.5967 deaths per 100 live births | -2.6% |
| 2004 | 0.5924 deaths per 100 live births | -0.7% |
| 2005 | 0.59 deaths per 100 live births | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 0.5898 deaths per 100 live births | -0.0% |
| 2007 | 0.5902 deaths per 100 live births | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 0.591 deaths per 100 live births | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 0.5909 deaths per 100 live births | -0.0% |
| 2010 | 0.5906 deaths per 100 live births | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 0.5896 deaths per 100 live births | -0.2% |
| 2012 | 0.5893 deaths per 100 live births | -0.0% |
| 2013 | 0.5923 deaths per 100 live births | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 0.595 deaths per 100 live births | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 0.6021 deaths per 100 live births | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 0.6076 deaths per 100 live births | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 0.6108 deaths per 100 live births | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 0.613 deaths per 100 live births | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 0.6144 deaths per 100 live births | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 0.6159 deaths per 100 live births | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 0.6185 deaths per 100 live births | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 0.6226 deaths per 100 live births | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 0.6272 deaths per 100 live births | +0.7% |
| 2024 | 0.6327 deaths per 100 live births | +0.9% |
Malaysia compared with similar countries
- Malaysia's 0.6327 deaths per 100 live births is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.03 deaths per 100 live births, 62% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Malaysia's 0.6327 deaths per 100 live births is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.26 deaths per 100 live births, 50% of the median. (30 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 8.5 deaths per 100 live births | 6.65 deaths per 100 live births | 10.54 deaths per 100 live births | 9 |
| 1960s | 4.8 deaths per 100 live births | 3.81 deaths per 100 live births | 6.21 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.89 deaths per 100 live births | 2.14 deaths per 100 live births | 3.66 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.52 deaths per 100 live births | 1.16 deaths per 100 live births | 2 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.9167 deaths per 100 live births | 0.7324 deaths per 100 live births | 1.1 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.6072 deaths per 100 live births | 0.5898 deaths per 100 live births | 0.6782 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.6005 deaths per 100 live births | 0.5893 deaths per 100 live births | 0.6144 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.6234 deaths per 100 live births | 0.6159 deaths per 100 live births | 0.6327 deaths per 100 live births | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
- 137 Kuwait 0.6467 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 138 Antigua and Barbuda 0.6445 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 139 Montserrat 0.635 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 141 Cuba 0.6009 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 142 Romania 0.5467 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 143 Uruguay 0.5427 deaths per 100 live births compare
More health data for Malaysia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -0.9119 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.2888 % change on previous year (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 652 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 18 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.7207 % 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 0.0297 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.5991 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0316 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is infant mortality rate by sex in Malaysia?
- Infant mortality rate by sex in Malaysia was 0.6327 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 Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 10.54 deaths per 100 live births in 1951.
- What is the lowest infant mortality rate by sex recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.5893 deaths per 100 live births in 2012.
- How does Malaysia rank for infant mortality rate by sex?
- Malaysia ranks 140th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is infant mortality rate by sex rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malaysia 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 .