Infant mortality rate by sex in New Zealand
New Zealand: Infant mortality rate by sex was 0.3703 deaths per 100 live births in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
0.3703 deaths per 100 live births
Change on year
down 2.2%
World rank
160th
of 199 countries
All-time high
2.5 deaths per 100 live births
in 1950
All-time low
0.3703 deaths per 100 live births
in 2024
Years of data
75
1950–2024
Infant mortality rate 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
The most recent figure for infant mortality rate by sex in New Zealand is 0.3703 deaths per 100 live births, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 75 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.2% on the previous year and down 15.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, infant mortality rate by sex in New Zealand peaked at 2.5 deaths per 100 live births in 1950 and was at its lowest, 0.3703 deaths per 100 live births, in 2024.
That places New Zealand 160th 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 rate by sex in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 2.5 deaths per 100 live births | — |
| 1951 | 2.44 deaths per 100 live births | -2.4% |
| 1952 | 2.39 deaths per 100 live births | -2.2% |
| 1953 | 2.32 deaths per 100 live births | -2.9% |
| 1954 | 2.25 deaths per 100 live births | -2.7% |
| 1955 | 2.2 deaths per 100 live births | -2.4% |
| 1956 | 2.16 deaths per 100 live births | -1.8% |
| 1957 | 2.12 deaths per 100 live births | -2.0% |
| 1958 | 2.08 deaths per 100 live births | -2.0% |
| 1959 | 2.02 deaths per 100 live births | -2.4% |
| 1960 | 1.96 deaths per 100 live births | -3.3% |
| 1961 | 1.88 deaths per 100 live births | -3.9% |
| 1962 | 1.8 deaths per 100 live births | -4.1% |
| 1963 | 1.73 deaths per 100 live births | -4.1% |
| 1964 | 1.66 deaths per 100 live births | -3.8% |
| 1965 | 1.61 deaths per 100 live births | -3.2% |
| 1966 | 1.57 deaths per 100 live births | -2.5% |
| 1967 | 1.54 deaths per 100 live births | -2.0% |
| 1968 | 1.51 deaths per 100 live births | -1.8% |
| 1969 | 1.48 deaths per 100 live births | -1.8% |
| 1970 | 1.46 deaths per 100 live births | -1.7% |
| 1971 | 1.43 deaths per 100 live births | -2.1% |
| 1972 | 1.39 deaths per 100 live births | -2.5% |
| 1973 | 1.35 deaths per 100 live births | -2.8% |
| 1974 | 1.32 deaths per 100 live births | -2.7% |
| 1975 | 1.28 deaths per 100 live births | -2.8% |
| 1976 | 1.24 deaths per 100 live births | -2.9% |
| 1977 | 1.2 deaths per 100 live births | -3.3% |
| 1978 | 1.17 deaths per 100 live births | -3.0% |
| 1979 | 1.13 deaths per 100 live births | -2.7% |
| 1980 | 1.11 deaths per 100 live births | -2.4% |
| 1981 | 1.08 deaths per 100 live births | -2.1% |
| 1982 | 1.06 deaths per 100 live births | -2.1% |
| 1983 | 1.04 deaths per 100 live births | -2.1% |
| 1984 | 1.01 deaths per 100 live births | -2.4% |
| 1985 | 0.9892 deaths per 100 live births | -2.3% |
| 1986 | 0.9605 deaths per 100 live births | -2.9% |
| 1987 | 0.9269 deaths per 100 live births | -3.5% |
| 1988 | 0.8879 deaths per 100 live births | -4.2% |
| 1989 | 0.8443 deaths per 100 live births | -4.9% |
| 1990 | 0.8027 deaths per 100 live births | -4.9% |
| 1991 | 0.7607 deaths per 100 live births | -5.2% |
| 1992 | 0.7255 deaths per 100 live births | -4.6% |
| 1993 | 0.6928 deaths per 100 live births | -4.5% |
| 1994 | 0.6641 deaths per 100 live births | -4.1% |
| 1995 | 0.64 deaths per 100 live births | -3.6% |
| 1996 | 0.6145 deaths per 100 live births | -4.0% |
| 1997 | 0.5914 deaths per 100 live births | -3.8% |
| 1998 | 0.5736 deaths per 100 live births | -3.0% |
| 1999 | 0.556 deaths per 100 live births | -3.1% |
| 2000 | 0.5409 deaths per 100 live births | -2.7% |
| 2001 | 0.5281 deaths per 100 live births | -2.4% |
| 2002 | 0.5169 deaths per 100 live births | -2.1% |
| 2003 | 0.5063 deaths per 100 live births | -2.1% |
| 2004 | 0.4971 deaths per 100 live births | -1.8% |
| 2005 | 0.4887 deaths per 100 live births | -1.7% |
| 2006 | 0.4848 deaths per 100 live births | -0.8% |
| 2007 | 0.4797 deaths per 100 live births | -1.1% |
| 2008 | 0.4752 deaths per 100 live births | -0.9% |
| 2009 | 0.4713 deaths per 100 live births | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 0.4663 deaths per 100 live births | -1.1% |
| 2011 | 0.4606 deaths per 100 live births | -1.2% |
| 2012 | 0.4539 deaths per 100 live births | -1.4% |
| 2013 | 0.4464 deaths per 100 live births | -1.6% |
| 2014 | 0.4391 deaths per 100 live births | -1.6% |
| 2015 | 0.4316 deaths per 100 live births | -1.7% |
| 2016 | 0.4244 deaths per 100 live births | -1.7% |
| 2017 | 0.4178 deaths per 100 live births | -1.5% |
| 2018 | 0.4112 deaths per 100 live births | -1.6% |
| 2019 | 0.4047 deaths per 100 live births | -1.6% |
| 2020 | 0.3988 deaths per 100 live births | -1.5% |
| 2021 | 0.3928 deaths per 100 live births | -1.5% |
| 2022 | 0.3861 deaths per 100 live births | -1.7% |
| 2023 | 0.3787 deaths per 100 live births | -1.9% |
| 2024 | 0.3703 deaths per 100 live births | -2.2% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 0.3703 deaths per 100 live births is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.3234 deaths per 100 live births, 1.1× the median. (65 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 0.3703 deaths per 100 live births is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.26 deaths per 100 live births, 29% of the median. (30 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 2.25 deaths per 100 live births | 2.02 deaths per 100 live births | 2.5 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.68 deaths per 100 live births | 1.48 deaths per 100 live births | 1.96 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.3 deaths per 100 live births | 1.13 deaths per 100 live births | 1.46 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.9912 deaths per 100 live births | 0.8443 deaths per 100 live births | 1.11 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.6621 deaths per 100 live births | 0.556 deaths per 100 live births | 0.8027 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.4989 deaths per 100 live births | 0.4713 deaths per 100 live births | 0.5409 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.4356 deaths per 100 live births | 0.4047 deaths per 100 live births | 0.4663 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.3854 deaths per 100 live births | 0.3703 deaths per 100 live births | 0.3988 deaths per 100 live births | 5 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 157 China 0.3863 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 158 Cyprus 0.3777 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 159 Croatia 0.3751 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 161 Russia 0.37 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 162 United Kingdom 0.3664 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 163 United Arab Emirates 0.3405 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)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 33 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.1187 % 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 0.0277 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.018 % 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 0.0291 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is infant mortality rate by sex in New Zealand?
- Infant mortality rate by sex in New Zealand was 0.3703 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 New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 2.5 deaths per 100 live births in 1950.
- What is the lowest infant mortality rate by sex recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.3703 deaths per 100 live births in 2024.
- How does New Zealand rank for infant mortality rate by sex?
- New Zealand ranks 160th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is infant mortality rate by sex rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.7%. 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 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 .