Infant mortality rate by sex in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea: Infant mortality rate by sex was 2.85 deaths per 100 live births in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
2.85 deaths per 100 live births
Change on year
down 3.0%
World rank
42nd
of 199 countries
All-time high
18.61 deaths per 100 live births
in 1951
All-time low
2.85 deaths per 100 live births
in 2024
Years of data
75
1950–2024
Infant mortality rate by sex in Papua New Guinea, 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 Papua New Guinea is 2.85 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 3.0% on the previous year and down 25.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, infant mortality rate by sex in Papua New Guinea peaked at 18.61 deaths per 100 live births in 1951 and was at its lowest, 2.85 deaths per 100 live births, in 2024.
Papua New Guinea ranks 42nd of 199 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Infant mortality rate by sex in Papua New Guinea, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 17.98 deaths per 100 live births | — |
| 1951 | 18.61 deaths per 100 live births | +3.5% |
| 1952 | 17.09 deaths per 100 live births | -8.2% |
| 1953 | 16.66 deaths per 100 live births | -2.5% |
| 1954 | 16.24 deaths per 100 live births | -2.5% |
| 1955 | 15.83 deaths per 100 live births | -2.5% |
| 1956 | 15.45 deaths per 100 live births | -2.4% |
| 1957 | 15.06 deaths per 100 live births | -2.5% |
| 1958 | 14.67 deaths per 100 live births | -2.6% |
| 1959 | 14.29 deaths per 100 live births | -2.6% |
| 1960 | 13.91 deaths per 100 live births | -2.6% |
| 1961 | 13.51 deaths per 100 live births | -2.9% |
| 1962 | 13.11 deaths per 100 live births | -3.0% |
| 1963 | 12.71 deaths per 100 live births | -3.0% |
| 1964 | 12.33 deaths per 100 live births | -3.0% |
| 1965 | 11.95 deaths per 100 live births | -3.1% |
| 1966 | 11.56 deaths per 100 live births | -3.2% |
| 1967 | 11.19 deaths per 100 live births | -3.2% |
| 1968 | 10.83 deaths per 100 live births | -3.2% |
| 1969 | 10.48 deaths per 100 live births | -3.2% |
| 1970 | 10.13 deaths per 100 live births | -3.3% |
| 1971 | 9.81 deaths per 100 live births | -3.2% |
| 1972 | 9.48 deaths per 100 live births | -3.3% |
| 1973 | 9.17 deaths per 100 live births | -3.3% |
| 1974 | 8.89 deaths per 100 live births | -3.1% |
| 1975 | 8.62 deaths per 100 live births | -3.0% |
| 1976 | 8.36 deaths per 100 live births | -3.0% |
| 1977 | 8.12 deaths per 100 live births | -2.9% |
| 1978 | 7.91 deaths per 100 live births | -2.7% |
| 1979 | 7.7 deaths per 100 live births | -2.6% |
| 1980 | 7.51 deaths per 100 live births | -2.5% |
| 1981 | 7.32 deaths per 100 live births | -2.5% |
| 1982 | 7.16 deaths per 100 live births | -2.2% |
| 1983 | 7.01 deaths per 100 live births | -2.1% |
| 1984 | 6.86 deaths per 100 live births | -2.0% |
| 1985 | 6.73 deaths per 100 live births | -2.0% |
| 1986 | 6.6 deaths per 100 live births | -1.8% |
| 1987 | 6.5 deaths per 100 live births | -1.7% |
| 1988 | 6.39 deaths per 100 live births | -1.7% |
| 1989 | 6.28 deaths per 100 live births | -1.7% |
| 1990 | 6.17 deaths per 100 live births | -1.7% |
| 1991 | 6.06 deaths per 100 live births | -1.8% |
| 1992 | 5.95 deaths per 100 live births | -1.7% |
| 1993 | 5.85 deaths per 100 live births | -1.6% |
| 1994 | 5.75 deaths per 100 live births | -1.7% |
| 1995 | 5.66 deaths per 100 live births | -1.6% |
| 1996 | 5.58 deaths per 100 live births | -1.4% |
| 1997 | 6.06 deaths per 100 live births | +8.6% |
| 1998 | 5.41 deaths per 100 live births | -10.7% |
| 1999 | 5.33 deaths per 100 live births | -1.5% |
| 2000 | 5.26 deaths per 100 live births | -1.4% |
| 2001 | 5.17 deaths per 100 live births | -1.5% |
| 2002 | 5.09 deaths per 100 live births | -1.7% |
| 2003 | 5 deaths per 100 live births | -1.8% |
| 2004 | 4.9 deaths per 100 live births | -1.9% |
| 2005 | 4.8 deaths per 100 live births | -2.1% |
| 2006 | 4.7 deaths per 100 live births | -2.1% |
| 2007 | 4.6 deaths per 100 live births | -2.2% |
| 2008 | 4.49 deaths per 100 live births | -2.4% |
| 2009 | 4.38 deaths per 100 live births | -2.5% |
| 2010 | 4.26 deaths per 100 live births | -2.6% |
| 2011 | 4.15 deaths per 100 live births | -2.7% |
| 2012 | 4.04 deaths per 100 live births | -2.7% |
| 2013 | 3.94 deaths per 100 live births | -2.5% |
| 2014 | 3.83 deaths per 100 live births | -2.7% |
| 2015 | 4.03 deaths per 100 live births | +5.2% |
| 2016 | 3.62 deaths per 100 live births | -10.2% |
| 2017 | 3.52 deaths per 100 live births | -2.8% |
| 2018 | 3.41 deaths per 100 live births | -3.0% |
| 2019 | 3.31 deaths per 100 live births | -2.8% |
| 2020 | 3.22 deaths per 100 live births | -2.9% |
| 2021 | 3.12 deaths per 100 live births | -3.2% |
| 2022 | 3.02 deaths per 100 live births | -3.1% |
| 2023 | 2.93 deaths per 100 live births | -2.8% |
| 2024 | 2.85 deaths per 100 live births | -3.0% |
Papua New Guinea compared with similar countries
- Papua New Guinea's 2.85 deaths per 100 live births is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 2.51 deaths per 100 live births, 1.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Papua New Guinea's 2.85 deaths per 100 live births is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.26 deaths per 100 live births, 2.3× the median. (30 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 16.19 deaths per 100 live births | 14.29 deaths per 100 live births | 18.61 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1960s | 12.16 deaths per 100 live births | 10.48 deaths per 100 live births | 13.91 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1970s | 8.82 deaths per 100 live births | 7.7 deaths per 100 live births | 10.13 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.84 deaths per 100 live births | 6.28 deaths per 100 live births | 7.51 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.78 deaths per 100 live births | 5.33 deaths per 100 live births | 6.17 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.84 deaths per 100 live births | 4.38 deaths per 100 live births | 5.26 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.81 deaths per 100 live births | 3.31 deaths per 100 live births | 4.26 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.03 deaths per 100 live births | 2.85 deaths per 100 live births | 3.22 deaths per 100 live births | 5 |
Countries ranked near Papua New Guinea
- 39 Myanmar 2.92 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 40 Ethiopia 2.91 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 41 Botswana 2.85 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 43 Gambia 2.85 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 44 Angola 2.83 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 45 Burundi 2.69 deaths per 100 live births compare
More health data for Papua New Guinea
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.77 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.3741 % change on previous year (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 2,501 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 2 (2023)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.27 % 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 0.0555 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.2621 % 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 0.0594 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is infant mortality rate by sex in Papua New Guinea?
- Infant mortality rate by sex in Papua New Guinea was 2.85 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 Papua New Guinea?
- The highest recorded value was 18.61 deaths per 100 live births in 1951.
- What is the lowest infant mortality rate by sex recorded in Papua New Guinea?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.85 deaths per 100 live births in 2024.
- How does Papua New Guinea rank for infant mortality rate by sex?
- Papua New Guinea ranks 42nd out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is infant mortality rate by sex rising or falling in Papua New Guinea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 25.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Papua New Guinea 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 .