Infant mortality rate in Botswana
Botswana: Infant mortality rate was 2.8% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
2.8%
Change on year
down 2.7%
World rank
50th
of 236 countries
All-time high
12.5%
in 1950
All-time low
2.8%
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Infant mortality rate in Botswana, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of infants.
Analysis
Botswana recorded 2.8% for infant mortality rate in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
That represents a change of down 2.7% on the previous year and down 26.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, infant mortality rate in Botswana peaked at 12.5% in 1950 and was at its lowest, 2.8%, in 2023.
That places Botswana 50th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Infant mortality rate in Botswana, year by year
| Year | % of infants | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 12.5% | — |
| 1951 | 12.4% | -1.5% |
| 1952 | 12.2% | -1.5% |
| 1953 | 12.0% | -1.6% |
| 1954 | 11.8% | -1.7% |
| 1955 | 11.5% | -1.9% |
| 1956 | 11.3% | -2.0% |
| 1957 | 11.1% | -2.1% |
| 1958 | 10.8% | -2.2% |
| 1959 | 10.6% | -2.3% |
| 1960 | 10.3% | -2.3% |
| 1961 | 10.1% | -2.3% |
| 1962 | 9.9% | -2.3% |
| 1963 | 9.6% | -2.2% |
| 1964 | 9.4% | -2.2% |
| 1965 | 9.2% | -2.2% |
| 1966 | 9.0% | -2.2% |
| 1967 | 8.8% | -2.3% |
| 1968 | 8.6% | -2.5% |
| 1969 | 8.4% | -2.7% |
| 1970 | 8.1% | -2.9% |
| 1971 | 7.9% | -3.1% |
| 1972 | 7.6% | -3.4% |
| 1973 | 7.3% | -3.7% |
| 1974 | 7.0% | -4.0% |
| 1975 | 6.7% | -4.3% |
| 1976 | 6.4% | -4.7% |
| 1977 | 6.1% | -4.9% |
| 1978 | 5.8% | -5.1% |
| 1979 | 5.5% | -5.2% |
| 1980 | 5.2% | -5.2% |
| 1981 | 4.9% | -5.1% |
| 1982 | 4.7% | -5.0% |
| 1983 | 4.5% | -4.8% |
| 1984 | 4.2% | -4.7% |
| 1985 | 4.1% | -4.4% |
| 1986 | 3.9% | -3.8% |
| 1987 | 3.8% | -2.9% |
| 1988 | 3.8% | -0.4% |
| 1989 | 3.7% | -1.1% |
| 1990 | 3.8% | +2.0% |
| 1991 | 4.0% | +3.8% |
| 1992 | 4.1% | +4.9% |
| 1993 | 4.4% | +5.5% |
| 1994 | 4.6% | +5.4% |
| 1995 | 4.9% | +5.1% |
| 1996 | 5.0% | +3.5% |
| 1997 | 5.2% | +3.0% |
| 1998 | 5.3% | +2.1% |
| 1999 | 5.3% | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 5.4% | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 5.4% | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 5.3% | -1.1% |
| 2003 | 5.2% | -1.7% |
| 2004 | 5.1% | -2.2% |
| 2005 | 4.9% | -2.7% |
| 2006 | 4.9% | -1.6% |
| 2007 | 4.7% | -4.1% |
| 2008 | 4.5% | -2.8% |
| 2009 | 4.4% | -3.0% |
| 2010 | 4.3% | -3.0% |
| 2011 | 4.1% | -3.1% |
| 2012 | 4.0% | -3.4% |
| 2013 | 3.9% | -3.4% |
| 2014 | 3.7% | -3.5% |
| 2015 | 3.6% | -3.3% |
| 2016 | 3.5% | -3.3% |
| 2017 | 3.4% | -3.2% |
| 2018 | 3.3% | -3.0% |
| 2019 | 3.2% | -2.9% |
| 2020 | 3.1% | -2.8% |
| 2021 | 3.0% | -2.8% |
| 2022 | 2.9% | -2.8% |
| 2023 | 2.8% | -2.7% |
Botswana compared with similar countries
- Botswana's 2.8% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.2%, 2.4× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Botswana's 2.8% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3.7%, 76% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 11.6% | 10.6% | 12.5% | 10 |
| 1960s | 9.3% | 8.4% | 10.3% | 10 |
| 1970s | 6.8% | 5.5% | 8.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.3% | 3.7% | 5.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.7% | 3.8% | 5.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.0% | 4.4% | 5.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.7% | 3.2% | 4.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.0% | 2.8% | 3.1% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
More health data for Botswana
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.75 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.2265 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,150 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 281 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.6484 % 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 0.0579 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.9109 % 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 in Botswana?
- Infant mortality rate in Botswana was 2.8% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest infant mortality rate recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 12.5% in 1950.
- What is the lowest infant mortality rate recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.8% in 2023.
- How does Botswana rank for infant mortality rate?
- Botswana ranks 50th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is infant mortality rate rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 26.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Botswana data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Infant mortality rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of newborns who die before reaching the age of one.