Infant mortality rates (Our World) in China
China: Infant mortality rates (Our World) was 0.5102 in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
0.5102
Change on year
down 4.2%
World rank
174th
of 236 countries
All-time high
19.61
in 1960
All-time low
0.5102
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Infant mortality rates in China, 1950–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2023, infant mortality rates in China stood at 0.5102. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.2% on the previous year and down 49.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, infant mortality rates in China peaked at 19.61 in 1960 and was at its lowest, 0.5102, in 2023.
China ranks 174th of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Infant mortality rates (Our World) in China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 12.71 | — |
| 1951 | 12.47 | -1.9% |
| 1952 | 12.22 | -2.0% |
| 1953 | 11.97 | -2.0% |
| 1954 | 11.78 | -1.7% |
| 1955 | 11.49 | -2.4% |
| 1956 | 11.26 | -2.0% |
| 1957 | 11.02 | -2.1% |
| 1958 | 10.79 | -2.1% |
| 1959 | 15.35 | +42.3% |
| 1960 | 19.61 | +27.8% |
| 1961 | 15.43 | -21.3% |
| 1962 | 9.86 | -36.1% |
| 1963 | 9.62 | -2.4% |
| 1964 | 9.38 | -2.5% |
| 1965 | 9.13 | -2.7% |
| 1966 | 8.87 | -2.8% |
| 1967 | 8.61 | -2.9% |
| 1968 | 8.34 | -3.2% |
| 1969 | 8.05 | -3.4% |
| 1970 | 7.75 | -3.8% |
| 1971 | 7.43 | -4.1% |
| 1972 | 7.1 | -4.4% |
| 1973 | 6.77 | -4.6% |
| 1974 | 6.45 | -4.8% |
| 1975 | 6.15 | -4.7% |
| 1976 | 5.88 | -4.4% |
| 1977 | 5.52 | -6.0% |
| 1978 | 5.25 | -4.9% |
| 1979 | 5.01 | -4.6% |
| 1980 | 4.81 | -4.1% |
| 1981 | 4.62 | -3.8% |
| 1982 | 4.47 | -3.2% |
| 1983 | 4.36 | -2.6% |
| 1984 | 4.27 | -2.0% |
| 1985 | 4.2 | -1.5% |
| 1986 | 4.15 | -1.2% |
| 1987 | 4.12 | -0.9% |
| 1988 | 4.09 | -0.7% |
| 1989 | 4.05 | -0.8% |
| 1990 | 4.01 | -1.1% |
| 1991 | 3.96 | -1.3% |
| 1992 | 3.89 | -1.8% |
| 1993 | 3.8 | -2.2% |
| 1994 | 3.7 | -2.7% |
| 1995 | 3.58 | -3.2% |
| 1996 | 3.45 | -3.7% |
| 1997 | 3.3 | -4.4% |
| 1998 | 3.14 | -4.7% |
| 1999 | 2.97 | -5.5% |
| 2000 | 2.79 | -6.0% |
| 2001 | 2.61 | -6.5% |
| 2002 | 2.43 | -6.9% |
| 2003 | 2.25 | -7.4% |
| 2004 | 2.08 | -7.7% |
| 2005 | 1.92 | -7.9% |
| 2006 | 1.76 | -7.9% |
| 2007 | 1.62 | -8.0% |
| 2008 | 1.51 | -7.0% |
| 2009 | 1.38 | -8.8% |
| 2010 | 1.27 | -7.5% |
| 2011 | 1.17 | -7.7% |
| 2012 | 1.09 | -7.5% |
| 2013 | 1.01 | -7.4% |
| 2014 | 0.933 | -7.3% |
| 2015 | 0.8653 | -7.3% |
| 2016 | 0.8041 | -7.1% |
| 2017 | 0.7471 | -7.1% |
| 2018 | 0.6958 | -6.9% |
| 2019 | 0.6488 | -6.8% |
| 2020 | 0.6052 | -6.7% |
| 2021 | 0.5651 | -6.6% |
| 2022 | 0.5326 | -5.8% |
| 2023 | 0.5102 | -4.2% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 0.5102 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.17, 44% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- China's 0.5102 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.31, 39% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Infant mortality rates (Our World) in China 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | +42.3% | 10.79 | 15.35 |
| 1960 | +27.8% | 15.35 | 19.61 |
| 1962 | -36.1% | 15.43 | 9.86 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 12.11 | 10.79 | 15.35 | 10 |
| 1960s | 10.69 | 8.05 | 19.61 | 10 |
| 1970s | 6.33 | 5.01 | 7.75 | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.31 | 4.05 | 4.81 | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.58 | 2.97 | 4.01 | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.04 | 1.38 | 2.79 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.9236 | 0.6488 | 1.27 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.5533 | 0.5102 | 0.6052 | 4 |
Countries ranked near China
- 171 Saint Barthelemy 0.526 compare
- 172 French Polynesia 0.5255 compare
- 173 Puerto Rico 0.5183 compare
- 175 Sri Lanka 0.5098 compare
- 176 Reunion 0.5096 compare
- 177 Saudi Arabia 0.5059 compare
More health data for China
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.15 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.0985 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 4,642 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 10 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -8.22 % 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 0.0159 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -8.73 % 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 0.0176 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is infant mortality rates in China?
- Infant mortality rates in China was 0.5102 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest infant mortality rates recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 19.61 in 1960.
- What is the lowest infant mortality rates recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.5102 in 2023.
- How does China rank for infant mortality rates?
- China ranks 174th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is infant mortality rates rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 49.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Infant mortality rates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).