Infant mortality rates (Our World) in Malawi
Malawi: Infant mortality rates (Our World) was 2.95 in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
2.95
Change on year
down 3.5%
World rank
45th
of 236 countries
All-time high
18.27
in 1950
All-time low
2.95
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Infant mortality rates in Malawi, 1950–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2023, infant mortality rates in Malawi stood at 2.95. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
That represents a change of down 3.5% on the previous year and down 38.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, infant mortality rates in Malawi peaked at 18.27 in 1950 and was at its lowest, 2.95, in 2023.
Malawi ranks 45th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Infant mortality rates (Our World) in Malawi, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 18.27 | — |
| 1951 | 18.23 | -0.2% |
| 1952 | 18.18 | -0.3% |
| 1953 | 18.13 | -0.3% |
| 1954 | 18.07 | -0.3% |
| 1955 | 18.01 | -0.3% |
| 1956 | 17.94 | -0.4% |
| 1957 | 17.88 | -0.4% |
| 1958 | 17.81 | -0.4% |
| 1959 | 17.74 | -0.4% |
| 1960 | 17.68 | -0.3% |
| 1961 | 17.63 | -0.3% |
| 1962 | 17.59 | -0.3% |
| 1963 | 17.54 | -0.3% |
| 1964 | 17.49 | -0.3% |
| 1965 | 17.43 | -0.3% |
| 1966 | 17.37 | -0.4% |
| 1967 | 17.3 | -0.4% |
| 1968 | 17.22 | -0.4% |
| 1969 | 17.13 | -0.5% |
| 1970 | 17.01 | -0.7% |
| 1971 | 16.81 | -1.2% |
| 1972 | 16.62 | -1.1% |
| 1973 | 16.41 | -1.3% |
| 1974 | 16.16 | -1.5% |
| 1975 | 15.89 | -1.7% |
| 1976 | 15.59 | -1.9% |
| 1977 | 15.27 | -2.0% |
| 1978 | 14.95 | -2.1% |
| 1979 | 14.66 | -2.0% |
| 1980 | 14.4 | -1.7% |
| 1981 | 14.2 | -1.4% |
| 1982 | 14.08 | -0.9% |
| 1983 | 14.03 | -0.4% |
| 1984 | 14.03 | -0.0% |
| 1985 | 14.04 | +0.1% |
| 1986 | 14.06 | +0.1% |
| 1987 | 14.04 | -0.1% |
| 1988 | 13.97 | -0.5% |
| 1989 | 13.83 | -0.9% |
| 1990 | 13.65 | -1.3% |
| 1991 | 13.45 | -1.5% |
| 1992 | 13.15 | -2.2% |
| 1993 | 12.89 | -2.0% |
| 1994 | 12.61 | -2.2% |
| 1995 | 12.35 | -2.1% |
| 1996 | 12.07 | -2.2% |
| 1997 | 11.78 | -2.5% |
| 1998 | 11.43 | -2.9% |
| 1999 | 11.03 | -3.5% |
| 2000 | 10.52 | -4.6% |
| 2001 | 9.96 | -5.3% |
| 2002 | 9.4 | -5.6% |
| 2003 | 8.75 | -6.9% |
| 2004 | 8.18 | -6.5% |
| 2005 | 7.66 | -6.3% |
| 2006 | 7.21 | -5.9% |
| 2007 | 6.81 | -5.5% |
| 2008 | 6.46 | -5.1% |
| 2009 | 6.12 | -5.3% |
| 2010 | 5.78 | -5.6% |
| 2011 | 5.43 | -6.0% |
| 2012 | 5.09 | -6.3% |
| 2013 | 4.77 | -6.4% |
| 2014 | 4.47 | -6.2% |
| 2015 | 4.22 | -5.5% |
| 2016 | 3.98 | -5.8% |
| 2017 | 3.77 | -5.2% |
| 2018 | 3.59 | -4.8% |
| 2019 | 3.43 | -4.4% |
| 2020 | 3.29 | -4.2% |
| 2021 | 3.16 | -3.9% |
| 2022 | 3.06 | -3.1% |
| 2023 | 2.95 | -3.5% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 2.95 is below the median for low income countries, which is 4.5, 66% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 2.95 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3.74, 79% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 18.03 | 17.74 | 18.27 | 10 |
| 1960s | 17.44 | 17.13 | 17.68 | 10 |
| 1970s | 15.94 | 14.66 | 17.01 | 10 |
| 1980s | 14.07 | 13.83 | 14.4 | 10 |
| 1990s | 12.44 | 11.03 | 13.65 | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.11 | 6.12 | 10.52 | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.45 | 3.43 | 5.78 | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.12 | 2.95 | 3.29 | 4 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More health data for Malawi
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -0.8368 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.9312 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 6,399 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.61 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0714 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.63 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0718 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is infant mortality rates in Malawi?
- Infant mortality rates in Malawi was 2.95 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest infant mortality rates recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 18.27 in 1950.
- What is the lowest infant mortality rates recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.95 in 2023.
- How does Malawi rank for infant mortality rates?
- Malawi ranks 45th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is infant mortality rates rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 38.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malawi 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
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