Infant mortality rate in Malawi
Malawi: Infant mortality rate was 3.0% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
3.0%
Change on year
down 3.5%
World rank
45th
of 236 countries
All-time high
18.3%
in 1950
All-time low
3.0%
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Infant mortality rate in Malawi, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of infants.
Analysis
In 2023, infant mortality rate in Malawi stood at 3.0%. 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 rate in Malawi peaked at 18.3% in 1950 and was at its lowest, 3.0%, 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 rate in Malawi, year by year
| Year | % of infants | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 18.3% | — |
| 1951 | 18.2% | -0.2% |
| 1952 | 18.2% | -0.3% |
| 1953 | 18.1% | -0.3% |
| 1954 | 18.1% | -0.3% |
| 1955 | 18.0% | -0.3% |
| 1956 | 17.9% | -0.4% |
| 1957 | 17.9% | -0.4% |
| 1958 | 17.8% | -0.4% |
| 1959 | 17.7% | -0.4% |
| 1960 | 17.7% | -0.3% |
| 1961 | 17.6% | -0.3% |
| 1962 | 17.6% | -0.3% |
| 1963 | 17.5% | -0.3% |
| 1964 | 17.5% | -0.3% |
| 1965 | 17.4% | -0.3% |
| 1966 | 17.4% | -0.4% |
| 1967 | 17.3% | -0.4% |
| 1968 | 17.2% | -0.4% |
| 1969 | 17.1% | -0.5% |
| 1970 | 17.0% | -0.7% |
| 1971 | 16.8% | -1.2% |
| 1972 | 16.6% | -1.1% |
| 1973 | 16.4% | -1.3% |
| 1974 | 16.2% | -1.5% |
| 1975 | 15.9% | -1.7% |
| 1976 | 15.6% | -1.9% |
| 1977 | 15.3% | -2.0% |
| 1978 | 15.0% | -2.1% |
| 1979 | 14.7% | -2.0% |
| 1980 | 14.4% | -1.7% |
| 1981 | 14.2% | -1.4% |
| 1982 | 14.1% | -0.9% |
| 1983 | 14.0% | -0.4% |
| 1984 | 14.0% | -0.0% |
| 1985 | 14.0% | +0.1% |
| 1986 | 14.1% | +0.1% |
| 1987 | 14.0% | -0.1% |
| 1988 | 14.0% | -0.5% |
| 1989 | 13.8% | -0.9% |
| 1990 | 13.7% | -1.3% |
| 1991 | 13.5% | -1.5% |
| 1992 | 13.2% | -2.2% |
| 1993 | 12.9% | -2.0% |
| 1994 | 12.6% | -2.2% |
| 1995 | 12.3% | -2.1% |
| 1996 | 12.1% | -2.2% |
| 1997 | 11.8% | -2.5% |
| 1998 | 11.4% | -2.9% |
| 1999 | 11.0% | -3.5% |
| 2000 | 10.5% | -4.6% |
| 2001 | 10.0% | -5.3% |
| 2002 | 9.4% | -5.6% |
| 2003 | 8.7% | -6.9% |
| 2004 | 8.2% | -6.5% |
| 2005 | 7.7% | -6.3% |
| 2006 | 7.2% | -5.9% |
| 2007 | 6.8% | -5.5% |
| 2008 | 6.5% | -5.1% |
| 2009 | 6.1% | -5.3% |
| 2010 | 5.8% | -5.6% |
| 2011 | 5.4% | -6.0% |
| 2012 | 5.1% | -6.3% |
| 2013 | 4.8% | -6.4% |
| 2014 | 4.5% | -6.2% |
| 2015 | 4.2% | -5.5% |
| 2016 | 4.0% | -5.8% |
| 2017 | 3.8% | -5.2% |
| 2018 | 3.6% | -4.8% |
| 2019 | 3.4% | -4.4% |
| 2020 | 3.3% | -4.2% |
| 2021 | 3.2% | -3.9% |
| 2022 | 3.1% | -3.1% |
| 2023 | 3.0% | -3.5% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 3.0% is below the median for low income countries, which is 4.5%, 66% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 3.0% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3.7%, 79% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 18.0% | 17.7% | 18.3% | 10 |
| 1960s | 17.4% | 17.1% | 17.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 15.9% | 14.7% | 17.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 14.1% | 13.8% | 14.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 12.4% | 11.0% | 13.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.1% | 6.1% | 10.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.5% | 3.4% | 5.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.1% | 3.0% | 3.3% | 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)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 856.3 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 6,399 deaths (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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is infant mortality rate in Malawi?
- Infant mortality rate in Malawi was 3.0% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest infant mortality rate recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 18.3% in 1950.
- What is the lowest infant mortality rate recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.0% in 2023.
- How does Malawi rank for infant mortality rate?
- Malawi ranks 45th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is infant mortality rate 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 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.