Infant mortality rate in Malaysia
Malaysia: Infant mortality rate was 0.6% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
0.6%
Change on year
down 1.1%
World rank
156th
of 236 countries
All-time high
11.5%
in 1950
All-time low
0.6%
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Infant mortality rate in Malaysia, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of infants.
Analysis
Malaysia recorded 0.6% for infant mortality rate in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.1% on the previous year and down 4.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, infant mortality rate in Malaysia peaked at 11.5% in 1950 and was at its lowest, 0.6%, in 2023.
Malaysia ranks 156th 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 rate in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | % of infants | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 11.5% | — |
| 1951 | 11.0% | -4.5% |
| 1952 | 10.5% | -4.4% |
| 1953 | 10.0% | -4.5% |
| 1954 | 9.5% | -4.6% |
| 1955 | 9.1% | -4.6% |
| 1956 | 8.7% | -4.7% |
| 1957 | 8.3% | -4.9% |
| 1958 | 7.8% | -5.1% |
| 1959 | 7.4% | -5.4% |
| 1960 | 7.0% | -5.5% |
| 1961 | 6.6% | -5.5% |
| 1962 | 6.3% | -5.5% |
| 1963 | 5.9% | -5.4% |
| 1964 | 5.6% | -5.1% |
| 1965 | 5.3% | -4.9% |
| 1966 | 5.1% | -4.5% |
| 1967 | 4.9% | -4.1% |
| 1968 | 4.7% | -4.1% |
| 1969 | 4.5% | -4.0% |
| 1970 | 4.3% | -3.9% |
| 1971 | 4.1% | -4.4% |
| 1972 | 3.9% | -4.6% |
| 1973 | 3.8% | -4.9% |
| 1974 | 3.6% | -5.3% |
| 1975 | 3.4% | -5.6% |
| 1976 | 3.2% | -5.9% |
| 1977 | 3.0% | -6.0% |
| 1978 | 2.8% | -6.1% |
| 1979 | 2.6% | -6.2% |
| 1980 | 2.5% | -6.3% |
| 1981 | 2.3% | -6.3% |
| 1982 | 2.2% | -6.2% |
| 1983 | 2.0% | -6.1% |
| 1984 | 1.9% | -6.1% |
| 1985 | 1.8% | -5.9% |
| 1986 | 1.7% | -5.6% |
| 1987 | 1.6% | -5.4% |
| 1988 | 1.5% | -5.1% |
| 1989 | 1.4% | -5.1% |
| 1990 | 1.4% | -4.8% |
| 1991 | 1.3% | -4.6% |
| 1992 | 1.2% | -4.4% |
| 1993 | 1.2% | -4.0% |
| 1994 | 1.1% | -4.3% |
| 1995 | 1.1% | -4.0% |
| 1996 | 1.1% | -3.8% |
| 1997 | 1.0% | -5.3% |
| 1998 | 0.9% | -5.2% |
| 1999 | 0.9% | -5.7% |
| 2000 | 0.8% | -5.9% |
| 2001 | 0.8% | -5.7% |
| 2002 | 0.8% | -5.1% |
| 2003 | 0.7% | -4.1% |
| 2004 | 0.7% | -2.9% |
| 2005 | 0.7% | -2.2% |
| 2006 | 0.7% | -1.3% |
| 2007 | 0.7% | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 0.7% | -0.8% |
| 2009 | 0.7% | -0.2% |
| 2010 | 0.7% | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 0.7% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 0.7% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 0.7% | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 0.7% | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 0.7% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 0.7% | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 0.7% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 0.7% | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 0.7% | -0.6% |
| 2020 | 0.7% | -0.7% |
| 2021 | 0.7% | -0.5% |
| 2022 | 0.6% | -0.8% |
| 2023 | 0.6% | -1.1% |
Malaysia compared with similar countries
- Malaysia's 0.6% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.2%, 55% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Malaysia's 0.6% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.3%, 49% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 9.4% | 7.4% | 11.5% | 10 |
| 1960s | 5.6% | 4.5% | 7.0% | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.5% | 2.6% | 4.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.9% | 1.4% | 2.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.1% | 0.9% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.7% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
- 153 Martinique 0.7% compare
- 154 Kuwait 0.7% compare
- 155 Costa Rica 0.6% compare
- 157 Malta 0.6% compare
- 158 Thailand 0.6% compare
- 159 Faroe Islands 0.6% compare
More health data for Malaysia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -0.9119 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.2888 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,250 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 652 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 18 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.7207 % 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 0.0297 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.5991 % 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 Malaysia?
- Infant mortality rate in Malaysia was 0.6% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest infant mortality rate recorded in Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 11.5% in 1950.
- What is the lowest infant mortality rate recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.6% in 2023.
- How does Malaysia rank for infant mortality rate?
- Malaysia ranks 156th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is infant mortality rate rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malaysia 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.