Infant mortality rate in Namibia
Namibia: Infant mortality rate was 2.7% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
2.7%
Change on year
down 2.7%
World rank
55th
of 236 countries
All-time high
13.9%
in 1950
All-time low
2.7%
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Infant mortality rate in Namibia, 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 Namibia stood at 2.7%. 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 21.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, infant mortality rate in Namibia peaked at 13.9% in 1950 and was at its lowest, 2.7%, in 2023.
That places Namibia 55th 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 Namibia, year by year
| Year | % of infants | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 13.9% | — |
| 1951 | 13.7% | -1.5% |
| 1952 | 13.5% | -1.6% |
| 1953 | 13.3% | -1.6% |
| 1954 | 13.0% | -1.7% |
| 1955 | 12.8% | -1.8% |
| 1956 | 12.6% | -1.9% |
| 1957 | 12.3% | -2.0% |
| 1958 | 12.1% | -2.1% |
| 1959 | 11.8% | -2.2% |
| 1960 | 11.5% | -2.3% |
| 1961 | 11.2% | -2.4% |
| 1962 | 11.0% | -2.4% |
| 1963 | 10.7% | -2.5% |
| 1964 | 10.4% | -2.5% |
| 1965 | 10.2% | -2.5% |
| 1966 | 9.9% | -2.5% |
| 1967 | 9.7% | -2.5% |
| 1968 | 9.4% | -2.5% |
| 1969 | 9.2% | -2.5% |
| 1970 | 9.0% | -2.5% |
| 1971 | 8.7% | -2.6% |
| 1972 | 8.5% | -2.6% |
| 1973 | 8.3% | -2.6% |
| 1974 | 8.1% | -2.5% |
| 1975 | 7.9% | -2.5% |
| 1976 | 7.7% | -2.5% |
| 1977 | 7.5% | -2.4% |
| 1978 | 7.3% | -2.4% |
| 1979 | 7.1% | -2.4% |
| 1980 | 7.0% | -2.4% |
| 1981 | 6.8% | -2.4% |
| 1982 | 6.6% | -2.5% |
| 1983 | 6.5% | -2.7% |
| 1984 | 6.3% | -2.8% |
| 1985 | 6.1% | -2.9% |
| 1986 | 5.9% | -3.1% |
| 1987 | 5.7% | -3.2% |
| 1988 | 5.5% | -2.8% |
| 1989 | 5.4% | -3.5% |
| 1990 | 5.2% | -2.9% |
| 1991 | 5.1% | -2.2% |
| 1992 | 5.0% | -1.3% |
| 1993 | 5.0% | -0.4% |
| 1994 | 5.0% | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 5.1% | +1.1% |
| 1996 | 5.1% | +1.2% |
| 1997 | 5.2% | +1.3% |
| 1998 | 5.3% | +1.0% |
| 1999 | 5.3% | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 5.3% | -0.0% |
| 2001 | 5.3% | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 5.2% | -1.6% |
| 2003 | 5.1% | -1.9% |
| 2004 | 4.9% | -2.8% |
| 2005 | 4.7% | -3.8% |
| 2006 | 4.5% | -4.7% |
| 2007 | 4.3% | -5.2% |
| 2008 | 4.1% | -4.7% |
| 2009 | 3.9% | -4.2% |
| 2010 | 3.7% | -5.1% |
| 2011 | 3.7% | -1.7% |
| 2012 | 3.5% | -3.7% |
| 2013 | 3.4% | -2.0% |
| 2014 | 3.4% | -2.0% |
| 2015 | 3.3% | -1.8% |
| 2016 | 3.3% | -2.1% |
| 2017 | 3.2% | -2.3% |
| 2018 | 3.1% | -2.3% |
| 2019 | 3.0% | -2.5% |
| 2020 | 2.9% | -2.7% |
| 2021 | 2.9% | -2.6% |
| 2022 | 2.8% | -2.6% |
| 2023 | 2.7% | -2.7% |
Namibia compared with similar countries
- Namibia's 2.7% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 3.0%, 92% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Namibia's 2.7% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3.7%, 73% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 12.9% | 11.8% | 13.9% | 10 |
| 1960s | 10.3% | 9.2% | 11.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 8.0% | 7.1% | 9.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.2% | 5.4% | 7.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.1% | 5.0% | 5.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.7% | 3.9% | 5.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.4% | 3.0% | 3.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.8% | 2.7% | 2.9% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Namibia
More health data for Namibia
- 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 0.6445 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,046 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 561 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 1 (2024)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -1.83 % 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 0.0644 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -1.56 % 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 Namibia?
- Infant mortality rate in Namibia was 2.7% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest infant mortality rate recorded in Namibia?
- The highest recorded value was 13.9% in 1950.
- What is the lowest infant mortality rate recorded in Namibia?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.7% in 2023.
- How does Namibia rank for infant mortality rate?
- Namibia ranks 55th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is infant mortality rate rising or falling in Namibia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Namibia 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.