Infant mortality rate in Nepal
Nepal: Infant mortality rate was 2.2% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
2.2%
Change on year
down 4.7%
World rank
65th
of 236 countries
All-time high
22.8%
in 1950
All-time low
2.2%
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Infant mortality rate in Nepal, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of infants.
Analysis
Nepal recorded 2.2% for infant mortality rate in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
That represents a change of down 4.7% on the previous year and down 35.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, infant mortality rate in Nepal peaked at 22.8% in 1950 and was at its lowest, 2.2%, in 2023.
That places Nepal 65th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it 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 Nepal, year by year
| Year | % of infants | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 22.8% | — |
| 1951 | 22.7% | -0.3% |
| 1952 | 22.6% | -0.3% |
| 1953 | 22.6% | -0.3% |
| 1954 | 22.5% | -0.3% |
| 1955 | 22.4% | -0.3% |
| 1956 | 22.4% | -0.4% |
| 1957 | 22.2% | -0.5% |
| 1958 | 22.1% | -0.6% |
| 1959 | 21.9% | -0.9% |
| 1960 | 21.7% | -1.1% |
| 1961 | 21.4% | -1.3% |
| 1962 | 21.1% | -1.5% |
| 1963 | 20.7% | -1.6% |
| 1964 | 20.3% | -2.0% |
| 1965 | 19.9% | -2.1% |
| 1966 | 19.5% | -2.2% |
| 1967 | 19.0% | -2.3% |
| 1968 | 18.6% | -2.2% |
| 1969 | 18.2% | -2.3% |
| 1970 | 17.8% | -2.3% |
| 1971 | 17.3% | -2.4% |
| 1972 | 16.9% | -2.3% |
| 1973 | 16.6% | -2.2% |
| 1974 | 16.2% | -2.3% |
| 1975 | 15.8% | -2.4% |
| 1976 | 15.4% | -2.4% |
| 1977 | 15.0% | -2.5% |
| 1978 | 14.6% | -2.6% |
| 1979 | 14.2% | -2.7% |
| 1980 | 13.8% | -2.7% |
| 1981 | 13.5% | -2.6% |
| 1982 | 13.0% | -3.4% |
| 1983 | 12.6% | -3.2% |
| 1984 | 12.2% | -3.3% |
| 1985 | 11.8% | -3.4% |
| 1986 | 11.4% | -3.6% |
| 1987 | 10.9% | -3.6% |
| 1988 | 10.5% | -4.0% |
| 1989 | 10.0% | -4.4% |
| 1990 | 9.6% | -4.4% |
| 1991 | 9.2% | -4.5% |
| 1992 | 8.7% | -4.8% |
| 1993 | 8.3% | -4.3% |
| 1994 | 7.9% | -5.3% |
| 1995 | 7.5% | -4.7% |
| 1996 | 7.2% | -4.7% |
| 1997 | 6.8% | -5.3% |
| 1998 | 6.5% | -4.6% |
| 1999 | 6.2% | -5.2% |
| 2000 | 5.9% | -4.9% |
| 2001 | 5.6% | -4.7% |
| 2002 | 5.3% | -4.4% |
| 2003 | 5.1% | -4.7% |
| 2004 | 4.9% | -4.4% |
| 2005 | 4.7% | -4.1% |
| 2006 | 4.5% | -3.7% |
| 2007 | 4.3% | -3.5% |
| 2008 | 4.1% | -4.4% |
| 2009 | 4.0% | -4.1% |
| 2010 | 3.8% | -4.1% |
| 2011 | 3.7% | -3.9% |
| 2012 | 3.5% | -3.8% |
| 2013 | 3.4% | -3.5% |
| 2014 | 3.3% | -4.1% |
| 2015 | 3.2% | -2.8% |
| 2016 | 3.0% | -6.8% |
| 2017 | 2.8% | -4.3% |
| 2018 | 2.7% | -4.4% |
| 2019 | 2.6% | -3.7% |
| 2020 | 2.5% | -3.3% |
| 2021 | 2.4% | -4.3% |
| 2022 | 2.3% | -4.5% |
| 2023 | 2.2% | -4.7% |
Nepal compared with similar countries
- Nepal's 2.2% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 3.0%, 74% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nepal's 2.2% is above the median for South Asia, which is 2.1%, 1.1× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 22.4% | 21.9% | 22.8% | 10 |
| 1960s | 20.0% | 18.2% | 21.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 16.0% | 14.2% | 17.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 12.0% | 10.0% | 13.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 7.8% | 6.2% | 9.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.8% | 4.0% | 5.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.2% | 2.6% | 3.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.4% | 2.2% | 2.5% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Nepal
- 62 Bangladesh 2.3% compare
- 63 India 2.3% compare
- 64 Marshall Islands 2.2% compare
- 66 Guyana 2.1% compare
- 67 Philippines 2.1% compare
- 68 Nauru 2.0% compare
More health data for Nepal
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.95 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.8518 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,326 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 955 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 3 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -1.17 % 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 0.0451 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -2.11 % 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 Nepal?
- Infant mortality rate in Nepal was 2.2% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest infant mortality rate recorded in Nepal?
- The highest recorded value was 22.8% in 1950.
- What is the lowest infant mortality rate recorded in Nepal?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.2% in 2023.
- How does Nepal rank for infant mortality rate?
- Nepal ranks 65th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is infant mortality rate rising or falling in Nepal?
- Over the last ten years it is down 35.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nepal 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.