Infant mortality rate in Rwanda
Rwanda: Infant mortality rate was 2.8% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Infant mortality rate in Rwanda, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of infants.
Analysis
The most recent figure for infant mortality rate in Rwanda is 2.8%, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
That represents a change of down 3.0% on the previous year and down 28.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, infant mortality rate in Rwanda peaked at 19.3% in 1994 and was at its lowest, 2.8%, in 2023.
Rwanda ranks 53rd 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 Rwanda, year by year
| Year | % of infants | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 13.9% | — |
| 1951 | 13.8% | -0.8% |
| 1952 | 13.7% | -0.8% |
| 1953 | 13.6% | -0.8% |
| 1954 | 13.4% | -1.0% |
| 1955 | 13.3% | -1.0% |
| 1956 | 13.1% | -1.1% |
| 1957 | 13.0% | -1.1% |
| 1958 | 12.8% | -1.3% |
| 1959 | 12.7% | -1.4% |
| 1960 | 12.5% | -1.4% |
| 1961 | 12.3% | -1.3% |
| 1962 | 12.2% | -1.1% |
| 1963 | 12.3% | +0.8% |
| 1964 | 12.0% | -1.9% |
| 1965 | 12.0% | -0.1% |
| 1966 | 12.1% | +0.3% |
| 1967 | 12.1% | +0.4% |
| 1968 | 12.2% | +0.9% |
| 1969 | 12.3% | +1.0% |
| 1970 | 12.5% | +1.0% |
| 1971 | 12.6% | +1.1% |
| 1972 | 12.8% | +1.2% |
| 1973 | 12.9% | +1.2% |
| 1974 | 13.1% | +1.2% |
| 1975 | 13.2% | +0.9% |
| 1976 | 13.2% | +0.3% |
| 1977 | 13.1% | -0.5% |
| 1978 | 12.9% | -1.5% |
| 1979 | 12.6% | -2.6% |
| 1980 | 12.2% | -3.5% |
| 1981 | 11.7% | -4.1% |
| 1982 | 11.2% | -4.4% |
| 1983 | 10.7% | -4.2% |
| 1984 | 10.3% | -3.8% |
| 1985 | 10.0% | -3.2% |
| 1986 | 9.7% | -2.4% |
| 1987 | 9.6% | -1.6% |
| 1988 | 9.5% | -0.4% |
| 1989 | 9.6% | +1.0% |
| 1990 | 9.8% | +2.2% |
| 1991 | 10.1% | +3.3% |
| 1992 | 10.6% | +4.4% |
| 1993 | 11.1% | +4.5% |
| 1994 | 19.3% | +74.4% |
| 1995 | 12.1% | -37.6% |
| 1996 | 12.0% | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 12.1% | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 11.7% | -3.3% |
| 1999 | 11.3% | -3.7% |
| 2000 | 10.7% | -5.2% |
| 2001 | 10.0% | -6.4% |
| 2002 | 9.3% | -7.1% |
| 2003 | 8.5% | -8.5% |
| 2004 | 7.8% | -8.6% |
| 2005 | 7.1% | -9.0% |
| 2006 | 6.4% | -8.8% |
| 2007 | 5.9% | -8.6% |
| 2008 | 5.4% | -8.4% |
| 2009 | 5.0% | -7.9% |
| 2010 | 4.6% | -7.3% |
| 2011 | 4.3% | -6.7% |
| 2012 | 4.1% | -5.9% |
| 2013 | 3.8% | -5.2% |
| 2014 | 3.7% | -4.5% |
| 2015 | 3.5% | -3.9% |
| 2016 | 3.4% | -3.3% |
| 2017 | 3.3% | -3.4% |
| 2018 | 3.2% | -2.8% |
| 2019 | 3.1% | -3.0% |
| 2020 | 3.0% | -2.7% |
| 2021 | 2.9% | -3.2% |
| 2022 | 2.8% | -3.0% |
| 2023 | 2.8% | -3.0% |
Rwanda compared with similar countries
- Rwanda's 2.8% is below the median for low income countries, which is 4.5%, 61% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Rwanda's 2.8% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3.7%, 74% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Infant mortality rate in Rwanda changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | +74.4% | 11.1% | 19.3% |
| 1995 | -37.6% | 19.3% | 12.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 13.3% | 12.7% | 13.9% | 10 |
| 1960s | 12.2% | 12.0% | 12.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 12.9% | 12.5% | 13.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 10.4% | 9.5% | 12.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 12.0% | 9.8% | 19.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.6% | 5.0% | 10.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.7% | 3.1% | 4.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.9% | 2.8% | 3.0% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Rwanda
More health data for Rwanda
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.08 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.891 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 860.6 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 2,738 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.9441 % 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 0.065 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.9697 % 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 Rwanda?
- Infant mortality rate in Rwanda was 2.8% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest infant mortality rate recorded in Rwanda?
- The highest recorded value was 19.3% in 1994.
- What is the lowest infant mortality rate recorded in Rwanda?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.8% in 2023.
- How does Rwanda rank for infant mortality rate?
- Rwanda ranks 53rd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is infant mortality rate rising or falling in Rwanda?
- Over the last ten years it is down 28.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Rwanda 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.