Infant mortality rate in Zambia
Zambia: Infant mortality rate was 3.8% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
3.8%
Change on year
down 2.6%
World rank
27th
of 236 countries
All-time high
12.6%
in 1950
All-time low
3.8%
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Infant mortality rate in Zambia, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of infants.
Analysis
Zambia recorded 3.8% for infant mortality rate in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.6% on the previous year and down 22.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, infant mortality rate in Zambia peaked at 12.6% in 1950 and was at its lowest, 3.8%, in 2023.
Zambia ranks 27th 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 Zambia, year by year
| Year | % of infants | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 12.6% | — |
| 1951 | 12.5% | -1.1% |
| 1952 | 12.3% | -1.1% |
| 1953 | 12.2% | -1.1% |
| 1954 | 12.1% | -1.1% |
| 1955 | 11.9% | -1.1% |
| 1956 | 11.8% | -1.1% |
| 1957 | 11.7% | -1.1% |
| 1958 | 11.5% | -1.2% |
| 1959 | 11.4% | -1.2% |
| 1960 | 11.3% | -1.1% |
| 1961 | 11.1% | -1.1% |
| 1962 | 11.0% | -1.0% |
| 1963 | 10.9% | -0.9% |
| 1964 | 10.9% | -0.2% |
| 1965 | 10.8% | -1.4% |
| 1966 | 10.7% | -0.8% |
| 1967 | 10.6% | -0.8% |
| 1968 | 10.5% | -0.9% |
| 1969 | 10.4% | -1.1% |
| 1970 | 10.2% | -1.4% |
| 1971 | 10.1% | -1.6% |
| 1972 | 9.9% | -1.8% |
| 1973 | 9.7% | -1.8% |
| 1974 | 9.5% | -1.7% |
| 1975 | 9.4% | -1.3% |
| 1976 | 9.3% | -0.9% |
| 1977 | 9.3% | -0.5% |
| 1978 | 9.3% | -0.1% |
| 1979 | 9.3% | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 9.3% | +0.4% |
| 1981 | 9.4% | +0.6% |
| 1982 | 9.5% | +0.9% |
| 1983 | 9.6% | +1.0% |
| 1984 | 9.7% | +1.3% |
| 1985 | 9.8% | +1.4% |
| 1986 | 10.0% | +1.4% |
| 1987 | 10.1% | +1.3% |
| 1988 | 10.2% | +1.1% |
| 1989 | 10.3% | +0.9% |
| 1990 | 10.4% | +0.6% |
| 1991 | 10.4% | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 10.4% | -0.2% |
| 1993 | 10.3% | -0.6% |
| 1994 | 10.2% | -0.9% |
| 1995 | 10.1% | -1.1% |
| 1996 | 10.0% | -1.3% |
| 1997 | 9.8% | -1.6% |
| 1998 | 9.6% | -2.0% |
| 1999 | 9.4% | -2.4% |
| 2000 | 9.1% | -3.3% |
| 2001 | 8.7% | -4.1% |
| 2002 | 8.3% | -4.9% |
| 2003 | 7.8% | -5.4% |
| 2004 | 7.4% | -5.8% |
| 2005 | 6.9% | -6.0% |
| 2006 | 6.5% | -5.6% |
| 2007 | 6.2% | -5.4% |
| 2008 | 5.9% | -4.9% |
| 2009 | 5.6% | -4.4% |
| 2010 | 5.4% | -4.0% |
| 2011 | 5.2% | -3.4% |
| 2012 | 5.1% | -3.1% |
| 2013 | 4.9% | -2.8% |
| 2014 | 4.8% | -2.8% |
| 2015 | 4.7% | -2.1% |
| 2016 | 4.6% | -2.4% |
| 2017 | 4.5% | -2.3% |
| 2018 | 4.4% | -2.3% |
| 2019 | 4.2% | -2.4% |
| 2020 | 4.1% | -2.5% |
| 2021 | 4.0% | -2.6% |
| 2022 | 3.9% | -2.6% |
| 2023 | 3.8% | -2.6% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 3.8% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 3.0%, 1.3× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 3.8% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3.7%, 1.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 12.0% | 11.4% | 12.6% | 10 |
| 1960s | 10.8% | 10.4% | 11.3% | 10 |
| 1970s | 9.6% | 9.3% | 10.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 9.8% | 9.3% | 10.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 10.1% | 9.4% | 10.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.2% | 5.6% | 9.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.8% | 4.2% | 5.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.0% | 3.8% | 4.1% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More health data for Zambia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.09 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.7971 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 809.3 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 8,894 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.68 % 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 0.0743 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.69 % 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 Zambia?
- Infant mortality rate in Zambia was 3.8% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest infant mortality rate recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 12.6% in 1950.
- What is the lowest infant mortality rate recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.8% in 2023.
- How does Zambia rank for infant mortality rate?
- Zambia ranks 27th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is infant mortality rate rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 22.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Zambia 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.