Infant mortality (Our World) in Australia
Australia: Infant mortality (Our World) was 0.309 in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
0.309
Change on year
down 1.4%
World rank
173rd
of 199 countries
All-time high
2.53
in 1949
All-time low
0.309
in 2024
Years of data
76
1949–2024
Infant mortality in Australia, 1949–2024
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for infant mortality in Australia is 0.309, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 76 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.4% on the previous year and down 8.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, infant mortality in Australia peaked at 2.53 in 1949 and was at its lowest, 0.309, in 2024.
That places Australia 173rd out of 199 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Infant mortality (Our World) in Australia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1949 | 2.53 | — |
| 1950 | 2.49 | -1.4% |
| 1951 | 2.46 | -1.6% |
| 1952 | 2.41 | -1.9% |
| 1953 | 2.36 | -2.2% |
| 1954 | 2.3 | -2.3% |
| 1955 | 2.25 | -2.2% |
| 1956 | 2.2 | -2.1% |
| 1957 | 2.16 | -2.0% |
| 1958 | 2.12 | -1.9% |
| 1959 | 2.08 | -1.9% |
| 1960 | 2.04 | -2.0% |
| 1961 | 2 | -2.0% |
| 1962 | 1.95 | -2.1% |
| 1963 | 1.91 | -2.1% |
| 1964 | 1.88 | -1.8% |
| 1965 | 1.85 | -1.4% |
| 1966 | 1.84 | -0.9% |
| 1967 | 1.83 | -0.5% |
| 1968 | 1.82 | -0.3% |
| 1969 | 1.81 | -0.5% |
| 1970 | 1.79 | -1.3% |
| 1971 | 1.75 | -2.2% |
| 1972 | 1.69 | -3.3% |
| 1973 | 1.62 | -4.3% |
| 1974 | 1.53 | -5.3% |
| 1975 | 1.44 | -6.0% |
| 1976 | 1.35 | -6.4% |
| 1977 | 1.27 | -6.2% |
| 1978 | 1.19 | -5.8% |
| 1979 | 1.13 | -5.2% |
| 1980 | 1.08 | -4.5% |
| 1981 | 1.04 | -3.8% |
| 1982 | 1.01 | -3.1% |
| 1983 | 0.9816 | -2.6% |
| 1984 | 0.958 | -2.4% |
| 1985 | 0.9334 | -2.6% |
| 1986 | 0.9062 | -2.9% |
| 1987 | 0.875 | -3.4% |
| 1988 | 0.8397 | -4.0% |
| 1989 | 0.8002 | -4.7% |
| 1990 | 0.7566 | -5.5% |
| 1991 | 0.712 | -5.9% |
| 1992 | 0.6695 | -6.0% |
| 1993 | 0.6318 | -5.6% |
| 1994 | 0.6 | -5.0% |
| 1995 | 0.575 | -4.2% |
| 1996 | 0.556 | -3.3% |
| 1997 | 0.5414 | -2.6% |
| 1998 | 0.5298 | -2.1% |
| 1999 | 0.5199 | -1.9% |
| 2000 | 0.5103 | -1.8% |
| 2001 | 0.5017 | -1.7% |
| 2002 | 0.4948 | -1.4% |
| 2003 | 0.4896 | -1.1% |
| 2004 | 0.4841 | -1.1% |
| 2005 | 0.4761 | -1.7% |
| 2006 | 0.4651 | -2.3% |
| 2007 | 0.4517 | -2.9% |
| 2008 | 0.4361 | -3.5% |
| 2009 | 0.4187 | -4.0% |
| 2010 | 0.3998 | -4.5% |
| 2011 | 0.3807 | -4.8% |
| 2012 | 0.363 | -4.7% |
| 2013 | 0.3477 | -4.2% |
| 2014 | 0.3359 | -3.4% |
| 2015 | 0.3281 | -2.3% |
| 2016 | 0.3239 | -1.3% |
| 2017 | 0.3222 | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 0.3219 | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 0.3219 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 0.3214 | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 0.3197 | -0.5% |
| 2022 | 0.317 | -0.8% |
| 2023 | 0.3134 | -1.1% |
| 2024 | 0.309 | -1.4% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 0.309 is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.3612, 86% of the median. (65 countries reporting)
- Australia's 0.309 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.39, 22% of the median. (30 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 2.53 | 2.53 | 2.53 | 1 |
| 1950s | 2.28 | 2.08 | 2.49 | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.89 | 1.81 | 2.04 | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.48 | 1.13 | 1.79 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.9421 | 0.8002 | 1.08 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.6092 | 0.5199 | 0.7566 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.4728 | 0.4187 | 0.5103 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.3445 | 0.3219 | 0.3998 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.3161 | 0.309 | 0.3214 | 5 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More health data for Australia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.83 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.9072 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 215 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2021)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.45 % 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 0.0279 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.35 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0295 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is infant mortality in Australia?
- Infant mortality in Australia was 0.309 in 2024, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest infant mortality recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 2.53 in 1949.
- What is the lowest infant mortality recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.309 in 2024.
- How does Australia rank for infant mortality?
- Australia ranks 173rd out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is infant mortality rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Infant mortality. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 76 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).