Infant mortality rate in Eritrea
Eritrea: Infant mortality rate was 2.47 deaths per 100 live births in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
2.47 deaths per 100 live births
Change on year
down 2.9%
World rank
56th
of 199 countries
All-time high
14.78 deaths per 100 live births
in 1983
All-time low
2.47 deaths per 100 live births
in 2024
Years of data
50
1975–2024
Infant mortality rate in Eritrea, 1975–2024
Source: United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100 live births.
Analysis
Eritrea recorded 2.47 deaths per 100 live births for infant mortality rate in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 50 years on record.
That represents a change of down 2.9% on the previous year and down 26.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, infant mortality rate in Eritrea peaked at 14.78 deaths per 100 live births in 1983 and was at its lowest, 2.47 deaths per 100 live births, in 2024.
Eritrea ranks 56th of 199 countries on this measure, 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 Eritrea, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 12.13 deaths per 100 live births | — |
| 1976 | 9.74 deaths per 100 live births | -19.7% |
| 1977 | 9.62 deaths per 100 live births | -1.2% |
| 1978 | 9.51 deaths per 100 live births | -1.1% |
| 1979 | 9.43 deaths per 100 live births | -0.8% |
| 1980 | 9.36 deaths per 100 live births | -0.8% |
| 1981 | 9.3 deaths per 100 live births | -0.6% |
| 1982 | 9.23 deaths per 100 live births | -0.8% |
| 1983 | 14.78 deaths per 100 live births | +60.1% |
| 1984 | 14.63 deaths per 100 live births | -1.1% |
| 1985 | 14.44 deaths per 100 live births | -1.3% |
| 1986 | 8.87 deaths per 100 live births | -38.6% |
| 1987 | 8.72 deaths per 100 live births | -1.7% |
| 1988 | 8.55 deaths per 100 live births | -2.0% |
| 1989 | 8.34 deaths per 100 live births | -2.5% |
| 1990 | 8.08 deaths per 100 live births | -3.1% |
| 1991 | 7.79 deaths per 100 live births | -3.6% |
| 1992 | 7.46 deaths per 100 live births | -4.2% |
| 1993 | 7.11 deaths per 100 live births | -4.8% |
| 1994 | 6.75 deaths per 100 live births | -5.0% |
| 1995 | 6.39 deaths per 100 live births | -5.3% |
| 1996 | 6.06 deaths per 100 live births | -5.1% |
| 1997 | 5.77 deaths per 100 live births | -4.9% |
| 1998 | 5.51 deaths per 100 live births | -4.4% |
| 1999 | 6.09 deaths per 100 live births | +10.5% |
| 2000 | 5.08 deaths per 100 live births | -16.5% |
| 2001 | 4.91 deaths per 100 live births | -3.5% |
| 2002 | 4.74 deaths per 100 live births | -3.4% |
| 2003 | 4.59 deaths per 100 live births | -3.2% |
| 2004 | 4.45 deaths per 100 live births | -3.0% |
| 2005 | 4.32 deaths per 100 live births | -2.9% |
| 2006 | 4.2 deaths per 100 live births | -2.8% |
| 2007 | 4.08 deaths per 100 live births | -2.8% |
| 2008 | 3.97 deaths per 100 live births | -2.8% |
| 2009 | 3.85 deaths per 100 live births | -2.9% |
| 2010 | 3.75 deaths per 100 live births | -2.8% |
| 2011 | 3.64 deaths per 100 live births | -2.8% |
| 2012 | 3.54 deaths per 100 live births | -2.8% |
| 2013 | 3.44 deaths per 100 live births | -2.9% |
| 2014 | 3.34 deaths per 100 live births | -2.8% |
| 2015 | 3.24 deaths per 100 live births | -3.1% |
| 2016 | 3.13 deaths per 100 live births | -3.2% |
| 2017 | 3.05 deaths per 100 live births | -2.8% |
| 2018 | 2.96 deaths per 100 live births | -2.9% |
| 2019 | 2.87 deaths per 100 live births | -3.0% |
| 2020 | 2.78 deaths per 100 live births | -3.1% |
| 2021 | 2.7 deaths per 100 live births | -3.0% |
| 2022 | 2.62 deaths per 100 live births | -2.9% |
| 2023 | 2.54 deaths per 100 live births | -2.9% |
| 2024 | 2.47 deaths per 100 live births | -2.9% |
Eritrea compared with similar countries
- Eritrea's 2.47 deaths per 100 live births is below the median for low income countries, which is 4.3 deaths per 100 live births, 57% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Eritrea's 2.47 deaths per 100 live births is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3.72 deaths per 100 live births, 66% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Infant mortality rate in Eritrea 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | +60.1% | 9.23 deaths per 100 live births | 14.78 deaths per 100 live births |
| 1986 | -38.6% | 14.44 deaths per 100 live births | 8.87 deaths per 100 live births |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 10.08 deaths per 100 live births | 9.43 deaths per 100 live births | 12.13 deaths per 100 live births | 5 |
| 1980s | 10.62 deaths per 100 live births | 8.34 deaths per 100 live births | 14.78 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.7 deaths per 100 live births | 5.51 deaths per 100 live births | 8.08 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.42 deaths per 100 live births | 3.85 deaths per 100 live births | 5.08 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.29 deaths per 100 live births | 2.87 deaths per 100 live births | 3.75 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.62 deaths per 100 live births | 2.47 deaths per 100 live births | 2.78 deaths per 100 live births | 5 |
Countries ranked near Eritrea
- 53 Laos 2.72 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 54 Congo 2.7 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 55 Gabon 2.59 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 57 Bangladesh 2.44 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 58 South Africa 2.42 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 59 Fiji 2.35 deaths per 100 live births compare
More health data for Eritrea
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.62 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 1.2 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 821.1 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 425 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.72 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2011)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0652 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.73 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2011)
Frequently asked questions
- What is infant mortality rate in Eritrea?
- Infant mortality rate in Eritrea was 2.47 deaths per 100 live births in 2024, according to United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest infant mortality rate recorded in Eritrea?
- The highest recorded value was 14.78 deaths per 100 live births in 1983.
- What is the lowest infant mortality rate recorded in Eritrea?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.47 deaths per 100 live births in 2024.
- How does Eritrea rank for infant mortality rate?
- Eritrea ranks 56th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is infant mortality rate rising or falling in Eritrea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 26.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Eritrea data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – 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
Estimated number of deaths of children aged under one year, per 100 live births .