Infant mortality rate in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Infant mortality rate was 0.4656 deaths per 100 live births in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
0.4656 deaths per 100 live births
Change on year
down 3.6%
World rank
154th
of 199 countries
All-time high
14.87 deaths per 100 live births
in 1972
All-time low
0.4656 deaths per 100 live births
in 2024
Years of data
53
1972–2024
Infant mortality rate in Saudi Arabia, 1972–2024
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
Saudi Arabia recorded 0.4656 deaths per 100 live births for infant mortality rate in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 53 years on record.
The figure is down 3.6% on the previous year and down 40.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, infant mortality rate in Saudi Arabia peaked at 14.87 deaths per 100 live births in 1972 and was at its lowest, 0.4656 deaths per 100 live births, in 2024.
That places Saudi Arabia 154th 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 rate in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 14.87 deaths per 100 live births | — |
| 1973 | 13.87 deaths per 100 live births | -6.7% |
| 1974 | 12.95 deaths per 100 live births | -6.6% |
| 1975 | 12.12 deaths per 100 live births | -6.5% |
| 1976 | 11.33 deaths per 100 live births | -6.5% |
| 1977 | 10.57 deaths per 100 live births | -6.7% |
| 1978 | 9.88 deaths per 100 live births | -6.6% |
| 1979 | 9.23 deaths per 100 live births | -6.6% |
| 1980 | 8.62 deaths per 100 live births | -6.6% |
| 1981 | 8.04 deaths per 100 live births | -6.7% |
| 1982 | 7.48 deaths per 100 live births | -6.9% |
| 1983 | 6.95 deaths per 100 live births | -7.1% |
| 1984 | 6.46 deaths per 100 live births | -7.1% |
| 1985 | 5.99 deaths per 100 live births | -7.2% |
| 1986 | 5.56 deaths per 100 live births | -7.2% |
| 1987 | 5.15 deaths per 100 live births | -7.4% |
| 1988 | 4.76 deaths per 100 live births | -7.6% |
| 1989 | 4.39 deaths per 100 live births | -7.8% |
| 1990 | 4.06 deaths per 100 live births | -7.6% |
| 1991 | 3.75 deaths per 100 live births | -7.6% |
| 1992 | 3.46 deaths per 100 live births | -7.6% |
| 1993 | 3.21 deaths per 100 live births | -7.3% |
| 1994 | 2.98 deaths per 100 live births | -7.1% |
| 1995 | 2.77 deaths per 100 live births | -7.1% |
| 1996 | 2.58 deaths per 100 live births | -6.9% |
| 1997 | 2.41 deaths per 100 live births | -6.6% |
| 1998 | 2.25 deaths per 100 live births | -6.6% |
| 1999 | 2.11 deaths per 100 live births | -6.3% |
| 2000 | 1.98 deaths per 100 live births | -6.2% |
| 2001 | 1.86 deaths per 100 live births | -6.1% |
| 2002 | 1.75 deaths per 100 live births | -6.1% |
| 2003 | 1.64 deaths per 100 live births | -5.9% |
| 2004 | 1.54 deaths per 100 live births | -6.1% |
| 2005 | 1.45 deaths per 100 live births | -6.2% |
| 2006 | 1.36 deaths per 100 live births | -6.2% |
| 2007 | 1.27 deaths per 100 live births | -6.4% |
| 2008 | 1.19 deaths per 100 live births | -6.4% |
| 2009 | 1.11 deaths per 100 live births | -6.7% |
| 2010 | 1.04 deaths per 100 live births | -6.7% |
| 2011 | 0.9653 deaths per 100 live births | -6.8% |
| 2012 | 0.8995 deaths per 100 live births | -6.8% |
| 2013 | 0.8389 deaths per 100 live births | -6.7% |
| 2014 | 0.7821 deaths per 100 live births | -6.8% |
| 2015 | 0.7304 deaths per 100 live births | -6.6% |
| 2016 | 0.6823 deaths per 100 live births | -6.6% |
| 2017 | 0.639 deaths per 100 live births | -6.3% |
| 2018 | 0.6014 deaths per 100 live births | -5.9% |
| 2019 | 0.5692 deaths per 100 live births | -5.3% |
| 2020 | 0.5425 deaths per 100 live births | -4.7% |
| 2021 | 0.5204 deaths per 100 live births | -4.1% |
| 2022 | 0.5013 deaths per 100 live births | -3.7% |
| 2023 | 0.483 deaths per 100 live births | -3.7% |
| 2024 | 0.4656 deaths per 100 live births | -3.6% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 0.4656 deaths per 100 live births is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.3612 deaths per 100 live births, 1.3× the median. (65 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 0.4656 deaths per 100 live births is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 1.2 deaths per 100 live births, 39% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 11.85 deaths per 100 live births | 9.23 deaths per 100 live births | 14.87 deaths per 100 live births | 8 |
| 1980s | 6.34 deaths per 100 live births | 4.39 deaths per 100 live births | 8.62 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.96 deaths per 100 live births | 2.11 deaths per 100 live births | 4.06 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.51 deaths per 100 live births | 1.11 deaths per 100 live births | 1.98 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.7743 deaths per 100 live births | 0.5692 deaths per 100 live births | 1.04 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.5026 deaths per 100 live births | 0.4656 deaths per 100 live births | 0.5425 deaths per 100 live births | 5 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
- 151 Maldives 0.4745 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 152 Canada 0.4717 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 153 Malta 0.4704 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 155 Bulgaria 0.465 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 156 Serbia 0.4585 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 157 United Kingdom 0.4134 deaths per 100 live births compare
More health data for Saudi Arabia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -0.8373 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.3736 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 483.6 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 829 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 5.31 % 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 0.0384 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 5.38 % 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 Saudi Arabia?
- Infant mortality rate in Saudi Arabia was 0.4656 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 Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 14.87 deaths per 100 live births in 1972.
- What is the lowest infant mortality rate recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.4656 deaths per 100 live births in 2024.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for infant mortality rate?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 154th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is infant mortality rate rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 40.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia 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 .