Infant mortality (Our World) in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Infant mortality (Our World) was 5.46 in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
5.46
Change on year
down 3.0%
World rank
12th
of 199 countries
All-time high
17.02
in 1956
All-time low
5.46
in 2024
Years of data
69
1956–2024
Infant mortality in Sierra Leone, 1956–2024
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for infant mortality in Sierra Leone is 5.46, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 69 years on record.
The figure is down 3.0% on the previous year and down 29.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, infant mortality in Sierra Leone peaked at 17.02 in 1956 and was at its lowest, 5.46, in 2024.
That places Sierra Leone 12th out of 199 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 69 years of available data.
Infant mortality (Our World) in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1956 | 17.02 | — |
| 1957 | 16.9 | -0.7% |
| 1958 | 16.77 | -0.8% |
| 1959 | 16.68 | -0.5% |
| 1960 | 16.57 | -0.6% |
| 1961 | 16.47 | -0.6% |
| 1962 | 16.36 | -0.7% |
| 1963 | 16.24 | -0.7% |
| 1964 | 16.12 | -0.8% |
| 1965 | 15.98 | -0.9% |
| 1966 | 15.83 | -0.9% |
| 1967 | 15.68 | -1.0% |
| 1968 | 15.53 | -0.9% |
| 1969 | 15.39 | -0.9% |
| 1970 | 15.25 | -0.9% |
| 1971 | 15.1 | -1.0% |
| 1972 | 14.97 | -0.9% |
| 1973 | 14.84 | -0.9% |
| 1974 | 14.74 | -0.7% |
| 1975 | 14.62 | -0.8% |
| 1976 | 14.51 | -0.7% |
| 1977 | 14.4 | -0.7% |
| 1978 | 14.29 | -0.8% |
| 1979 | 14.19 | -0.7% |
| 1980 | 14.09 | -0.7% |
| 1981 | 14.01 | -0.6% |
| 1982 | 13.93 | -0.5% |
| 1983 | 13.87 | -0.5% |
| 1984 | 13.81 | -0.4% |
| 1985 | 13.75 | -0.4% |
| 1986 | 13.69 | -0.4% |
| 1987 | 13.64 | -0.4% |
| 1988 | 13.59 | -0.4% |
| 1989 | 13.56 | -0.2% |
| 1990 | 13.54 | -0.2% |
| 1991 | 13.51 | -0.2% |
| 1992 | 13.48 | -0.2% |
| 1993 | 13.45 | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 13.38 | -0.5% |
| 1995 | 13.29 | -0.7% |
| 1996 | 13.16 | -1.0% |
| 1997 | 13 | -1.2% |
| 1998 | 12.8 | -1.5% |
| 1999 | 12.59 | -1.7% |
| 2000 | 12.34 | -2.0% |
| 2001 | 12.08 | -2.1% |
| 2002 | 11.82 | -2.2% |
| 2003 | 11.54 | -2.4% |
| 2004 | 11.24 | -2.6% |
| 2005 | 10.93 | -2.8% |
| 2006 | 10.59 | -3.1% |
| 2007 | 10.23 | -3.4% |
| 2008 | 9.86 | -3.6% |
| 2009 | 9.47 | -3.9% |
| 2010 | 9.08 | -4.1% |
| 2011 | 8.7 | -4.2% |
| 2012 | 8.34 | -4.1% |
| 2013 | 8.01 | -4.0% |
| 2014 | 7.78 | -2.9% |
| 2015 | 7.69 | -1.0% |
| 2016 | 7.13 | -7.3% |
| 2017 | 6.87 | -3.6% |
| 2018 | 6.63 | -3.6% |
| 2019 | 6.4 | -3.3% |
| 2020 | 6.19 | -3.3% |
| 2021 | 5.99 | -3.2% |
| 2022 | 5.81 | -3.1% |
| 2023 | 5.63 | -3.0% |
| 2024 | 5.46 | -3.0% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 5.46 is above the median for low income countries, which is 4.3, 1.3× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 5.46 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3.72, 1.5× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 16.84 | 16.68 | 17.02 | 4 |
| 1960s | 16.02 | 15.39 | 16.57 | 10 |
| 1970s | 14.69 | 14.19 | 15.25 | 10 |
| 1980s | 13.79 | 13.56 | 14.09 | 10 |
| 1990s | 13.22 | 12.59 | 13.54 | 10 |
| 2000s | 11.01 | 9.47 | 12.34 | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.66 | 6.4 | 9.08 | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.82 | 5.46 | 6.19 | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
- 9 Democratic Republic of Congo 5.64 compare
- 10 Lesotho 5.63 compare
- 11 Chad 5.63 compare
- 13 Afghanistan 4.83 compare
- 14 Pakistan 4.82 compare
- 15 Equatorial Guinea 4.76 compare
More health data for Sierra Leone
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.34 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.773 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 4,209 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 38 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.6447 % 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 0.0663 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.6611 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0676 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is infant mortality in Sierra Leone?
- Infant mortality in Sierra Leone was 5.46 in 2024, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest infant mortality recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 17.02 in 1956.
- What is the lowest infant mortality recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.46 in 2024.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for infant mortality?
- Sierra Leone ranks 12th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is infant mortality rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is down 29.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sierra Leone 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
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