Infant mortality rate in South Sudan
South Sudan: Infant mortality rate was 7.19 deaths per 100 live births in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
7.19 deaths per 100 live births
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
1st
of 199 countries
All-time high
48.4 deaths per 100 live births
in 1988
All-time low
7.19 deaths per 100 live births
in 2019
Years of data
71
1954–2024
Infant mortality rate in South Sudan, 1954–2024
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
The most recent figure for infant mortality rate in South Sudan is 7.19 deaths per 100 live births, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 71 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 39.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, infant mortality rate in South Sudan peaked at 48.4 deaths per 100 live births in 1988 and was at its lowest, 7.19 deaths per 100 live births, in 2019.
That places South Sudan 1st out of 199 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 71 years of available data.
Infant mortality rate in South Sudan, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1954 | 20.91 deaths per 100 live births | — |
| 1955 | 20.68 deaths per 100 live births | -1.1% |
| 1956 | 20.45 deaths per 100 live births | -1.1% |
| 1957 | 20.24 deaths per 100 live births | -1.1% |
| 1958 | 20.01 deaths per 100 live births | -1.1% |
| 1959 | 19.79 deaths per 100 live births | -1.1% |
| 1960 | 19.59 deaths per 100 live births | -1.0% |
| 1961 | 19.37 deaths per 100 live births | -1.1% |
| 1962 | 19.14 deaths per 100 live births | -1.2% |
| 1963 | 20.7 deaths per 100 live births | +8.1% |
| 1964 | 18.75 deaths per 100 live births | -9.4% |
| 1965 | 18.54 deaths per 100 live births | -1.1% |
| 1966 | 21.35 deaths per 100 live births | +15.2% |
| 1967 | 21.12 deaths per 100 live births | -1.1% |
| 1968 | 20.9 deaths per 100 live births | -1.0% |
| 1969 | 21.06 deaths per 100 live births | +0.8% |
| 1970 | 20.84 deaths per 100 live births | -1.1% |
| 1971 | 17.23 deaths per 100 live births | -17.3% |
| 1972 | 17.03 deaths per 100 live births | -1.1% |
| 1973 | 16.85 deaths per 100 live births | -1.1% |
| 1974 | 16.66 deaths per 100 live births | -1.2% |
| 1975 | 16.48 deaths per 100 live births | -1.1% |
| 1976 | 16.31 deaths per 100 live births | -1.0% |
| 1977 | 16.15 deaths per 100 live births | -1.0% |
| 1978 | 15.97 deaths per 100 live births | -1.1% |
| 1979 | 15.79 deaths per 100 live births | -1.1% |
| 1980 | 15.66 deaths per 100 live births | -0.8% |
| 1981 | 15.52 deaths per 100 live births | -0.9% |
| 1982 | 15.4 deaths per 100 live births | -0.8% |
| 1983 | 15.29 deaths per 100 live births | -0.7% |
| 1984 | 15.18 deaths per 100 live births | -0.7% |
| 1985 | 15.06 deaths per 100 live births | -0.8% |
| 1986 | 14.95 deaths per 100 live births | -0.7% |
| 1987 | 17.12 deaths per 100 live births | +14.5% |
| 1988 | 48.4 deaths per 100 live births | +182.7% |
| 1989 | 15.85 deaths per 100 live births | -67.3% |
| 1990 | 15.74 deaths per 100 live births | -0.7% |
| 1991 | 15.58 deaths per 100 live births | -1.0% |
| 1992 | 16.55 deaths per 100 live births | +6.2% |
| 1993 | 16.34 deaths per 100 live births | -1.2% |
| 1994 | 13.85 deaths per 100 live births | -15.3% |
| 1995 | 14.68 deaths per 100 live births | +6.0% |
| 1996 | 14.37 deaths per 100 live births | -2.1% |
| 1997 | 14.03 deaths per 100 live births | -2.3% |
| 1998 | 23.88 deaths per 100 live births | +70.2% |
| 1999 | 12.24 deaths per 100 live births | -48.7% |
| 2000 | 11.82 deaths per 100 live births | -3.4% |
| 2001 | 11.36 deaths per 100 live births | -3.9% |
| 2002 | 10.9 deaths per 100 live births | -4.1% |
| 2003 | 10.45 deaths per 100 live births | -4.2% |
| 2004 | 10.02 deaths per 100 live births | -4.0% |
| 2005 | 9.62 deaths per 100 live births | -4.1% |
| 2006 | 9.23 deaths per 100 live births | -4.0% |
| 2007 | 8.86 deaths per 100 live births | -4.0% |
| 2008 | 8.5 deaths per 100 live births | -4.0% |
| 2009 | 8.15 deaths per 100 live births | -4.1% |
| 2010 | 7.82 deaths per 100 live births | -4.0% |
| 2011 | 7.53 deaths per 100 live births | -3.7% |
| 2012 | 7.32 deaths per 100 live births | -2.8% |
| 2013 | 7.22 deaths per 100 live births | -1.5% |
| 2014 | 11.82 deaths per 100 live births | +63.8% |
| 2015 | 15.13 deaths per 100 live births | +28.0% |
| 2016 | 16.98 deaths per 100 live births | +12.2% |
| 2017 | 18.15 deaths per 100 live births | +6.9% |
| 2018 | 9.29 deaths per 100 live births | -48.8% |
| 2019 | 7.19 deaths per 100 live births | -22.7% |
| 2020 | 7.19 deaths per 100 live births | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 7.19 deaths per 100 live births | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 7.19 deaths per 100 live births | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 7.19 deaths per 100 live births | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 7.19 deaths per 100 live births | +0.0% |
South Sudan compared with similar countries
- South Sudan's 7.19 deaths per 100 live births is above the median for low income countries, which is 4.3 deaths per 100 live births, 1.7× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- South Sudan's 7.19 deaths per 100 live births is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3.72 deaths per 100 live births, 1.9× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Infant mortality rate in South Sudan 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | +182.7% | 17.12 deaths per 100 live births | 48.4 deaths per 100 live births |
| 1998 | +70.2% | 14.03 deaths per 100 live births | 23.88 deaths per 100 live births |
| 1989 | -67.3% | 48.4 deaths per 100 live births | 15.85 deaths per 100 live births |
| 2014 | +63.8% | 7.22 deaths per 100 live births | 11.82 deaths per 100 live births |
| 2018 | -48.8% | 18.15 deaths per 100 live births | 9.29 deaths per 100 live births |
| 1999 | -48.7% | 23.88 deaths per 100 live births | 12.24 deaths per 100 live births |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 20.35 deaths per 100 live births | 19.79 deaths per 100 live births | 20.91 deaths per 100 live births | 6 |
| 1960s | 20.05 deaths per 100 live births | 18.54 deaths per 100 live births | 21.35 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1970s | 16.93 deaths per 100 live births | 15.79 deaths per 100 live births | 20.84 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1980s | 18.84 deaths per 100 live births | 14.95 deaths per 100 live births | 48.4 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1990s | 15.73 deaths per 100 live births | 12.24 deaths per 100 live births | 23.88 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.89 deaths per 100 live births | 8.15 deaths per 100 live births | 11.82 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.85 deaths per 100 live births | 7.19 deaths per 100 live births | 18.15 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.19 deaths per 100 live births | 7.19 deaths per 100 live births | 7.19 deaths per 100 live births | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Sudan
More health data for South Sudan
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.47 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.665 % change on previous year (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 12,029 deaths (2100)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,347 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Deaths in armed conflicts by region 123 deaths (2026)
- Deaths in armed conflicts based on where they occurred 123 deaths (2026)
- Population ages 25-29, female, per capita 0.0349 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, female, per capita 0.0265 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2015)
- Population ages 30-34, female, annual growth rate 1.24 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is infant mortality rate in South Sudan?
- Infant mortality rate in South Sudan was 7.19 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 South Sudan?
- The highest recorded value was 48.4 deaths per 100 live births in 1988.
- What is the lowest infant mortality rate recorded in South Sudan?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.19 deaths per 100 live births in 2019.
- How does South Sudan rank for infant mortality rate?
- South Sudan ranks 1st out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is infant mortality rate rising or falling in South Sudan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 39.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Sudan 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 .