Low-birthweight babies (% of births) by country
Low-birthweight babies are newborns weighing less than 2,500 grams, with the measurement taken within the first hour of life, before significant postnatal weight loss has occurred.
Countries reporting
157
Highest
27.4%
India
Lowest
4.0%
Iceland
Median
10.2%
Years covered
21
2000–2020
Data points
3,948
What the numbers show
Low-birthweight babies (% of births) is currently reported for 157 countries. The highest value is 27.4% in India; the lowest is 4.0% in Iceland.
The median across all reporting countries is 10.2%, and the mean is 10.9%.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 7.
Over the past decade 71 countries rose and 86 fell. The largest increase was in Republic of Korea (up 24.5%), and the largest decrease in Viet Nam (down 21.3%).
Low-birthweight babies: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | India | 27.4% | 2020 | down 8.5% | falling |
| 2 | Bangladesh | 23.0% | 2020 | down 5.9% | falling |
| 3 | Comoros | 23.0% | 2020 | down 5.6% | falling |
| 4 | Philippines | 21.1% | 2020 | up 0.1% | flat |
| 5 | Liberia | 19.9% | 2020 | up 0.8% | flat |
| 6 | Nepal | 19.7% | 2020 | down 7.2% | falling |
| 7 | Guinea-Bissau | 19.5% | 2020 | down 12.1% | falling |
| 8 | Papua New Guinea | 19.4% | 2020 | up 2.8% | rising |
| 9 | Jordan | 18.9% | 2020 | up 14.8% | rising |
| 10 | Madagascar | 18.7% | 2020 | down 4.4% | falling |
| 11 | Mauritius | 18.7% | 2020 | down 3.2% | falling |
| 12 | Burkina Faso | 18.5% | 2020 | down 4.1% | falling |
| 13 | Côte d'Ivoire | 18.3% | 2020 | down 5.0% | falling |
| 14 | Timor-Leste | 18.2% | 2020 | up 8.8% | flat |
| 15 | Sri Lanka | 18.0% | 2020 | down 3.6% | falling |
| 16 | Mozambique | 17.8% | 2020 | down 3.2% | falling |
| 17 | Senegal | 17.2% | 2020 | down 11.5% | falling |
| 18 | Guyana | 17.2% | 2020 | up 1.7% | rising |
| 19 | Botswana | 16.8% | 2020 | down 4.4% | falling |
| 20 | Lao People's Democratic Republic | 16.7% | 2020 | down 3.1% | flat |
| 21 | South Africa | 16.6% | 2020 | down 0.4% | flat |
| 22 | Suriname | 16.5% | 2020 | up 6.7% | rising |
| 23 | Benin | 16.4% | 2020 | down 7.1% | falling |
| 24 | Central African Republic | 16.4% | 2020 | up 4.4% | rising |
| 25 | Trinidad and Tobago | 16.3% | 2020 | up 3.3% | rising |
| 26 | Saint Lucia | 16.3% | 2020 | up 3.3% | rising |
| 27 | Namibia | 15.6% | 2020 | down 3.1% | falling |
| 28 | Malawi | 15.6% | 2020 | down 1.6% | falling |
| 29 | Angola | 15.5% | 2020 | down 2.0% | falling |
| 30 | Bahamas | 15.4% | 2020 | up 1.5% | rising |
| 31 | Antigua and Barbuda | 15.4% | 2020 | up 2.8% | rising |
| 32 | Eritrea | 15.2% | 2020 | down 1.8% | falling |
| 33 | Burundi | 14.8% | 2020 | down 2.7% | falling |
| 34 | Morocco | 14.8% | 2020 | down 10.5% | falling |
| 35 | Gabon | 14.6% | 2020 | down 2.8% | flat |
| 36 | Guatemala | 14.5% | 2020 | up 1.0% | flat |
| 37 | Lesotho | 14.4% | 2020 | down 2.2% | flat |
| 38 | Ghana | 14.4% | 2020 | down 4.6% | falling |
| 39 | Kuwait | 14.4% | 2020 | up 20.0% | rising |
| 40 | Togo | 14.3% | 2020 | down 6.7% | falling |
| 41 | United Arab Emirates | 13.9% | 2020 | up 1.6% | rising |
| 42 | Malaysia | 13.8% | 2020 | up 7.6% | rising |
| 43 | Maldives | 13.7% | 2020 | down 0.6% | flat |
| 44 | Jamaica | 13.7% | 2020 | down 5.4% | falling |
| 45 | Brunei Darussalam | 13.6% | 2020 | up 4.6% | rising |
| 46 | Palau | 13.5% | 2020 | down 1.3% | flat |
| 47 | Dominican Republic | 13.4% | 2020 | up 13.9% | rising |
| 48 | Gambia | 13.2% | 2020 | down 3.9% | falling |
| 49 | Oman | 13.2% | 2020 | down 0.7% | flat |
| 50 | Solomon Islands | 13.2% | 2020 | up 0.2% | flat |
| 51 | Honduras | 13.1% | 2020 | up 6.4% | rising |
| 52 | Vanuatu | 13.1% | 2020 | up 3.5% | rising |
| 53 | Türkiye | 12.9% | 2020 | down 10.2% | falling |
| 54 | Lebanon | 12.6% | 2020 | up 3.8% | flat |
| 55 | Cameroon | 12.5% | 2020 | down 3.3% | falling |
| 56 | Myanmar | 12.5% | 2020 | down 1.4% | flat |
| 57 | Seychelles | 12.5% | 2020 | up 1.5% | flat |
| 58 | Bahrain | 12.4% | 2020 | up 9.2% | rising |
| 59 | Congo | 11.9% | 2020 | up 0.8% | falling |
| 60 | Zimbabwe | 11.8% | 2020 | down 4.7% | falling |
| 61 | Belize | 11.6% | 2020 | up 3.5% | rising |
| 62 | Cambodia | 11.4% | 2020 | down 11.8% | falling |
| 63 | Bhutan | 11.4% | 2020 | down 2.6% | falling |
| 64 | Greece | 11.4% | 2020 | up 6.9% | rising |
| 65 | Bulgaria | 11.4% | 2020 | up 5.1% | rising |
| 66 | Japan | 11.3% | 2020 | up 2.5% | flat |
| 67 | Zambia | 11.2% | 2020 | down 7.9% | falling |
| 68 | Sao Tome and Principe | 11.1% | 2020 | up 5.2% | rising |
| 69 | Azerbaijan | 11.0% | 2020 | up 0.8% | flat |
| 70 | Colombia | 11.0% | 2020 | up 5.6% | rising |
| 71 | Singapore | 11.0% | 2020 | up 3.1% | flat |
| 72 | Iraq | 10.9% | 2020 | up 1.4% | rising |
| 73 | Ecuador | 10.6% | 2020 | down 3.8% | falling |
| 74 | Palestine, State of | 10.4% | 2020 | up 6.7% | rising |
| 75 | Sierra Leone | 10.3% | 2020 | down 11.8% | falling |
| 76 | Thailand | 10.3% | 2020 | down 2.4% | falling |
| 77 | Panama | 10.3% | 2020 | down 5.9% | falling |
| 78 | El Salvador | 10.2% | 2020 | down 2.0% | flat |
| 79 | Eswatini | 10.2% | 2020 | down 4.4% | falling |
| 80 | Congo, Democratic Republic of the | 10.2% | 2020 | down 10.1% | falling |
| 81 | Mexico | 10.2% | 2020 | up 0.0% | flat |
| 82 | Nicaragua | 10.1% | 2020 | down 7.4% | falling |
| 83 | Kenya | 10.0% | 2020 | down 8.3% | falling |
| 84 | Paraguay | 10.0% | 2020 | down 0.8% | flat |
| 85 | Qatar | 10.0% | 2020 | up 0.9% | flat |
| 86 | Indonesia | 9.9% | 2020 | down 6.3% | falling |
| 87 | Tanzania, United Republic of | 9.7% | 2020 | down 9.7% | falling |
| 88 | Spain | 9.6% | 2020 | up 2.9% | rising |
| 89 | Rwanda | 9.4% | 2020 | up 2.3% | rising |
| 90 | Andorra | 9.4% | 2020 | up 4.0% | rising |
| 91 | Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of | 9.3% | 2020 | up 4.1% | rising |
| 92 | Kiribati | 9.0% | 2020 | down 4.1% | flat |
| 93 | Israel | 9.0% | 2020 | down 5.4% | falling |
| 94 | Portugal | 8.9% | 2020 | up 9.5% | rising |
| 95 | Romania | 8.8% | 2020 | down 8.2% | falling |
| 96 | Costa Rica | 8.7% | 2020 | up 2.8% | flat |
| 97 | Tajikistan | 8.7% | 2020 | down 7.4% | falling |
| 98 | Brazil | 8.7% | 2020 | up 4.9% | rising |
| 99 | Hungary | 8.3% | 2020 | down 1.3% | flat |
| 100 | North Macedonia | 8.3% | 2020 | up 1.8% | flat |
| 101 | Armenia | 8.3% | 2020 | up 0.2% | flat |
| 102 | United States | 8.3% | 2020 | up 1.7% | rising |
| 103 | Tunisia | 8.2% | 2020 | up 2.5% | rising |
| 104 | Bolivia, Plurinational State of | 7.9% | 2020 | down 5.7% | falling |
| 105 | Slovakia | 7.8% | 2020 | up 5.8% | rising |
| 106 | Uruguay | 7.8% | 2020 | down 3.5% | falling |
| 107 | Luxembourg | 7.7% | 2020 | up 4.8% | rising |
| 108 | Czechia | 7.6% | 2020 | up 6.2% | rising |
| 109 | Peru | 7.5% | 2020 | down 13.4% | falling |
| 110 | Republic of Korea | 7.5% | 2020 | up 24.5% | rising |
| 111 | France | 7.4% | 2020 | down 1.5% | flat |
| 112 | Georgia | 7.4% | 2020 | up 8.8% | rising |
| 113 | Fiji | 7.4% | 2020 | down 0.0% | flat |
| 114 | Argentina | 7.4% | 2020 | up 1.6% | flat |
| 115 | Russian Federation | 7.3% | 2020 | up 0.5% | flat |
| 116 | Italy | 7.2% | 2020 | up 3.2% | rising |
| 117 | Algeria | 7.2% | 2020 | up 4.9% | rising |
| 118 | Malta | 7.2% | 2020 | up 4.0% | rising |
| 119 | Cuba | 7.1% | 2020 | down 1.7% | flat |
| 120 | Chile | 6.8% | 2020 | up 14.4% | rising |
| 121 | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | 6.8% | 2020 | down 5.1% | falling |
| 122 | Monaco | 6.8% | 2020 | down 4.4% | falling |
| 123 | Belgium | 6.8% | 2020 | down 3.7% | falling |
| 124 | Germany | 6.7% | 2020 | down 2.0% | flat |
| 125 | Canada | 6.6% | 2020 | up 7.9% | rising |
| 126 | Australia | 6.6% | 2020 | up 2.9% | rising |
| 127 | Republic of Moldova | 6.5% | 2020 | down 0.6% | flat |
| 128 | Switzerland | 6.4% | 2020 | up 0.8% | flat |
| 129 | Viet Nam | 6.3% | 2020 | down 21.3% | falling |
| 130 | Austria | 6.3% | 2020 | down 6.5% | falling |
| 131 | Slovenia | 6.3% | 2020 | up 3.0% | rising |
| 132 | Montenegro | 6.2% | 2020 | down 2.4% | flat |
| 133 | Serbia | 6.2% | 2020 | up 3.5% | rising |
| 134 | Kyrgyzstan | 6.0% | 2020 | down 7.2% | falling |
| 135 | Albania | 6.0% | 2020 | up 0.2% | flat |
| 136 | New Zealand | 5.9% | 2020 | down 3.3% | flat |
| 137 | Uzbekistan | 5.8% | 2020 | up 1.1% | rising |
| 138 | Ukraine | 5.7% | 2020 | down 3.9% | falling |
| 139 | Netherlands | 5.7% | 2020 | down 8.4% | falling |
| 140 | Ireland | 5.6% | 2020 | up 5.6% | rising |
| 141 | Poland | 5.6% | 2020 | down 3.3% | falling |
| 142 | Kazakhstan | 5.3% | 2020 | down 9.0% | falling |
| 143 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 5.2% | 2020 | up 0.2% | flat |
| 144 | Belarus | 5.1% | 2020 | up 2.0% | flat |
| 145 | Croatia | 5.0% | 2020 | down 0.3% | flat |
| 146 | China | 5.0% | 2020 | down 4.0% | falling |
| 147 | Mongolia | 4.9% | 2020 | down 18.9% | falling |
| 148 | Denmark | 4.8% | 2020 | down 6.7% | falling |
| 149 | Norway | 4.4% | 2020 | down 7.3% | falling |
| 150 | Lithuania | 4.4% | 2020 | down 6.2% | flat |
| 151 | Turkmenistan | 4.3% | 2020 | down 15.1% | falling |
| 152 | San Marino | 4.2% | 2020 | up 6.1% | rising |
| 153 | Latvia | 4.2% | 2020 | down 8.2% | falling |
| 154 | Estonia | 4.2% | 2020 | down 6.3% | falling |
| 155 | Sweden | 4.1% | 2020 | down 2.6% | flat |
| 156 | Finland | 4.1% | 2020 | down 1.4% | falling |
| 157 | Iceland | 4.0% | 2020 | up 5.9% | rising |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- South Asia 26.6%
- South Asia (IDA & IBRD) 26.6%
- Euro area 7.4%
- European Union 7.2%
- Lower middle income 21.5%
- Early-demographic dividend 20.3%
- Caribbean Small States 15.9%
- IBRD only 15.8%
- Middle income 15.8%
- Low & middle income 15.6%
- IDA & IBRD total 15.4%
- World 14.7%
- Other small states 13.9%
- Small states 13.8%
- Pacific island small states 10.9%
- Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) 9.7%
- Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) 9.7%
- Latin America & Caribbean 9.6%
- Upper middle income 9.0%
- OECD members 8.7%
- East Asia & Pacific 8.5%
- East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) 8.4%
- East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income) 8.4%
- Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) 8.2%
- North America 8.1%
- High income 7.9%
- Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) 7.8%
- Post-demographic dividend 7.8%
- Europe & Central Asia 7.5%
- Central Europe and the Baltics 7.1%
- Late-demographic dividend 6.9%
About this data
Low-birthweight babies are newborns weighing less than 2,500 grams, with the measurement taken within the first hour of life, before significant postnatal weight loss has occurred.