Low-birthweight babies in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)
Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income): Low-birthweight babies was 8.2% in 2020. ▼ Falling
Low-birthweight babies in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income), 2000–2020
Source: UNICEF-WHO Low birthweight estimates, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF). Measured in % of births.
Analysis
Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) recorded 8.2% for low-birthweight babies in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 21 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.9% on the previous year and down 9.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, low-birthweight babies in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) peaked at 10.3% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 8.2%, in 2020.
That places Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) 22nd out of 31 groups with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 21 years of available data.
Low-birthweight babies in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income), year by year
| Year | % of births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 10.3% | — |
| 2001 | 10.2% | -0.8% |
| 2002 | 10.1% | -1.6% |
| 2003 | 9.9% | -1.6% |
| 2004 | 9.8% | -1.3% |
| 2005 | 9.7% | -0.8% |
| 2006 | 9.6% | -1.5% |
| 2007 | 9.4% | -1.9% |
| 2008 | 9.2% | -1.5% |
| 2009 | 9.1% | -1.3% |
| 2010 | 9.1% | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 9.0% | -0.7% |
| 2012 | 8.9% | -0.6% |
| 2013 | 8.8% | -1.1% |
| 2014 | 8.8% | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 8.7% | -0.9% |
| 2016 | 8.7% | -0.8% |
| 2017 | 8.6% | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 8.5% | -1.4% |
| 2019 | 8.4% | -2.0% |
| 2020 | 8.2% | -1.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 9.7% | 9.1% | 10.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.8% | 8.4% | 9.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.2% | 8.2% | 8.2% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)
- 19 Botswana 16.8% compare
- 20 Lao People's Democratic Republic 16.7% compare
- 21 South Africa 16.6% compare
- 22 Suriname 16.5% compare
- 23 Benin 16.4% compare
- 24 Central African Republic 16.4% compare
- 25 Trinidad and Tobago 16.3% compare
More health data for Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)
- Population ages 40-44, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 10-14, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 45-49, male, annual growth rate 2.65 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 45-49, female, per capita 0.0335 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 45-49, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 10-14, female, per capita 0.0381 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 45-49, female, annual growth rate 2.23 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, male, per capita 0.0363 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, female, annual growth rate 1.72 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 10-14, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
All data for Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is low-birthweight babies in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)?
- Low-birthweight babies in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) was 8.2% in 2020, according to UNICEF-WHO Low birthweight estimates, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).
- What is the highest low-birthweight babies recorded in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)?
- The highest recorded value was 10.3% in 2000.
- What is the lowest low-birthweight babies recorded in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.2% in 2020.
- How does Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) rank for low-birthweight babies?
- Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) ranks 22nd out of 31 groups with data for 2020.
- Is low-birthweight babies rising or falling in Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) data come from?
- The figures come from UNICEF-WHO Low birthweight estimates, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), published as part of Low-birthweight babies (% of births). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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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.