Low-birthweight babies in Europe & Central Asia
Europe & Central Asia: Low-birthweight babies was 7.5% in 2020. ▼ Falling
Low-birthweight babies in Europe & Central Asia, 2000–2020
Source: UNICEF-WHO Low birthweight estimates, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF). Measured in % of births.
Analysis
In 2020, low-birthweight babies in Europe & Central Asia stood at 7.5%. That is the lowest value across all 21 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.8% on the previous year and down 4.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, low-birthweight babies in Europe & Central Asia peaked at 8.4% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 7.5%, in 2020.
That places Europe & Central Asia 27th out of 31 groups with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 21 years of available data.
Low-birthweight babies in Europe & Central Asia, year by year
| Year | % of births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 8.4% | — |
| 2001 | 8.3% | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 8.2% | -0.9% |
| 2003 | 8.2% | -0.8% |
| 2004 | 8.1% | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 8.1% | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 8.0% | -0.6% |
| 2007 | 8.0% | -0.9% |
| 2008 | 7.9% | -0.6% |
| 2009 | 7.9% | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 7.9% | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 7.9% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 7.8% | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 7.8% | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 7.8% | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 7.8% | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 7.7% | -0.6% |
| 2017 | 7.7% | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 7.7% | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 7.6% | -0.9% |
| 2020 | 7.5% | -0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 8.1% | 7.9% | 8.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.8% | 7.6% | 7.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.5% | 7.5% | 7.5% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Europe & Central Asia
- 24 Central African Republic 16.4% compare
- 25 Trinidad and Tobago 16.3% compare
- 26 Saint Lucia 16.3% compare
- 27 Namibia 15.6% compare
- 28 Malawi 15.6% compare
- 29 Angola 15.5% compare
- 30 Bahamas 15.4% compare
More health data for Europe & Central Asia
- Population ages 35-39, female, annual growth rate -0.1309 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, female, per capita 0.0352 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, female, annual growth rate 0.2923 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, per capita 0.0361 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, annual growth rate 0.1122 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, female, per capita 0.0355 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 25-29, male, per capita 0.0301 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is low-birthweight babies in Europe & Central Asia?
- Low-birthweight babies in Europe & Central Asia was 7.5% 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?
- The highest recorded value was 8.4% in 2000.
- What is the lowest low-birthweight babies recorded in Europe & Central Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.5% in 2020.
- How does Europe & Central Asia rank for low-birthweight babies?
- Europe & Central Asia ranks 27th out of 31 groups with data for 2020.
- Is low-birthweight babies rising or falling in Europe & Central Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Europe & Central Asia 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.