Maternal mortality ratio (per 100 000 live births) in Namibia
Namibia: Maternal mortality ratio was 138.86 in 2023. ▼ Falling
Maternal mortality ratio in Namibia, 1985–2023
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
Namibia recorded 138.86 for maternal mortality ratio in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 9.5% on the previous year and down 65.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, maternal mortality ratio in Namibia peaked at 547.37 in 2009 and was at its lowest, 126.86, in 2022.
Namibia ranks 54th of 194 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 39 years of available data.
Maternal mortality ratio in Namibia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 354.08 | — |
| 1986 | 347.61 | -1.8% |
| 1987 | 335.86 | -3.4% |
| 1988 | 342.02 | +1.8% |
| 1989 | 305.98 | -10.5% |
| 1990 | 325.43 | +6.4% |
| 1991 | 336.52 | +3.4% |
| 1992 | 345.83 | +2.8% |
| 1993 | 353.85 | +2.3% |
| 1994 | 366.8 | +3.7% |
| 1995 | 369.11 | +0.6% |
| 1996 | 386.71 | +4.8% |
| 1997 | 383.33 | -0.9% |
| 1998 | 396.07 | +3.3% |
| 1999 | 371.22 | -6.3% |
| 2000 | 383.55 | +3.3% |
| 2001 | 376.06 | -2.0% |
| 2002 | 313.29 | -16.7% |
| 2003 | 289.93 | -7.5% |
| 2004 | 282.39 | -2.6% |
| 2005 | 343.79 | +21.7% |
| 2006 | 407.53 | +18.5% |
| 2007 | 488.73 | +19.9% |
| 2008 | 537.15 | +9.9% |
| 2009 | 547.37 | +1.9% |
| 2010 | 531.14 | -3.0% |
| 2011 | 497.65 | -6.3% |
| 2012 | 439.42 | -11.7% |
| 2013 | 401.56 | -8.6% |
| 2014 | 368.96 | -8.1% |
| 2015 | 306.57 | -16.9% |
| 2016 | 249.62 | -18.6% |
| 2017 | 213.12 | -14.6% |
| 2018 | 197.95 | -7.1% |
| 2019 | 174.92 | -11.6% |
| 2020 | 143.44 | -18.0% |
| 2021 | 254.25 | +77.2% |
| 2022 | 126.86 | -50.1% |
| 2023 | 138.86 | +9.5% |
Namibia compared with similar countries
- Namibia's 138.86 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 146.37, 95% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Namibia's 138.86 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 267.03, 52% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Maternal mortality ratio in Namibia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | +77.2% | 143.44 | 254.25 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 337.11 | 305.98 | 354.08 | 5 |
| 1990s | 363.49 | 325.43 | 396.07 | 10 |
| 2000s | 396.98 | 282.39 | 547.37 | 10 |
| 2010s | 338.09 | 174.92 | 531.14 | 10 |
| 2020s | 165.85 | 126.86 | 254.25 | 4 |
Countries ranked near Namibia
More health data for Namibia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.75 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.6445 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,046 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 561 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 1 (2024)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -1.83 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0644 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -1.56 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is maternal mortality ratio in Namibia?
- Maternal mortality ratio in Namibia was 138.86 in 2023, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
- What is the highest maternal mortality ratio recorded in Namibia?
- The highest recorded value was 547.37 in 2009.
- What is the lowest maternal mortality ratio recorded in Namibia?
- The lowest recorded value was 126.86 in 2022.
- How does Namibia rank for maternal mortality ratio?
- Namibia ranks 54th out of 194 countries with data for 2023.
- Is maternal mortality ratio rising or falling in Namibia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 65.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Namibia data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as part of Maternal mortality ratio (per 100 000 live births). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 39 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO).