What is maternal mortality ratio in Afghanistan?

Maternal mortality ratio in Afghanistan was 620.41 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020, according to UN MMEIG (2023) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.

What is the highest maternal mortality ratio recorded in Afghanistan?

The highest recorded value was 1,910 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1985.

What is the lowest maternal mortality ratio recorded in Afghanistan?

The lowest recorded value was 620.41 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020.

How does Afghanistan rank for maternal mortality ratio?

Afghanistan ranks 8th out of 189 countries with data for 2020.

Is maternal mortality ratio rising or falling in Afghanistan?

Over the last ten years it is down 31.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.

Where does this Afghanistan data come from?

The figures come from UN MMEIG (2023) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Maternal mortality ratio. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Maternal mortality ratio in Afghanistan

Name: Maternal mortality ratio in Afghanistan
Creator: UN MMEIG (2023) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

Afghanistan: Maternal mortality ratio was 620.41 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020. ▼ Falling

Latest (2020)

620.41 deaths per 100,000 live births

Change on year

down 3.7%

World rank

8th

of 189 countries

All-time high

1,910 deaths per 100,000 live births

in 1985

All-time low

620.41 deaths per 100,000 live births

in 2020

Years of data

1985–2020

Maternal mortality ratio in Afghanistan, 1985–2020

Source: UN MMEIG (2023) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100,000 live births.

Analysis

The most recent figure for maternal mortality ratio in Afghanistan is 620.41 deaths per 100,000 live births, measured in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.7% on the previous year and down 31.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, maternal mortality ratio in Afghanistan peaked at 1,910 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1985 and was at its lowest, 620.41 deaths per 100,000 live births, in 2020.

That places Afghanistan 8th out of 189 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1980s	1,579 deaths per 100,000 live births	1,383 deaths per 100,000 live births	1,910 deaths per 100,000 live births	5
1990s	1,393 deaths per 100,000 live births	1,359 deaths per 100,000 live births	1,459 deaths per 100,000 live births	10
2000s	1,125 deaths per 100,000 live births	913.04 deaths per 100,000 live births	1,346 deaths per 100,000 live births	10
2010s	773.69 deaths per 100,000 live births	644.27 deaths per 100,000 live births	898.67 deaths per 100,000 live births	10
2020s	620.41 deaths per 100,000 live births	620.41 deaths per 100,000 live births	620.41 deaths per 100,000 live births	1

Countries ranked near Afghanistan

5 Guinea-Bissau 725.09 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
6 Liberia 652.34 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
7 Somalia 620.68 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
9 Lesotho 566.21 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
10 Guinea 553.4 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
11 Democratic Republic of Congo 547.36 deaths per 100,000 live births compare

See the full ranking of 189 places →

More health data for Afghanistan

Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 812.4 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
Number of infants who die before age 1 14,735 deaths (2100)
Deaths in armed conflicts by region 454 deaths (2026)
Deaths in armed conflicts based on where they occurred 454 deaths (2026)
Age population, age 08, male, interpolated 621,653 (2025)
Age population, age 11, female, interpolated 556,537 (2025)
Age population, age 10, male, interpolated 595,588 (2025)
Age population, age 10, female, interpolated 569,129 (2025)
Age population, age 09, male, interpolated 608,382 (2025)
Age population, age 09, female, interpolated 581,669 (2025)

All data for Afghanistan →

Frequently asked questions

What is maternal mortality ratio in Afghanistan?: Maternal mortality ratio in Afghanistan was 620.41 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020, according to UN MMEIG (2023) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest maternal mortality ratio recorded in Afghanistan?: The highest recorded value was 1,910 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1985.
What is the lowest maternal mortality ratio recorded in Afghanistan?: The lowest recorded value was 620.41 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020.
How does Afghanistan rank for maternal mortality ratio?: Afghanistan ranks 8th out of 189 countries with data for 2020.
Is maternal mortality ratio rising or falling in Afghanistan?: Over the last ten years it is down 31.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Afghanistan data come from?: The figures come from UN MMEIG (2023) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Maternal mortality ratio. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator: Maternal mortality ratio
Unit: deaths per 100,000 live births
Source: UN MMEIG (2023) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 189 places, 8,868 data points, 1751–2020
Last refreshed: 07 August 2026

The estimated number of women who die from maternal conditions per 100,000 live births, based on data from death certificates, large-scale surveys, and statistical modeling.