What is maternal mortality ratio in Ethiopia?

Maternal mortality ratio in Ethiopia was 266.69 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 Ethiopia?

The highest recorded value was 1,297 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1985.

What is the lowest maternal mortality ratio recorded in Ethiopia?

The lowest recorded value was 266.69 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020.

How does Ethiopia rank for maternal mortality ratio?

Ethiopia ranks 32nd out of 189 countries with data for 2020.

Is maternal mortality ratio rising or falling in Ethiopia?

Over the last ten years it is down 58.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.

Where does this Ethiopia 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 Ethiopia

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

Ethiopia: Maternal mortality ratio was 266.69 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020. ▼ Falling

Latest (2020)

266.69 deaths per 100,000 live births

Change on year

down 9.3%

World rank

32nd

of 189 countries

All-time high

1,297 deaths per 100,000 live births

in 1985

All-time low

266.69 deaths per 100,000 live births

in 2020

Years of data

1985–2020

Maternal mortality ratio in Ethiopia, 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

Ethiopia recorded 266.69 deaths per 100,000 live births for maternal mortality ratio in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 9.3% on the previous year and down 58.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, maternal mortality ratio in Ethiopia peaked at 1,297 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1985 and was at its lowest, 266.69 deaths per 100,000 live births, in 2020.

Ethiopia ranks 32nd of 189 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

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

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1980s	1,236 deaths per 100,000 live births	1,205 deaths per 100,000 live births	1,297 deaths per 100,000 live births	5
1990s	1,069 deaths per 100,000 live births	939.58 deaths per 100,000 live births	1,236 deaths per 100,000 live births	10
2000s	855.77 deaths per 100,000 live births	683.81 deaths per 100,000 live births	960.47 deaths per 100,000 live births	10
2010s	443.6 deaths per 100,000 live births	294.02 deaths per 100,000 live births	634.71 deaths per 100,000 live births	10
2020s	266.69 deaths per 100,000 live births	266.69 deaths per 100,000 live births	266.69 deaths per 100,000 live births	1

Countries ranked near Ethiopia

29 Uganda 284.14 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
30 Congo 282.39 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
31 Sudan 270.36 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
33 Burkina Faso 263.75 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
34 Ghana 263.11 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
35 Senegal 260.88 deaths per 100,000 live births compare

See the full ranking of 189 places →

More health data for Ethiopia

Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 744.3 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
Number of infants who die before age 1 19,997 deaths (2100)
Deaths in armed conflicts based on where they occurred 1,357 deaths (2026)
Deaths in armed conflicts by region 1,357 deaths (2026)
Age population, age 25, male, interpolated 1.25 million (2025)
Age population, age 25, female, interpolated 1.24 million (2025)
Age population, age 24, male, interpolated 1.29 million (2025)
Age population, age 24, female, interpolated 1.28 million (2025)
Age population, age 23, male, interpolated 1.33 million (2025)
Age population, age 23, female, interpolated 1.32 million (2025)

All data for Ethiopia →

Frequently asked questions

What is maternal mortality ratio in Ethiopia?: Maternal mortality ratio in Ethiopia was 266.69 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 Ethiopia?: The highest recorded value was 1,297 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1985.
What is the lowest maternal mortality ratio recorded in Ethiopia?: The lowest recorded value was 266.69 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020.
How does Ethiopia rank for maternal mortality ratio?: Ethiopia ranks 32nd out of 189 countries with data for 2020.
Is maternal mortality ratio rising or falling in Ethiopia?: Over the last ten years it is down 58.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Ethiopia 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.