Maternal mortality ratio in Ethiopia
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
36
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.
Maternal mortality ratio in Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100,000 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 1,297 deaths per 100,000 live births | — |
| 1986 | 1,246 deaths per 100,000 live births | -4.0% |
| 1987 | 1,205 deaths per 100,000 live births | -3.3% |
| 1988 | 1,219 deaths per 100,000 live births | +1.1% |
| 1989 | 1,214 deaths per 100,000 live births | -0.4% |
| 1990 | 1,236 deaths per 100,000 live births | +1.8% |
| 1991 | 1,169 deaths per 100,000 live births | -5.5% |
| 1992 | 1,151 deaths per 100,000 live births | -1.5% |
| 1993 | 1,117 deaths per 100,000 live births | -3.0% |
| 1994 | 1,082 deaths per 100,000 live births | -3.1% |
| 1995 | 1,052 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.8% |
| 1996 | 1,018 deaths per 100,000 live births | -3.2% |
| 1997 | 947.12 deaths per 100,000 live births | -6.9% |
| 1998 | 939.58 deaths per 100,000 live births | -0.8% |
| 1999 | 977.93 deaths per 100,000 live births | +4.1% |
| 2000 | 952.84 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.6% |
| 2001 | 955.11 deaths per 100,000 live births | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 960.47 deaths per 100,000 live births | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 906.12 deaths per 100,000 live births | -5.7% |
| 2004 | 900.38 deaths per 100,000 live births | -0.6% |
| 2005 | 879.86 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.3% |
| 2006 | 814.16 deaths per 100,000 live births | -7.5% |
| 2007 | 780.3 deaths per 100,000 live births | -4.2% |
| 2008 | 724.71 deaths per 100,000 live births | -7.1% |
| 2009 | 683.81 deaths per 100,000 live births | -5.6% |
| 2010 | 634.71 deaths per 100,000 live births | -7.2% |
| 2011 | 603.16 deaths per 100,000 live births | -5.0% |
| 2012 | 543.32 deaths per 100,000 live births | -9.9% |
| 2013 | 498.45 deaths per 100,000 live births | -8.3% |
| 2014 | 447.36 deaths per 100,000 live births | -10.3% |
| 2015 | 399.17 deaths per 100,000 live births | -10.8% |
| 2016 | 355.66 deaths per 100,000 live births | -10.9% |
| 2017 | 348.31 deaths per 100,000 live births | -2.1% |
| 2018 | 311.85 deaths per 100,000 live births | -10.5% |
| 2019 | 294.02 deaths per 100,000 live births | -5.7% |
| 2020 | 266.69 deaths per 100,000 live births | -9.3% |
Ethiopia compared with similar countries
- Ethiopia's 266.69 deaths per 100,000 live births is below the median for low income countries, which is 440.23 deaths per 100,000 live births, 61% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Ethiopia's 266.69 deaths per 100,000 live births is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 339.15 deaths per 100,000 live births, 79% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
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
More health data for Ethiopia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.67 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.9494 % change on previous year (2090)
- 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)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 148 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.34 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0709 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.36 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
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.
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About this data
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.