What is maternal mortality ratio in Iceland?

Maternal mortality ratio in Iceland was 2.65 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 Iceland?

The highest recorded value was 131.03 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1956.

What is the lowest maternal mortality ratio recorded in Iceland?

The lowest recorded value was 2.65 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020.

How does Iceland rank for maternal mortality ratio?

Iceland ranks 185th out of 189 countries with data for 2020.

Is maternal mortality ratio rising or falling in Iceland?

Over the last ten years it is down 9.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.

Where does this Iceland 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 Iceland

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

Iceland: Maternal mortality ratio was 2.65 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2020)

2.65 deaths per 100,000 live births

Change on year

down 15.0%

World rank

185th

of 189 countries

All-time high

131.03 deaths per 100,000 live births

in 1956

All-time low

2.65 deaths per 100,000 live births

in 2020

Years of data

1951–2020

Maternal mortality ratio in Iceland, 1951–2020

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

Analysis

In 2020, maternal mortality ratio in Iceland stood at 2.65 deaths per 100,000 live births. That is the lowest value across all 55 years on record.

That represents a change of down 15.0% on the previous year and down 9.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, maternal mortality ratio in Iceland peaked at 131.03 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1956 and was at its lowest, 2.65 deaths per 100,000 live births, in 2020.

Iceland ranks 185th of 189 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1950s	65.71 deaths per 100,000 live births	22.34 deaths per 100,000 live births	131.03 deaths per 100,000 live births	9
1960s	33.79 deaths per 100,000 live births	20.8 deaths per 100,000 live births	62.89 deaths per 100,000 live births	7
1970s	30.5 deaths per 100,000 live births	21.77 deaths per 100,000 live births	46.85 deaths per 100,000 live births	3
1980s	6.45 deaths per 100,000 live births	6.21 deaths per 100,000 live births	6.76 deaths per 100,000 live births	5
1990s	5.99 deaths per 100,000 live births	5.58 deaths per 100,000 live births	6.88 deaths per 100,000 live births	10
2000s	4.06 deaths per 100,000 live births	3.1 deaths per 100,000 live births	5.27 deaths per 100,000 live births	10
2010s	3.07 deaths per 100,000 live births	2.8 deaths per 100,000 live births	3.68 deaths per 100,000 live births	10
2020s	2.65 deaths per 100,000 live births	2.65 deaths per 100,000 live births	2.65 deaths per 100,000 live births	1

Countries ranked near Iceland

182 Australia 2.94 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
184 Israel 2.84 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
186 Poland 1.96 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
187 Norway 1.66 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
188 Hong Kong 1.35 deaths per 100,000 live births compare

See the full ranking of 189 places →

More health data for Iceland

Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,358 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
Number of infants who die before age 1 0 deaths (2100)
Deaths in armed conflicts based on where they occurred 0 deaths (2026)
Deaths in armed conflicts by region 0 deaths (2026)
Age population, age 25, male, interpolated 2,836 (2025)
Age population, age 25, female, interpolated 2,804 (2025)
Age population, age 24, male, interpolated 2,804 (2025)
Age population, age 24, female, interpolated 2,697 (2025)
Age population, age 23, male, interpolated 2,653 (2025)
Age population, age 23, female, interpolated 2,582 (2025)

All data for Iceland →

Frequently asked questions

What is maternal mortality ratio in Iceland?: Maternal mortality ratio in Iceland was 2.65 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 Iceland?: The highest recorded value was 131.03 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1956.
What is the lowest maternal mortality ratio recorded in Iceland?: The lowest recorded value was 2.65 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020.
How does Iceland rank for maternal mortality ratio?: Iceland ranks 185th out of 189 countries with data for 2020.
Is maternal mortality ratio rising or falling in Iceland?: Over the last ten years it is down 9.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Iceland 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 — 55 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.