Maternal mortality in Somalia
Somalia: Maternal mortality was 620.68 in 2020. ▼ Falling
Latest (2020)
620.68
Change on year
up 2.4%
World rank
7th
of 189 countries
All-time high
1,199
in 1985
All-time low
606.24
in 2019
Years of data
36
1985–2020
Maternal mortality in Somalia, 1985–2020
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2020, maternal mortality in Somalia stood at 620.68.
The figure is up 2.4% on the previous year and down 35.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, maternal mortality in Somalia peaked at 1,199 in 1985 and was at its lowest, 606.24, in 2019.
Somalia ranks 7th of 189 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Maternal mortality in Somalia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 1,199 | — |
| 1986 | 1,182 | -1.4% |
| 1987 | 1,130 | -4.4% |
| 1988 | 1,120 | -0.9% |
| 1989 | 1,122 | +0.2% |
| 1990 | 1,104 | -1.5% |
| 1991 | 1,038 | -6.0% |
| 1992 | 972.67 | -6.3% |
| 1993 | 1,061 | +9.1% |
| 1994 | 1,095 | +3.2% |
| 1995 | 1,079 | -1.5% |
| 1996 | 1,094 | +1.4% |
| 1997 | 1,121 | +2.5% |
| 1998 | 1,104 | -1.6% |
| 1999 | 1,111 | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 1,097 | -1.3% |
| 2001 | 1,084 | -1.2% |
| 2002 | 1,087 | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 1,094 | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 1,102 | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 1,080 | -2.0% |
| 2006 | 1,068 | -1.1% |
| 2007 | 1,062 | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 1,015 | -4.4% |
| 2009 | 950.92 | -6.3% |
| 2010 | 963.18 | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 939.7 | -2.4% |
| 2012 | 862.9 | -8.2% |
| 2013 | 828.28 | -4.0% |
| 2014 | 792.55 | -4.3% |
| 2015 | 760.94 | -4.0% |
| 2016 | 710.89 | -6.6% |
| 2017 | 683.25 | -3.9% |
| 2018 | 650.68 | -4.8% |
| 2019 | 606.24 | -6.8% |
| 2020 | 620.68 | +2.4% |
Somalia compared with similar countries
- Somalia's 620.68 is above the median for low income countries, which is 440.23, 1.4× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Somalia's 620.68 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 339.15, 1.8× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1,150 | 1,120 | 1,199 | 5 |
| 1990s | 1,078 | 972.67 | 1,121 | 10 |
| 2000s | 1,064 | 950.92 | 1,102 | 10 |
| 2010s | 779.86 | 606.24 | 963.18 | 10 |
| 2020s | 620.68 | 620.68 | 620.68 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Somalia
- 4 Central African Republic 835.27 compare
- 5 Guinea-Bissau 725.09 compare
- 6 Liberia 652.34 compare
- 8 Afghanistan 620.41 compare
- 9 Lesotho 566.21 compare
- 10 Guinea 553.4 compare
More health data for Somalia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.41 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.8681 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 32,421 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 182 (2013)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 2.39 % 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 0.0897 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 2.38 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0926 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is maternal mortality in Somalia?
- Maternal mortality in Somalia was 620.68 in 2020, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest maternal mortality recorded in Somalia?
- The highest recorded value was 1,199 in 1985.
- What is the lowest maternal mortality recorded in Somalia?
- The lowest recorded value was 606.24 in 2019.
- How does Somalia rank for maternal mortality?
- Somalia ranks 7th out of 189 countries with data for 2020.
- Is maternal mortality rising or falling in Somalia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 35.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Somalia data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Maternal mortality. 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).