What is maternal mortality ratio in Sri Lanka?

Maternal mortality ratio in Sri Lanka was 28.84 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 Sri Lanka?

The highest recorded value was 2,680 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1935.

What is the lowest maternal mortality ratio recorded in Sri Lanka?

The lowest recorded value was 28.84 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020.

How does Sri Lanka rank for maternal mortality ratio?

Sri Lanka ranks 113th out of 189 countries with data for 2020.

Is maternal mortality ratio rising or falling in Sri Lanka?

Over the last ten years it is down 22.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.

Where does this Sri Lanka 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 Sri Lanka

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

Sri Lanka: Maternal mortality ratio was 28.84 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2020)

28.84 deaths per 100,000 live births

Change on year

down 3.3%

World rank

113th

of 189 countries

All-time high

2,680 deaths per 100,000 live births

in 1935

All-time low

28.84 deaths per 100,000 live births

in 2020

Years of data

121

1900–2020

Maternal mortality ratio in Sri Lanka, 1900–2020

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 Sri Lanka stood at 28.84 deaths per 100,000 live births. That is the lowest value across all 121 years on record.

That represents a change of down 3.3% on the previous year and down 22.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, maternal mortality ratio in Sri Lanka peaked at 2,680 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1935 and was at its lowest, 28.84 deaths per 100,000 live births, in 2020.

Sri Lanka ranks 113th of 189 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

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

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1900s	1,531 deaths per 100,000 live births	1,378 deaths per 100,000 live births	1,721 deaths per 100,000 live births	10
1910s	2,121 deaths per 100,000 live births	903.82 deaths per 100,000 live births	2,494 deaths per 100,000 live births	10
1920s	1,943 deaths per 100,000 live births	1,750 deaths per 100,000 live births	2,156 deaths per 100,000 live births	10
1930s	2,067 deaths per 100,000 live births	1,824 deaths per 100,000 live births	2,680 deaths per 100,000 live births	10
1940s	1,307 deaths per 100,000 live births	654.55 deaths per 100,000 live births	1,694 deaths per 100,000 live births	10
1950s	457.1 deaths per 100,000 live births	347.29 deaths per 100,000 live births	579.85 deaths per 100,000 live births	10
1960s	237.1 deaths per 100,000 live births	153.18 deaths per 100,000 live births	311.68 deaths per 100,000 live births	10
1970s	109.03 deaths per 100,000 live births	75.84 deaths per 100,000 live births	145.42 deaths per 100,000 live births	10
1980s	61.86 deaths per 100,000 live births	47.42 deaths per 100,000 live births	69.81 deaths per 100,000 live births	10
1990s	53.62 deaths per 100,000 live births	47 deaths per 100,000 live births	59.34 deaths per 100,000 live births	10
2000s	46.86 deaths per 100,000 live births	39.13 deaths per 100,000 live births	61.08 deaths per 100,000 live births	10
2010s	32.25 deaths per 100,000 live births	29.81 deaths per 100,000 live births	37.26 deaths per 100,000 live births	10
2020s	28.84 deaths per 100,000 live births	28.84 deaths per 100,000 live births	28.84 deaths per 100,000 live births	1

Countries ranked near Sri Lanka

110 Puerto Rico 34.34 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
111 Uzbekistan 30.18 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
112 Syria 29.92 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
114 Thailand 28.6 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
115 Georgia 27.61 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
116 Armenia 27.19 deaths per 100,000 live births compare

See the full ranking of 189 places →

More health data for Sri Lanka

Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,250 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
Number of infants who die before age 1 304 deaths (2100)
Deaths in armed conflicts based on where they occurred 104 deaths (2026)
Deaths in armed conflicts by region 104 deaths (2026)
Age population, age 25, male, interpolated 165,896 (2025)
Age population, age 25, female, interpolated 161,381 (2025)
Age population, age 24, male, interpolated 168,135 (2025)
Age population, age 24, female, interpolated 163,591 (2025)
Age population, age 23, male, interpolated 171,383 (2025)
Age population, age 23, female, interpolated 167,020 (2025)

All data for Sri Lanka →

Frequently asked questions

What is maternal mortality ratio in Sri Lanka?: Maternal mortality ratio in Sri Lanka was 28.84 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 Sri Lanka?: The highest recorded value was 2,680 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1935.
What is the lowest maternal mortality ratio recorded in Sri Lanka?: The lowest recorded value was 28.84 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020.
How does Sri Lanka rank for maternal mortality ratio?: Sri Lanka ranks 113th out of 189 countries with data for 2020.
Is maternal mortality ratio rising or falling in Sri Lanka?: Over the last ten years it is down 22.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Sri Lanka 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 — 121 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.