Mortality rate, under-5, female in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Mortality rate, under-5, female was 65.7 per 1,000 live births in 2024. ▼ Falling
Mortality rate, under-5, female in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1990–2024
Source: UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF). Measured in per 1,000 live births.
Analysis
In 2024, mortality rate, under-5, female in Sub-Saharan Africa stood at 65.7 per 1,000 live births. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.8% on the previous year and down 18.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mortality rate, under-5, female in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 170.6 per 1,000 live births in 1991 and was at its lowest, 65.7 per 1,000 live births, in 2024.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa 4th out of 47 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Mortality rate, under-5, female in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | per 1,000 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 169.2 per 1,000 live births | — |
| 1991 | 170.6 per 1,000 live births | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 169.4 per 1,000 live births | -0.7% |
| 1993 | 167.6 per 1,000 live births | -1.1% |
| 1994 | 164.4 per 1,000 live births | -1.9% |
| 1995 | 159.7 per 1,000 live births | -2.9% |
| 1996 | 160.5 per 1,000 live births | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 156.7 per 1,000 live births | -2.4% |
| 1998 | 155.9 per 1,000 live births | -0.5% |
| 1999 | 147.1 per 1,000 live births | -5.6% |
| 2000 | 141.9 per 1,000 live births | -3.5% |
| 2001 | 137.9 per 1,000 live births | -2.8% |
| 2002 | 130.7 per 1,000 live births | -5.2% |
| 2003 | 124.9 per 1,000 live births | -4.4% |
| 2004 | 119.7 per 1,000 live births | -4.2% |
| 2005 | 111.9 per 1,000 live births | -6.5% |
| 2006 | 106.3 per 1,000 live births | -5.0% |
| 2007 | 101.6 per 1,000 live births | -4.4% |
| 2008 | 97.1 per 1,000 live births | -4.4% |
| 2009 | 95.6 per 1,000 live births | -1.5% |
| 2010 | 90.2 per 1,000 live births | -5.6% |
| 2011 | 90.2 per 1,000 live births | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 84 per 1,000 live births | -6.9% |
| 2013 | 81.1 per 1,000 live births | -3.5% |
| 2014 | 80.4 per 1,000 live births | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 78.8 per 1,000 live births | -2.0% |
| 2016 | 77.3 per 1,000 live births | -1.9% |
| 2017 | 76.5 per 1,000 live births | -1.0% |
| 2018 | 73 per 1,000 live births | -4.6% |
| 2019 | 72.1 per 1,000 live births | -1.2% |
| 2020 | 70.1 per 1,000 live births | -2.8% |
| 2021 | 71.3 per 1,000 live births | +1.7% |
| 2022 | 72.6 per 1,000 live births | +1.8% |
| 2023 | 67.6 per 1,000 live births | -6.9% |
| 2024 | 65.7 per 1,000 live births | -2.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 162.11 per 1,000 live births | 147.1 per 1,000 live births | 170.6 per 1,000 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 116.76 per 1,000 live births | 95.6 per 1,000 live births | 141.9 per 1,000 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 80.36 per 1,000 live births | 72.1 per 1,000 live births | 90.2 per 1,000 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 69.46 per 1,000 live births | 65.7 per 1,000 live births | 72.6 per 1,000 live births | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 1 Nigeria 109.5 per 1,000 live births compare
- 2 Niger 106.5 per 1,000 live births compare
- 3 Somalia 95.2 per 1,000 live births compare
- 4 South Sudan 91.5 per 1,000 live births compare
- 5 Chad 91 per 1,000 live births compare
- 6 Guinea 85.1 per 1,000 live births compare
- 7 Sierra Leone 84.6 per 1,000 live births compare
More health data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Population ages 80 and above, male, annual growth rate 3.45 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, male, per capita 0.0023 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, female, annual growth rate 3.25 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, female, per capita 0.0026 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, annual growth rate 1.61 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per capita 0.1997 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, male, annual growth rate 3.5 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mortality rate, under-5, female in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Mortality rate, under-5, female in Sub-Saharan Africa was 65.7 per 1,000 live births in 2024, according to UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).
- What is the highest mortality rate, under-5, female recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 170.6 per 1,000 live births in 1991.
- What is the lowest mortality rate, under-5, female recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 65.7 per 1,000 live births in 2024.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for mortality rate, under-5, female?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 4th out of 47 groups with data for 2024.
- Is mortality rate, under-5, female rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 18.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), published as part of Mortality rate, under-5, female (per 1,000 live births). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Under-five mortality rate, female is the probability per 1,000 that a newborn female baby will die before reaching age five, if subject to female age-specific mortality rates of the specified year.