Mortality rate, under-5 in China
China: Mortality rate, under-5 was 5.7 per 1,000 live births in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
5.7 per 1,000 live births
Change on year
down 6.6%
World rank
149th
of 196 countries
All-time high
118 per 1,000 live births
in 1969
All-time low
5.7 per 1,000 live births
in 2024
Years of data
56
1969–2024
Mortality rate, under-5 in China, 1969–2024
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 in China stood at 5.7 per 1,000 live births. That is the lowest value across all 56 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 6.6% on the previous year and down 50.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mortality rate, under-5 in China peaked at 118 per 1,000 live births in 1969 and was at its lowest, 5.7 per 1,000 live births, in 2024.
That places China 149th out of 196 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Mortality rate, under-5 in China, year by year
| Year | per 1,000 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1969 | 118 per 1,000 live births | — |
| 1970 | 112.1 per 1,000 live births | -5.0% |
| 1971 | 106.3 per 1,000 live births | -5.2% |
| 1972 | 100.8 per 1,000 live births | -5.2% |
| 1973 | 95.2 per 1,000 live births | -5.6% |
| 1974 | 89.7 per 1,000 live births | -5.8% |
| 1975 | 84.3 per 1,000 live births | -6.0% |
| 1976 | 79.1 per 1,000 live births | -6.2% |
| 1977 | 74.2 per 1,000 live births | -6.2% |
| 1978 | 69.8 per 1,000 live births | -5.9% |
| 1979 | 65.9 per 1,000 live births | -5.6% |
| 1980 | 62.6 per 1,000 live births | -5.0% |
| 1981 | 59.9 per 1,000 live births | -4.3% |
| 1982 | 57.7 per 1,000 live births | -3.7% |
| 1983 | 56.1 per 1,000 live births | -2.8% |
| 1984 | 54.9 per 1,000 live births | -2.1% |
| 1985 | 54.2 per 1,000 live births | -1.3% |
| 1986 | 53.9 per 1,000 live births | -0.6% |
| 1987 | 53.8 per 1,000 live births | -0.2% |
| 1988 | 53.9 per 1,000 live births | +0.2% |
| 1989 | 53.8 per 1,000 live births | -0.2% |
| 1990 | 53.6 per 1,000 live births | -0.4% |
| 1991 | 53 per 1,000 live births | -1.1% |
| 1992 | 52.1 per 1,000 live births | -1.7% |
| 1993 | 50.8 per 1,000 live births | -2.5% |
| 1994 | 49.2 per 1,000 live births | -3.1% |
| 1995 | 47.4 per 1,000 live births | -3.7% |
| 1996 | 45.5 per 1,000 live births | -4.0% |
| 1997 | 43.5 per 1,000 live births | -4.4% |
| 1998 | 41.4 per 1,000 live births | -4.8% |
| 1999 | 39.1 per 1,000 live births | -5.6% |
| 2000 | 36.6 per 1,000 live births | -6.4% |
| 2001 | 34.1 per 1,000 live births | -6.8% |
| 2002 | 31.4 per 1,000 live births | -7.9% |
| 2003 | 28.8 per 1,000 live births | -8.3% |
| 2004 | 26.3 per 1,000 live births | -8.7% |
| 2005 | 24 per 1,000 live births | -8.7% |
| 2006 | 21.9 per 1,000 live births | -8.8% |
| 2007 | 20.1 per 1,000 live births | -8.2% |
| 2008 | 18.5 per 1,000 live births | -8.0% |
| 2009 | 17.1 per 1,000 live births | -7.6% |
| 2010 | 15.7 per 1,000 live births | -8.2% |
| 2011 | 14.6 per 1,000 live births | -7.0% |
| 2012 | 13.5 per 1,000 live births | -7.5% |
| 2013 | 12.5 per 1,000 live births | -7.4% |
| 2014 | 11.6 per 1,000 live births | -7.2% |
| 2015 | 10.7 per 1,000 live births | -7.8% |
| 2016 | 10 per 1,000 live births | -6.5% |
| 2017 | 9.3 per 1,000 live births | -7.0% |
| 2018 | 8.6 per 1,000 live births | -7.5% |
| 2019 | 8 per 1,000 live births | -7.0% |
| 2020 | 7.5 per 1,000 live births | -6.2% |
| 2021 | 7 per 1,000 live births | -6.7% |
| 2022 | 6.6 per 1,000 live births | -5.7% |
| 2023 | 6.1 per 1,000 live births | -7.6% |
| 2024 | 5.7 per 1,000 live births | -6.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 118 per 1,000 live births | 118 per 1,000 live births | 118 per 1,000 live births | 1 |
| 1970s | 87.74 per 1,000 live births | 65.9 per 1,000 live births | 112.1 per 1,000 live births | 10 |
| 1980s | 56.08 per 1,000 live births | 53.8 per 1,000 live births | 62.6 per 1,000 live births | 10 |
| 1990s | 47.56 per 1,000 live births | 39.1 per 1,000 live births | 53.6 per 1,000 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 25.88 per 1,000 live births | 17.1 per 1,000 live births | 36.6 per 1,000 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.45 per 1,000 live births | 8 per 1,000 live births | 15.7 per 1,000 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.58 per 1,000 live births | 5.7 per 1,000 live births | 7.5 per 1,000 live births | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
- 146 Saudi Arabia 6 per 1,000 live births compare
- 147 Qatar 5.9 per 1,000 live births compare
- 147 Sri Lanka 5.9 per 1,000 live births compare
- 149 Bulgaria 5.7 per 1,000 live births compare
- 151 Croatia 5.6 per 1,000 live births compare
- 152 Canada 5.4 per 1,000 live births compare
- 152 Maldives 5.4 per 1,000 live births compare
- 152 Serbia 5.4 per 1,000 live births compare
More health data for China
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.15 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.0985 % change on previous year (2090)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates 2,029 (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 4,642 (2100)
- Population ages 65 and above, female, annual growth rate 1.76 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, female, per capita 0.0822 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, male, annual growth rate 1.19 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, male, per capita 0.0669 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mortality rate, under-5 in China?
- Mortality rate, under-5 in China was 5.7 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 recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 118 per 1,000 live births in 1969.
- What is the lowest mortality rate, under-5 recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.7 per 1,000 live births in 2024.
- How does China rank for mortality rate, under-5?
- China ranks 149th out of 196 countries with data for 2024.
- Is mortality rate, under-5 rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 50.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China 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 (per 1,000 live births). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Under-five mortality rate is the probability per 1,000 that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five, if subject to age-specific mortality rates of the specified year.