Mortality rate, under-5 (per 1,000 live births) in North Korea
North Korea: Mortality rate, under-5 (per 1,000 live births) was 16.7 per 1,000 live births in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
16.7 per 1,000 live births
Change on year
down 7.2%
World rank
89th
of 197 countries
All-time high
115.8 per 1,000 live births
in 1960
All-time low
16.7 per 1,000 live births
in 2024
Years of data
65
1960–2024
Mortality rate, under-5 in North Korea, 1960–2024
Source: UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF). Measured in per 1,000 live births.
Analysis
The most recent figure for mortality rate, under-5 in North Korea is 16.7 per 1,000 live births, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 65 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 7.2% on the previous year and down 26.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mortality rate, under-5 in North Korea peaked at 115.8 per 1,000 live births in 1960 and was at its lowest, 16.7 per 1,000 live births, in 2024.
That places North Korea 89th out of 197 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Mortality rate, under-5 (per 1,000 live births) in North Korea, year by year
| Year | per 1,000 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 115.8 per 1,000 live births | — |
| 1961 | 111.6 per 1,000 live births | -3.6% |
| 1962 | 107.6 per 1,000 live births | -3.6% |
| 1963 | 103.6 per 1,000 live births | -3.7% |
| 1964 | 99.2 per 1,000 live births | -4.2% |
| 1965 | 94.6 per 1,000 live births | -4.6% |
| 1966 | 89.6 per 1,000 live births | -5.3% |
| 1967 | 84.5 per 1,000 live births | -5.7% |
| 1968 | 79.4 per 1,000 live births | -6.0% |
| 1969 | 74.5 per 1,000 live births | -6.2% |
| 1970 | 69.9 per 1,000 live births | -6.2% |
| 1971 | 65.8 per 1,000 live births | -5.9% |
| 1972 | 62 per 1,000 live births | -5.8% |
| 1973 | 58.6 per 1,000 live births | -5.5% |
| 1974 | 55.6 per 1,000 live births | -5.1% |
| 1975 | 52.8 per 1,000 live births | -5.0% |
| 1976 | 50.3 per 1,000 live births | -4.7% |
| 1977 | 48 per 1,000 live births | -4.6% |
| 1978 | 45.9 per 1,000 live births | -4.4% |
| 1979 | 44 per 1,000 live births | -4.1% |
| 1980 | 42.2 per 1,000 live births | -4.1% |
| 1981 | 40.5 per 1,000 live births | -4.0% |
| 1982 | 39.1 per 1,000 live births | -3.5% |
| 1983 | 38 per 1,000 live births | -2.8% |
| 1984 | 37.1 per 1,000 live births | -2.4% |
| 1985 | 36.8 per 1,000 live births | -0.8% |
| 1986 | 36.8 per 1,000 live births | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 37.8 per 1,000 live births | +2.7% |
| 1988 | 38.3 per 1,000 live births | +1.3% |
| 1989 | 39.5 per 1,000 live births | +3.1% |
| 1990 | 40.7 per 1,000 live births | +3.0% |
| 1991 | 41.8 per 1,000 live births | +2.7% |
| 1992 | 42.5 per 1,000 live births | +1.7% |
| 1993 | 42.7 per 1,000 live births | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 42.5 per 1,000 live births | -0.5% |
| 1995 | 107.7 per 1,000 live births | +153.4% |
| 1996 | 106.2 per 1,000 live births | -1.4% |
| 1997 | 104.6 per 1,000 live births | -1.5% |
| 1998 | 103.2 per 1,000 live births | -1.3% |
| 1999 | 101.7 per 1,000 live births | -1.5% |
| 2000 | 100.2 per 1,000 live births | -1.5% |
| 2001 | 99 per 1,000 live births | -1.2% |
| 2002 | 97.8 per 1,000 live births | -1.2% |
| 2003 | 34.5 per 1,000 live births | -64.7% |
| 2004 | 33.8 per 1,000 live births | -2.0% |
| 2005 | 33.3 per 1,000 live births | -1.5% |
| 2006 | 32.8 per 1,000 live births | -1.5% |
| 2007 | 32.4 per 1,000 live births | -1.2% |
| 2008 | 31 per 1,000 live births | -4.3% |
| 2009 | 30 per 1,000 live births | -3.2% |
| 2010 | 28.7 per 1,000 live births | -4.3% |
| 2011 | 27.2 per 1,000 live births | -5.2% |
| 2012 | 25.7 per 1,000 live births | -5.5% |
| 2013 | 24.1 per 1,000 live births | -6.2% |
| 2014 | 22.6 per 1,000 live births | -6.2% |
| 2015 | 21.4 per 1,000 live births | -5.3% |
| 2016 | 20.6 per 1,000 live births | -3.7% |
| 2017 | 19.1 per 1,000 live births | -7.3% |
| 2018 | 18.4 per 1,000 live births | -3.7% |
| 2019 | 17.7 per 1,000 live births | -3.8% |
| 2020 | 17.4 per 1,000 live births | -1.7% |
| 2021 | 17.4 per 1,000 live births | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 17.7 per 1,000 live births | +1.7% |
| 2023 | 18 per 1,000 live births | +1.7% |
| 2024 | 16.7 per 1,000 live births | -7.2% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 16.7 per 1,000 live births is below the median for low income countries, which is 61.6 per 1,000 live births, 27% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 16.7 per 1,000 live births is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 17.2 per 1,000 live births, 97% of the median. (30 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Mortality rate, under-5 (per 1,000 live births) in North Korea changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | +153.4% | 42.5 per 1,000 live births | 107.7 per 1,000 live births |
| 2003 | -64.7% | 97.8 per 1,000 live births | 34.5 per 1,000 live births |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 96.04 per 1,000 live births | 74.5 per 1,000 live births | 115.8 per 1,000 live births | 10 |
| 1970s | 55.29 per 1,000 live births | 44 per 1,000 live births | 69.9 per 1,000 live births | 10 |
| 1980s | 38.61 per 1,000 live births | 36.8 per 1,000 live births | 42.2 per 1,000 live births | 10 |
| 1990s | 73.36 per 1,000 live births | 40.7 per 1,000 live births | 107.7 per 1,000 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 52.48 per 1,000 live births | 30 per 1,000 live births | 100.2 per 1,000 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.55 per 1,000 live births | 17.7 per 1,000 live births | 28.7 per 1,000 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.44 per 1,000 live births | 16.7 per 1,000 live births | 18 per 1,000 live births | 5 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
- 87 Vanuatu 17.1 per 1,000 live births compare
- 88 Kyrgyzstan 16.8 per 1,000 live births compare
- 90 Moldova 16.5 per 1,000 live births compare
- 91 Paraguay 16.3 per 1,000 live births compare
- 92 Saint Kitts and Nevis 15.9 per 1,000 live births compare
More health data for North Korea
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.16 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 767 (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.2456 % change on previous year (2090)
- Diphtheria - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2022)
- Measles - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, total, annual growth rate -0.1528 % change on previous year (2025)
- Diphtheria - number of reported cases, per capita 0 units per person (2022)
- Population ages 15-64, total, per capita 0.6836 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, female, per capita 0.073 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 70-74, female, per capita 0.015 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mortality rate, under-5 in North Korea?
- Mortality rate, under-5 in North Korea was 16.7 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 North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 115.8 per 1,000 live births in 1960.
- What is the lowest mortality rate, under-5 recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.7 per 1,000 live births in 2024.
- How does North Korea rank for mortality rate, under-5?
- North Korea ranks 89th out of 197 countries with data for 2024.
- Is mortality rate, under-5 rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 26.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this North Korea 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.