Number of neonatal, infant and child deaths in North Korea
North Korea: Number of neonatal, infant and child deaths was 3,048 deaths in 2024. ▼ Falling
Number of neonatal, infant and child deaths in North Korea, 1990–2024
Source: United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths.
Analysis
In 2024, number of neonatal, infant and child deaths in North Korea stood at 3,048 deaths. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 7.7% on the previous year and down 26.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of neonatal, infant and child deaths in North Korea peaked at 11,724 deaths in 1995 and was at its lowest, 3,048 deaths, in 2024.
That places North Korea 66th out of 199 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Number of neonatal, infant and child deaths in North Korea, year by year
| Year | deaths | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 9,188 deaths | — |
| 1991 | 9,554 deaths | +4.0% |
| 1992 | 9,770 deaths | +2.3% |
| 1993 | 9,865 deaths | +1.0% |
| 1994 | 9,988 deaths | +1.2% |
| 1995 | 11,724 deaths | +17.4% |
| 1996 | 11,557 deaths | -1.4% |
| 1997 | 11,132 deaths | -3.7% |
| 1998 | 10,785 deaths | -3.1% |
| 1999 | 10,378 deaths | -3.8% |
| 2000 | 9,883 deaths | -4.8% |
| 2001 | 9,474 deaths | -4.1% |
| 2002 | 8,909 deaths | -6.0% |
| 2003 | 6,880 deaths | -22.8% |
| 2004 | 6,454 deaths | -6.2% |
| 2005 | 6,097 deaths | -5.5% |
| 2006 | 6,066 deaths | -0.5% |
| 2007 | 5,957 deaths | -1.8% |
| 2008 | 5,753 deaths | -3.4% |
| 2009 | 5,374 deaths | -6.6% |
| 2010 | 5,109 deaths | -4.9% |
| 2011 | 4,865 deaths | -4.8% |
| 2012 | 4,625 deaths | -4.9% |
| 2013 | 4,367 deaths | -5.6% |
| 2014 | 4,133 deaths | -5.4% |
| 2015 | 3,919 deaths | -5.2% |
| 2016 | 3,813 deaths | -2.7% |
| 2017 | 3,555 deaths | -6.8% |
| 2018 | 3,430 deaths | -3.5% |
| 2019 | 3,308 deaths | -3.6% |
| 2020 | 3,270 deaths | -1.1% |
| 2021 | 3,255 deaths | -0.5% |
| 2022 | 3,289 deaths | +1.0% |
| 2023 | 3,303 deaths | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 3,048 deaths | -7.7% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 3,048 deaths is below the median for low income countries, which is 17,516 deaths, 17% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 3,048 deaths is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 366.5 deaths, 8.3× the median. (30 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 10,394 deaths | 9,188 deaths | 11,724 deaths | 10 |
| 2000s | 7,085 deaths | 5,374 deaths | 9,883 deaths | 10 |
| 2010s | 4,112 deaths | 3,308 deaths | 5,109 deaths | 10 |
| 2020s | 3,233 deaths | 3,048 deaths | 3,303 deaths | 5 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
More health data for North Korea
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.2456 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.16 % change on previous year (2100)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 767 deaths (2100)
- Deaths in armed conflicts by region 0 deaths (2026)
- Population, female, annual growth rate 0.1972 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, female, annual growth rate -0.1835 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, total, per capita 0.1893 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, female, annual growth rate 2.07 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, total, annual growth rate 0.1729 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per capita 0.0972 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of neonatal, infant and child deaths in North Korea?
- Number of neonatal, infant and child deaths in North Korea was 3,048 deaths in 2024, according to United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of neonatal, infant and child deaths recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 11,724 deaths in 1995.
- What is the lowest number of neonatal, infant and child deaths recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 3,048 deaths in 2024.
- How does North Korea rank for number of neonatal, infant and child deaths?
- North Korea ranks 66th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of neonatal, infant and child deaths rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 26.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of neonatal, infant and child deaths. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated number of deaths of children aged less than 28 days .