Number of neonatal, infant and child deaths in New Zealand
New Zealand: Number of neonatal, infant and child deaths was 158 deaths in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
158 deaths
Change on year
down 2.5%
World rank
139th
of 199 countries
All-time high
678 deaths
in 1969
All-time low
158 deaths
in 2024
Years of data
56
1969–2024
Number of neonatal, infant and child deaths in New Zealand, 1969–2024
Source: United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths.
Analysis
New Zealand recorded 158 deaths for number of neonatal, infant and child deaths in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 56 years on record.
The figure is down 2.5% on the previous year and down 15.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of neonatal, infant and child deaths in New Zealand peaked at 678 deaths in 1969 and was at its lowest, 158 deaths, in 2024.
That places New Zealand 139th out of 199 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.
Number of neonatal, infant and child deaths in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | deaths | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1969 | 678 deaths | — |
| 1970 | 660 deaths | -2.7% |
| 1971 | 669 deaths | +1.4% |
| 1972 | 641 deaths | -4.2% |
| 1973 | 590 deaths | -8.0% |
| 1974 | 554 deaths | -6.1% |
| 1975 | 501 deaths | -9.6% |
| 1976 | 466 deaths | -7.0% |
| 1977 | 432 deaths | -7.3% |
| 1978 | 380 deaths | -12.0% |
| 1979 | 358 deaths | -5.8% |
| 1980 | 321 deaths | -10.3% |
| 1981 | 301 deaths | -6.2% |
| 1982 | 279 deaths | -7.3% |
| 1983 | 268 deaths | -3.9% |
| 1984 | 261 deaths | -2.6% |
| 1985 | 253 deaths | -3.1% |
| 1986 | 249 deaths | -1.6% |
| 1987 | 251 deaths | +0.8% |
| 1988 | 257 deaths | +2.4% |
| 1989 | 258 deaths | +0.4% |
| 1990 | 260 deaths | +0.8% |
| 1991 | 249 deaths | -4.2% |
| 1992 | 238 deaths | -4.4% |
| 1993 | 224 deaths | -5.9% |
| 1994 | 208 deaths | -7.1% |
| 1995 | 201 deaths | -3.4% |
| 1996 | 198 deaths | -1.5% |
| 1997 | 199 deaths | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 194 deaths | -2.5% |
| 1999 | 199 deaths | +2.6% |
| 2000 | 198 deaths | -0.5% |
| 2001 | 194 deaths | -2.0% |
| 2002 | 185 deaths | -4.6% |
| 2003 | 187 deaths | +1.1% |
| 2004 | 187 deaths | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 178 deaths | -4.8% |
| 2006 | 176 deaths | -1.1% |
| 2007 | 186 deaths | +5.7% |
| 2008 | 188 deaths | +1.1% |
| 2009 | 190 deaths | +1.1% |
| 2010 | 201 deaths | +5.8% |
| 2011 | 202 deaths | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 203 deaths | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 195 deaths | -3.9% |
| 2014 | 187 deaths | -4.1% |
| 2015 | 192 deaths | +2.7% |
| 2016 | 184 deaths | -4.2% |
| 2017 | 180 deaths | -2.2% |
| 2018 | 173 deaths | -3.9% |
| 2019 | 174 deaths | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 167 deaths | -4.0% |
| 2021 | 168 deaths | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 165 deaths | -1.8% |
| 2023 | 162 deaths | -1.8% |
| 2024 | 158 deaths | -2.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 678 deaths | 678 deaths | 678 deaths | 1 |
| 1970s | 525.1 deaths | 358 deaths | 669 deaths | 10 |
| 1980s | 269.8 deaths | 249 deaths | 321 deaths | 10 |
| 1990s | 217 deaths | 194 deaths | 260 deaths | 10 |
| 2000s | 186.9 deaths | 176 deaths | 198 deaths | 10 |
| 2010s | 189.1 deaths | 173 deaths | 203 deaths | 10 |
| 2020s | 164 deaths | 158 deaths | 168 deaths | 5 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
More health data for New Zealand
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.94 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.4815 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,116 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 33 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 65-69, male, annual growth rate 2.46 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 65-69, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 65-69, male, per capita 0.0256 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 70-74, female, annual growth rate 2.49 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 70-74, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 70-74, female, per capita 0.023 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of neonatal, infant and child deaths in New Zealand?
- Number of neonatal, infant and child deaths in New Zealand was 158 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 New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 678 deaths in 1969.
- What is the lowest number of neonatal, infant and child deaths recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 158 deaths in 2024.
- How does New Zealand rank for number of neonatal, infant and child deaths?
- New Zealand ranks 139th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of neonatal, infant and child deaths rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this New Zealand 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.
Download this data
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About this data
Estimated number of deaths of children aged less than 28 days .