Neonatal mortality rate (deaths per 1,000 live births) in Least Developed Countries (LDCs)

Least Developed Countries (LDCs): Neonatal mortality rate (deaths per 1,000 live births) was 23.56 per 1,000 live births in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
23.56 per 1,000 live births
Change on year
down 1.6%
Rank
2nd
of 21 groups
All-time high
40.93 per 1,000 live births
in 2000
All-time low
23.56 per 1,000 live births
in 2024
Years of data
25
2000–2024

Neonatal mortality rate in Least Developed Countries (LDCs), 2000–2024

0102030402000201220242000: 40.9 per 1,000 live births2001: 39.7 per 1,000 live births2002: 38.5 per 1,000 live births2003: 37.4 per 1,000 live births2004: 36.3 per 1,000 live births2005: 35.2 per 1,000 live births2006: 34.2 per 1,000 live births2007: 33.3 per 1,000 live births2008: 32.4 per 1,000 live births2009: 31.6 per 1,000 live births2010: 30.7 per 1,000 live births2011: 30 per 1,000 live births2012: 29.3 per 1,000 live births2013: 28.6 per 1,000 live births2014: 28 per 1,000 live births2015: 27.5 per 1,000 live births2016: 27 per 1,000 live births2017: 26.5 per 1,000 live births2018: 25.9 per 1,000 live births2019: 25.5 per 1,000 live births2020: 25.1 per 1,000 live births2021: 24.8 per 1,000 live births2022: 24.4 per 1,000 live births2023: 23.9 per 1,000 live births2024: 23.6 per 1,000 live births

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in per 1,000 live births.

Analysis

Least Developed Countries (LDCs) recorded 23.56 per 1,000 live births for neonatal mortality rate in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.6% on the previous year and down 16.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, neonatal mortality rate in Least Developed Countries (LDCs) peaked at 40.93 per 1,000 live births in 2000 and was at its lowest, 23.56 per 1,000 live births, in 2024.

That places Least Developed Countries (LDCs) 2nd out of 21 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.

Neonatal mortality rate (deaths per 1,000 live births) in Least Developed Countries (LDCs), year by year

Annual values for Neonatal mortality rate (deaths per 1,000 live births) in Least Developed Countries (LDCs), 2000 to 2024.
Year per 1,000 live births Change
2000 40.93 per 1,000 live births —
2001 39.69 per 1,000 live births -3.0%
2002 38.47 per 1,000 live births -3.1%
2003 37.37 per 1,000 live births -2.9%
2004 36.3 per 1,000 live births -2.9%
2005 35.21 per 1,000 live births -3.0%
2006 34.21 per 1,000 live births -2.9%
2007 33.27 per 1,000 live births -2.7%
2008 32.38 per 1,000 live births -2.7%
2009 31.56 per 1,000 live births -2.5%
2010 30.74 per 1,000 live births -2.6%
2011 30.04 per 1,000 live births -2.3%
2012 29.27 per 1,000 live births -2.6%
2013 28.6 per 1,000 live births -2.3%
2014 28.04 per 1,000 live births -2.0%
2015 27.49 per 1,000 live births -2.0%
2016 26.97 per 1,000 live births -1.9%
2017 26.47 per 1,000 live births -1.9%
2018 25.94 per 1,000 live births -2.0%
2019 25.52 per 1,000 live births -1.6%
2020 25.1 per 1,000 live births -1.6%
2021 24.75 per 1,000 live births -1.4%
2022 24.4 per 1,000 live births -1.4%
2023 23.95 per 1,000 live births -1.8%
2024 23.56 per 1,000 live births -1.6%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 35.94 per 1,000 live births 31.56 per 1,000 live births 40.93 per 1,000 live births 10
2010s 27.91 per 1,000 live births 25.52 per 1,000 live births 30.74 per 1,000 live births 10
2020s 24.35 per 1,000 live births 23.56 per 1,000 live births 25.1 per 1,000 live births 5

Countries ranked near Least Developed Countries (LDCs)

  1. 1 South Sudan 39.47 per 1,000 live births compare
  2. 2 Nigeria 39.05 per 1,000 live births compare
  3. 3 Pakistan 36.1 per 1,000 live births compare
  4. 4 Somalia 34.24 per 1,000 live births compare
  5. 5 Zimbabwe 33.68 per 1,000 live births compare

See the full ranking of 234 places →

More health data for Least Developed Countries (LDCs)

All data for Least Developed Countries (LDCs) →

Frequently asked questions

What is neonatal mortality rate in Least Developed Countries (LDCs)?
Neonatal mortality rate in Least Developed Countries (LDCs) was 23.56 per 1,000 live births in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
What is the highest neonatal mortality rate recorded in Least Developed Countries (LDCs)?
The highest recorded value was 40.93 per 1,000 live births in 2000.
What is the lowest neonatal mortality rate recorded in Least Developed Countries (LDCs)?
The lowest recorded value was 23.56 per 1,000 live births in 2024.
How does Least Developed Countries (LDCs) rank for neonatal mortality rate?
Least Developed Countries (LDCs) ranks 2nd out of 21 groups with data for 2024.
Is neonatal mortality rate rising or falling in Least Developed Countries (LDCs)?
Over the last ten years it is down 16.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Least Developed Countries (LDCs) data come from?
The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Neonatal mortality rate (deaths per 1,000 live births). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Neonatal mortality rate in Least Developed Countries (LDCs). Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 11 November 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/neonatal-mortality-rate-deaths-per-1-000-live-births/least-developed-countries-ldcs/

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About this data

Indicator
Neonatal mortality rate (deaths per 1,000 live births)
Unit
per 1,000 live births
Source
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database
Licence
UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested)
Coverage
234 places, 5,850 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed