What is neonatal mortality rate in Benin?

Neonatal mortality rate in Benin was 2.8 Deaths per 1000 live births in 2023, according to World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.

What is the highest neonatal mortality rate recorded in Benin?

The highest recorded value was 6.5 Deaths per 1000 live births in 1958.

What is the lowest neonatal mortality rate recorded in Benin?

The lowest recorded value was 2.8 Deaths per 1000 live births in 2023.

How does Benin rank for neonatal mortality rate?

Benin ranks 18th out of 199 countries with data for 2023.

Is neonatal mortality rate rising or falling in Benin?

Over the last ten years it is down 14.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.

Where does this Benin data come from?

The figures come from World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Neonatal mortality rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Neonatal mortality rate in Benin

Name: Neonatal mortality rate in Benin
Creator: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

Benin: Neonatal mortality rate was 2.8 Deaths per 1000 live births in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)

2.8 Deaths per 1000 live births

Change on year

down 1.9%

World rank

18th

of 199 countries

All-time high

6.5 Deaths per 1000 live births

in 1958

All-time low

2.8 Deaths per 1000 live births

in 2023

Years of data

1958–2023

Neonatal mortality rate in Benin, 1958–2023

Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in Deaths per 1000 live births.

Analysis

The most recent figure for neonatal mortality rate in Benin is 2.8 Deaths per 1000 live births, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.

The figure is down 1.9% on the previous year and down 14.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, neonatal mortality rate in Benin peaked at 6.5 Deaths per 1000 live births in 1958 and was at its lowest, 2.8 Deaths per 1000 live births, in 2023.

That places Benin 18th out of 199 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1950s	6.49 Deaths per 1000 live births	6.47 Deaths per 1000 live births	6.5 Deaths per 1000 live births	2
1960s	6.2 Deaths per 1000 live births	5.92 Deaths per 1000 live births	6.43 Deaths per 1000 live births	10
1970s	5.53 Deaths per 1000 live births	5.21 Deaths per 1000 live births	5.85 Deaths per 1000 live births	10
1980s	4.86 Deaths per 1000 live births	4.57 Deaths per 1000 live births	5.15 Deaths per 1000 live births	10
1990s	4.21 Deaths per 1000 live births	3.95 Deaths per 1000 live births	4.5 Deaths per 1000 live births	10
2000s	3.62 Deaths per 1000 live births	3.41 Deaths per 1000 live births	3.88 Deaths per 1000 live births	10
2010s	3.19 Deaths per 1000 live births	3 Deaths per 1000 live births	3.38 Deaths per 1000 live births	10
2020s	2.88 Deaths per 1000 live births	2.8 Deaths per 1000 live births	2.95 Deaths per 1000 live births	4

Countries ranked near Benin

15 Lesotho 2.87 Deaths per 1000 live births compare
16 Cote d'Ivoire 2.82 Deaths per 1000 live births compare
17 Djibouti 2.82 Deaths per 1000 live births compare
19 Ethiopia 2.74 Deaths per 1000 live births compare
20 Equatorial Guinea 2.72 Deaths per 1000 live births compare
21 Angola 2.56 Deaths per 1000 live births compare

See the full ranking of 199 places →

More health data for Benin

Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,002 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
Number of infants who die before age 1 13,632 deaths (2100)
Deaths in armed conflicts based on where they occurred 0 deaths (2026)
Deaths in armed conflicts by region 0 deaths (2026)
Age population, age 25, male, interpolated 123,369 (2025)
Age population, age 25, female, interpolated 120,115 (2025)
Age population, age 24, male, interpolated 126,844 (2025)
Age population, age 24, female, interpolated 123,427 (2025)
Age population, age 23, male, interpolated 130,723 (2025)
Age population, age 23, female, interpolated 127,171 (2025)

All data for Benin →

Frequently asked questions

What is neonatal mortality rate in Benin?: Neonatal mortality rate in Benin was 2.8 Deaths per 1000 live births in 2023, according to World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest neonatal mortality rate recorded in Benin?: The highest recorded value was 6.5 Deaths per 1000 live births in 1958.
What is the lowest neonatal mortality rate recorded in Benin?: The lowest recorded value was 2.8 Deaths per 1000 live births in 2023.
How does Benin rank for neonatal mortality rate?: Benin ranks 18th out of 199 countries with data for 2023.
Is neonatal mortality rate rising or falling in Benin?: Over the last ten years it is down 14.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Benin data come from?: The figures come from World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Neonatal mortality rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator: Neonatal mortality rate
Unit: Deaths per 1000 live births
Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 199 places, 10,174 data points, 1951–2023
Last refreshed: 07 August 2026

The share of newborns who die before reaching 28 days of age.