Neonatal mortality rate in Iraq
Iraq: Neonatal mortality rate was 1.29 Deaths per 1000 live births in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
1.29 Deaths per 1000 live births
Change on year
down 3.3%
World rank
68th
of 199 countries
All-time high
2.98 Deaths per 1000 live births
in 1983
All-time low
1.29 Deaths per 1000 live births
in 2023
Years of data
41
1983–2023
Neonatal mortality rate in Iraq, 1983–2023
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 Iraq is 1.29 Deaths per 1000 live births, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 41 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.3% on the previous year and down 28.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, neonatal mortality rate in Iraq peaked at 2.98 Deaths per 1000 live births in 1983 and was at its lowest, 1.29 Deaths per 1000 live births, in 2023.
That places Iraq 68th out of 199 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 41 years of available data.
Neonatal mortality rate in Iraq, year by year
| Year | Deaths per 1000 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | 2.98 Deaths per 1000 live births | — |
| 1984 | 2.92 Deaths per 1000 live births | -2.2% |
| 1985 | 2.86 Deaths per 1000 live births | -2.0% |
| 1986 | 2.8 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.9% |
| 1987 | 2.75 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.8% |
| 1988 | 2.73 Deaths per 1000 live births | -0.8% |
| 1989 | 2.71 Deaths per 1000 live births | -0.7% |
| 1990 | 2.67 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.5% |
| 1991 | 2.61 Deaths per 1000 live births | -2.1% |
| 1992 | 2.56 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.9% |
| 1993 | 2.54 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.0% |
| 1994 | 2.52 Deaths per 1000 live births | -0.8% |
| 1995 | 2.5 Deaths per 1000 live births | -0.8% |
| 1996 | 2.48 Deaths per 1000 live births | -0.7% |
| 1997 | 2.46 Deaths per 1000 live births | -0.8% |
| 1998 | 2.44 Deaths per 1000 live births | -0.9% |
| 1999 | 2.41 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.1% |
| 2000 | 2.38 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.2% |
| 2001 | 2.35 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.2% |
| 2002 | 2.32 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.4% |
| 2003 | 2.29 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.3% |
| 2004 | 2.25 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.6% |
| 2005 | 2.22 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.6% |
| 2006 | 2.18 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.8% |
| 2007 | 2.13 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.9% |
| 2008 | 2.08 Deaths per 1000 live births | -2.3% |
| 2009 | 2.02 Deaths per 1000 live births | -2.9% |
| 2010 | 1.96 Deaths per 1000 live births | -3.1% |
| 2011 | 1.9 Deaths per 1000 live births | -2.9% |
| 2012 | 1.85 Deaths per 1000 live births | -3.1% |
| 2013 | 1.79 Deaths per 1000 live births | -3.2% |
| 2014 | 1.73 Deaths per 1000 live births | -3.2% |
| 2015 | 1.67 Deaths per 1000 live births | -3.1% |
| 2016 | 1.62 Deaths per 1000 live births | -3.2% |
| 2017 | 1.57 Deaths per 1000 live births | -3.3% |
| 2018 | 1.52 Deaths per 1000 live births | -3.1% |
| 2019 | 1.47 Deaths per 1000 live births | -3.3% |
| 2020 | 1.42 Deaths per 1000 live births | -3.2% |
| 2021 | 1.37 Deaths per 1000 live births | -3.3% |
| 2022 | 1.33 Deaths per 1000 live births | -3.3% |
| 2023 | 1.29 Deaths per 1000 live births | -3.3% |
Iraq compared with similar countries
- Iraq's 1.29 Deaths per 1000 live births is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.7602 Deaths per 1000 live births, 1.7× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Iraq's 1.29 Deaths per 1000 live births is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 0.8362 Deaths per 1000 live births, 1.5× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2.82 Deaths per 1000 live births | 2.71 Deaths per 1000 live births | 2.98 Deaths per 1000 live births | 7 |
| 1990s | 2.52 Deaths per 1000 live births | 2.41 Deaths per 1000 live births | 2.67 Deaths per 1000 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.22 Deaths per 1000 live births | 2.02 Deaths per 1000 live births | 2.38 Deaths per 1000 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.71 Deaths per 1000 live births | 1.47 Deaths per 1000 live births | 1.96 Deaths per 1000 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.35 Deaths per 1000 live births | 1.29 Deaths per 1000 live births | 1.42 Deaths per 1000 live births | 4 |
Countries ranked near Iraq
- 65 Philippines 1.4 Deaths per 1000 live births compare
- 66 Marshall Islands 1.3 Deaths per 1000 live births compare
- 67 Trinidad and Tobago 1.29 Deaths per 1000 live births compare
- 69 Azerbaijan 1.28 Deaths per 1000 live births compare
- 70 Bhutan 1.27 Deaths per 1000 live births compare
- 71 Tajikistan 1.26 Deaths per 1000 live births compare
More health data for Iraq
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.4 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.9773 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 898.9 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 5,830 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.988 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0587 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.9818 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is neonatal mortality rate in Iraq?
- Neonatal mortality rate in Iraq was 1.29 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 Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 2.98 Deaths per 1000 live births in 1983.
- What is the lowest neonatal mortality rate recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.29 Deaths per 1000 live births in 2023.
- How does Iraq rank for neonatal mortality rate?
- Iraq ranks 68th out of 199 countries with data for 2023.
- Is neonatal mortality rate rising or falling in Iraq?
- Over the last ten years it is down 28.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Iraq 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.
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About this data
The share of newborns who die before reaching 28 days of age.