What is neonatal mortality rate in Kenya?

Neonatal mortality rate in Kenya was 2.15 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 Kenya?

The highest recorded value was 5.74 Deaths per 1000 live births in 1954.

What is the lowest neonatal mortality rate recorded in Kenya?

The lowest recorded value was 2.15 Deaths per 1000 live births in 2023.

How does Kenya rank for neonatal mortality rate?

Kenya ranks 41st out of 199 countries with data for 2023.

Is neonatal mortality rate rising or falling in Kenya?

Over the last ten years it is down 8.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.

Where does this Kenya 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 Kenya

Name: Neonatal mortality rate in Kenya
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)

Kenya: Neonatal mortality rate was 2.15 Deaths per 1000 live births in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)

2.15 Deaths per 1000 live births

Change on year

down 1.5%

World rank

41st

of 199 countries

All-time high

5.74 Deaths per 1000 live births

in 1954

All-time low

2.15 Deaths per 1000 live births

in 2023

Years of data

1954–2023

Neonatal mortality rate in Kenya, 1954–2023

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

Analysis

In 2023, neonatal mortality rate in Kenya stood at 2.15 Deaths per 1000 live births. That is the lowest value across all 70 years on record.

The figure is down 1.5% on the previous year and down 8.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, neonatal mortality rate in Kenya peaked at 5.74 Deaths per 1000 live births in 1954 and was at its lowest, 2.15 Deaths per 1000 live births, in 2023.

Kenya ranks 41st of 199 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 70 years of available data.

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1950s	5.36 Deaths per 1000 live births	4.98 Deaths per 1000 live births	5.74 Deaths per 1000 live births	6
1960s	4.3 Deaths per 1000 live births	3.97 Deaths per 1000 live births	4.82 Deaths per 1000 live births	10
1970s	3.58 Deaths per 1000 live births	3.28 Deaths per 1000 live births	3.91 Deaths per 1000 live births	10
1980s	2.97 Deaths per 1000 live births	2.72 Deaths per 1000 live births	3.22 Deaths per 1000 live births	10
1990s	2.67 Deaths per 1000 live births	2.65 Deaths per 1000 live births	2.69 Deaths per 1000 live births	10
2000s	2.51 Deaths per 1000 live births	2.37 Deaths per 1000 live births	2.66 Deaths per 1000 live births	10
2010s	2.34 Deaths per 1000 live births	2.26 Deaths per 1000 live births	2.36 Deaths per 1000 live births	10
2020s	2.2 Deaths per 1000 live births	2.15 Deaths per 1000 live births	2.24 Deaths per 1000 live births	4

Countries ranked near Kenya

38 East Timor 2.22 Deaths per 1000 live births compare
39 Zambia 2.2 Deaths per 1000 live births compare
40 Dominican Republic 2.17 Deaths per 1000 live births compare
42 Mauritania 2.15 Deaths per 1000 live births compare
43 Yemen 2.14 Deaths per 1000 live births compare
44 Ghana 2.12 Deaths per 1000 live births compare

See the full ranking of 199 places →

More health data for Kenya

Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,119 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
Number of infants who die before age 1 16,059 deaths (2100)
Deaths in armed conflicts based on where they occurred 3 deaths (2026)
Deaths in armed conflicts by region 3 deaths (2026)
Age population, age 25, male, interpolated 504,714 (2025)
Age population, age 25, female, interpolated 527,528 (2025)
Age population, age 24, male, interpolated 526,588 (2025)
Age population, age 24, female, interpolated 546,326 (2025)
Age population, age 23, male, interpolated 548,338 (2025)
Age population, age 23, female, interpolated 564,731 (2025)

All data for Kenya →

Frequently asked questions

What is neonatal mortality rate in Kenya?: Neonatal mortality rate in Kenya was 2.15 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 Kenya?: The highest recorded value was 5.74 Deaths per 1000 live births in 1954.
What is the lowest neonatal mortality rate recorded in Kenya?: The lowest recorded value was 2.15 Deaths per 1000 live births in 2023.
How does Kenya rank for neonatal mortality rate?: Kenya ranks 41st out of 199 countries with data for 2023.
Is neonatal mortality rate rising or falling in Kenya?: Over the last ten years it is down 8.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Kenya 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 — 70 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.