Neonatal mortality rate in Liberia
Liberia: Neonatal mortality rate was 2.96 Deaths per 1000 live births in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
2.96 Deaths per 1000 live births
Change on year
down 1.8%
World rank
13th
of 199 countries
All-time high
10.52 Deaths per 1000 live births
in 1963
All-time low
2.96 Deaths per 1000 live births
in 2023
Years of data
61
1963–2023
Neonatal mortality rate in Liberia, 1963–2023
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 Liberia stood at 2.96 Deaths per 1000 live births. That is the lowest value across all 61 years on record.
The figure is down 1.8% on the previous year and down 11.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, neonatal mortality rate in Liberia peaked at 10.52 Deaths per 1000 live births in 1963 and was at its lowest, 2.96 Deaths per 1000 live births, in 2023.
That places Liberia 13th out of 199 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 61 years of available data.
Neonatal mortality rate in Liberia, year by year
| Year | Deaths per 1000 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1963 | 10.52 Deaths per 1000 live births | — |
| 1964 | 10.41 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.0% |
| 1965 | 10.25 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.6% |
| 1966 | 10.05 Deaths per 1000 live births | -2.0% |
| 1967 | 9.82 Deaths per 1000 live births | -2.3% |
| 1968 | 9.58 Deaths per 1000 live births | -2.4% |
| 1969 | 9.35 Deaths per 1000 live births | -2.4% |
| 1970 | 9.11 Deaths per 1000 live births | -2.5% |
| 1971 | 8.88 Deaths per 1000 live births | -2.5% |
| 1972 | 8.66 Deaths per 1000 live births | -2.5% |
| 1973 | 8.46 Deaths per 1000 live births | -2.4% |
| 1974 | 8.25 Deaths per 1000 live births | -2.5% |
| 1975 | 8.06 Deaths per 1000 live births | -2.3% |
| 1976 | 7.88 Deaths per 1000 live births | -2.2% |
| 1977 | 7.72 Deaths per 1000 live births | -2.1% |
| 1978 | 7.57 Deaths per 1000 live births | -2.0% |
| 1979 | 7.41 Deaths per 1000 live births | -2.0% |
| 1980 | 7.26 Deaths per 1000 live births | -2.1% |
| 1981 | 7.12 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.9% |
| 1982 | 6.98 Deaths per 1000 live births | -2.0% |
| 1983 | 6.82 Deaths per 1000 live births | -2.3% |
| 1984 | 6.66 Deaths per 1000 live births | -2.3% |
| 1985 | 6.52 Deaths per 1000 live births | -2.0% |
| 1986 | 6.41 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.7% |
| 1987 | 6.32 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.5% |
| 1988 | 6.24 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.2% |
| 1989 | 6.17 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.2% |
| 1990 | 6.08 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.4% |
| 1991 | 5.98 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.6% |
| 1992 | 5.88 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.7% |
| 1993 | 5.81 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.3% |
| 1994 | 5.73 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.3% |
| 1995 | 5.65 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.3% |
| 1996 | 5.54 Deaths per 1000 live births | -2.0% |
| 1997 | 5.42 Deaths per 1000 live births | -2.3% |
| 1998 | 5.26 Deaths per 1000 live births | -3.0% |
| 1999 | 5.08 Deaths per 1000 live births | -3.4% |
| 2000 | 4.89 Deaths per 1000 live births | -3.7% |
| 2001 | 4.69 Deaths per 1000 live births | -4.1% |
| 2002 | 4.48 Deaths per 1000 live births | -4.4% |
| 2003 | 4.29 Deaths per 1000 live births | -4.4% |
| 2004 | 4.11 Deaths per 1000 live births | -4.0% |
| 2005 | 3.96 Deaths per 1000 live births | -3.8% |
| 2006 | 3.82 Deaths per 1000 live births | -3.5% |
| 2007 | 3.69 Deaths per 1000 live births | -3.2% |
| 2008 | 3.59 Deaths per 1000 live births | -2.9% |
| 2009 | 3.5 Deaths per 1000 live births | -2.4% |
| 2010 | 3.44 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.8% |
| 2011 | 3.4 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.2% |
| 2012 | 3.37 Deaths per 1000 live births | -0.7% |
| 2013 | 3.36 Deaths per 1000 live births | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 3.34 Deaths per 1000 live births | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 3.32 Deaths per 1000 live births | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 3.3 Deaths per 1000 live births | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 3.27 Deaths per 1000 live births | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 3.23 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 3.19 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.4% |
| 2020 | 3.13 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.7% |
| 2021 | 3.07 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.8% |
| 2022 | 3.02 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.8% |
| 2023 | 2.96 Deaths per 1000 live births | -1.8% |
Liberia compared with similar countries
- Liberia's 2.96 Deaths per 1000 live births is above the median for low income countries, which is 2.53 Deaths per 1000 live births, 1.2× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Liberia's 2.96 Deaths per 1000 live births is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.4 Deaths per 1000 live births, 1.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 10 Deaths per 1000 live births | 9.35 Deaths per 1000 live births | 10.52 Deaths per 1000 live births | 7 |
| 1970s | 8.2 Deaths per 1000 live births | 7.41 Deaths per 1000 live births | 9.11 Deaths per 1000 live births | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.65 Deaths per 1000 live births | 6.17 Deaths per 1000 live births | 7.26 Deaths per 1000 live births | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.64 Deaths per 1000 live births | 5.08 Deaths per 1000 live births | 6.08 Deaths per 1000 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.1 Deaths per 1000 live births | 3.5 Deaths per 1000 live births | 4.89 Deaths per 1000 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.32 Deaths per 1000 live births | 3.19 Deaths per 1000 live births | 3.44 Deaths per 1000 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.05 Deaths per 1000 live births | 2.96 Deaths per 1000 live births | 3.13 Deaths per 1000 live births | 4 |
Countries ranked near Liberia
- 10 Dominica 3.08 Deaths per 1000 live births compare
- 11 Central African Republic 3.07 Deaths per 1000 live births compare
- 12 Guinea 3.03 Deaths per 1000 live births compare
- 14 Sierra Leone 2.93 Deaths per 1000 live births compare
- 15 Lesotho 2.87 Deaths per 1000 live births compare
- 16 Cote d'Ivoire 2.82 Deaths per 1000 live births compare
More health data for Liberia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.57 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.7528 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,097 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 3,457 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 7 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.13 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.068 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.13 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is neonatal mortality rate in Liberia?
- Neonatal mortality rate in Liberia was 2.96 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 Liberia?
- The highest recorded value was 10.52 Deaths per 1000 live births in 1963.
- What is the lowest neonatal mortality rate recorded in Liberia?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.96 Deaths per 1000 live births in 2023.
- How does Liberia rank for neonatal mortality rate?
- Liberia ranks 13th out of 199 countries with data for 2023.
- Is neonatal mortality rate rising or falling in Liberia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Liberia 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 — 61 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
The share of newborns who die before reaching 28 days of age.