What is neonatal mortality rate in Malawi?

Neonatal mortality rate in Malawi was 1.88 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 Malawi?

The highest recorded value was 6.91 Deaths per 1000 live births in 1969.

What is the lowest neonatal mortality rate recorded in Malawi?

The lowest recorded value was 1.88 Deaths per 1000 live births in 2023.

How does Malawi rank for neonatal mortality rate?

Malawi ranks 51st out of 199 countries with data for 2023.

Is neonatal mortality rate rising or falling in Malawi?

Over the last ten years it is down 23.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.

Where does this Malawi 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 Malawi

Name: Neonatal mortality rate in Malawi
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)

Malawi: Neonatal mortality rate was 1.88 Deaths per 1000 live births in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)

1.88 Deaths per 1000 live births

Change on year

down 2.6%

World rank

51st

of 199 countries

All-time high

6.91 Deaths per 1000 live births

in 1969

All-time low

1.88 Deaths per 1000 live births

in 2023

Years of data

1969–2023

Neonatal mortality rate in Malawi, 1969–2023

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

Analysis

Malawi recorded 1.88 Deaths per 1000 live births for neonatal mortality rate in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 55 years on record.

The figure is down 2.6% on the previous year and down 23.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, neonatal mortality rate in Malawi peaked at 6.91 Deaths per 1000 live births in 1969 and was at its lowest, 1.88 Deaths per 1000 live births, in 2023.

That places Malawi 51st 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 55 years of available data.

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1960s	6.91 Deaths per 1000 live births	6.91 Deaths per 1000 live births	6.91 Deaths per 1000 live births	1
1970s	6.33 Deaths per 1000 live births	5.77 Deaths per 1000 live births	6.86 Deaths per 1000 live births	10
1980s	5.38 Deaths per 1000 live births	5.12 Deaths per 1000 live births	5.65 Deaths per 1000 live births	10
1990s	4.52 Deaths per 1000 live births	4.04 Deaths per 1000 live births	5.01 Deaths per 1000 live births	10
2000s	3.16 Deaths per 1000 live births	2.78 Deaths per 1000 live births	3.87 Deaths per 1000 live births	10
2010s	2.37 Deaths per 1000 live births	2.08 Deaths per 1000 live births	2.72 Deaths per 1000 live births	10
2020s	1.95 Deaths per 1000 live births	1.88 Deaths per 1000 live births	2.03 Deaths per 1000 live births	4

Countries ranked near Malawi

48 Papua New Guinea 2.05 Deaths per 1000 live births compare
49 Laos 2 Deaths per 1000 live births compare
50 Burundi 1.96 Deaths per 1000 live births compare
52 Rwanda 1.81 Deaths per 1000 live births compare
53 Bangladesh 1.79 Deaths per 1000 live births compare
54 Uganda 1.79 Deaths per 1000 live births compare

See the full ranking of 199 places →

More health data for Malawi

Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 856.3 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
Number of infants who die before age 1 6,399 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 193,780 (2025)
Age population, age 25, female, interpolated 198,476 (2025)
Age population, age 24, male, interpolated 200,046 (2025)
Age population, age 24, female, interpolated 204,753 (2025)
Age population, age 23, male, interpolated 207,829 (2025)
Age population, age 23, female, interpolated 212,512 (2025)

All data for Malawi →

Frequently asked questions

What is neonatal mortality rate in Malawi?: Neonatal mortality rate in Malawi was 1.88 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 Malawi?: The highest recorded value was 6.91 Deaths per 1000 live births in 1969.
What is the lowest neonatal mortality rate recorded in Malawi?: The lowest recorded value was 1.88 Deaths per 1000 live births in 2023.
How does Malawi rank for neonatal mortality rate?: Malawi ranks 51st out of 199 countries with data for 2023.
Is neonatal mortality rate rising or falling in Malawi?: Over the last ten years it is down 23.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Malawi 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 — 55 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.