Neonatal mortality rate (per 1000 live births) in Malawi
Malawi: Neonatal mortality rate was 23.6 in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
23.6
Change on year
down 0.7%
World rank
28th
of 200 countries
All-time high
69.99
in 1969
All-time low
23.6
in 2024
Years of data
56
1969–2024
Neonatal mortality rate in Malawi, 1969–2024
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
In 2024, neonatal mortality rate in Malawi stood at 23.6. That is the lowest value across all 56 years on record.
The figure is down 0.7% on the previous year and down 3.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, neonatal mortality rate in Malawi peaked at 69.99 in 1969 and was at its lowest, 23.6, in 2024.
Malawi ranks 28th of 200 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 56 years of available data.
Neonatal mortality rate in Malawi, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1969 | 69.99 | — |
| 1970 | 69.26 | -1.0% |
| 1971 | 68.31 | -1.4% |
| 1972 | 67.07 | -1.8% |
| 1973 | 65.62 | -2.2% |
| 1974 | 64.16 | -2.2% |
| 1975 | 62.66 | -2.3% |
| 1976 | 61.19 | -2.3% |
| 1977 | 59.91 | -2.1% |
| 1978 | 58.73 | -2.0% |
| 1979 | 57.64 | -1.9% |
| 1980 | 56.66 | -1.7% |
| 1981 | 55.75 | -1.6% |
| 1982 | 54.88 | -1.6% |
| 1983 | 54.26 | -1.1% |
| 1984 | 53.94 | -0.6% |
| 1985 | 53.68 | -0.5% |
| 1986 | 53.32 | -0.7% |
| 1987 | 52.76 | -1.1% |
| 1988 | 51.94 | -1.6% |
| 1989 | 50.95 | -1.9% |
| 1990 | 49.85 | -2.2% |
| 1991 | 48.61 | -2.5% |
| 1992 | 47.39 | -2.5% |
| 1993 | 46.28 | -2.3% |
| 1994 | 45.3 | -2.1% |
| 1995 | 44.44 | -1.9% |
| 1996 | 43.67 | -1.7% |
| 1997 | 42.8 | -2.0% |
| 1998 | 41.57 | -2.9% |
| 1999 | 39.86 | -4.1% |
| 2000 | 37.87 | -5.0% |
| 2001 | 37.16 | -1.9% |
| 2002 | 33.77 | -9.1% |
| 2003 | 31.97 | -5.3% |
| 2004 | 30.52 | -4.5% |
| 2005 | 29.42 | -3.6% |
| 2006 | 28.71 | -2.4% |
| 2007 | 28.27 | -1.5% |
| 2008 | 27.84 | -1.5% |
| 2009 | 27.32 | -1.9% |
| 2010 | 26.7 | -2.3% |
| 2011 | 26.06 | -2.4% |
| 2012 | 25.38 | -2.6% |
| 2013 | 24.78 | -2.3% |
| 2014 | 24.35 | -1.8% |
| 2015 | 24.05 | -1.2% |
| 2016 | 23.86 | -0.8% |
| 2017 | 23.78 | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 23.76 | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 23.77 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 23.87 | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 23.91 | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 23.85 | -0.3% |
| 2023 | 23.78 | -0.3% |
| 2024 | 23.6 | -0.7% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 23.6 is below the median for low income countries, which is 23.75, 99% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 23.6 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 23.33, 1.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 69.99 | 69.99 | 69.99 | 1 |
| 1970s | 63.46 | 57.64 | 69.26 | 10 |
| 1980s | 53.81 | 50.95 | 56.66 | 10 |
| 1990s | 44.98 | 39.86 | 49.85 | 10 |
| 2000s | 31.29 | 27.32 | 37.87 | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.65 | 23.76 | 26.7 | 10 |
| 2020s | 23.8 | 23.6 | 23.91 | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 25 Burkina Faso 23.75 compare
- 26 Sudan 23.71 compare
- 27 Democratic Republic of Congo 23.62 compare
- 29 Madagascar 23.06 compare
- 30 Gambia 22.95 compare
- 31 Haiti 22.63 compare
More health data for Malawi
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -0.8368 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.9312 % change on previous year (2090)
- 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)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.61 % 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 0.0714 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.63 % 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 Malawi?
- Neonatal mortality rate in Malawi was 23.6 in 2024, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
- What is the highest neonatal mortality rate recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 69.99 in 1969.
- What is the lowest neonatal mortality rate recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 23.6 in 2024.
- How does Malawi rank for neonatal mortality rate?
- Malawi ranks 28th out of 200 countries with data for 2024.
- Is neonatal mortality rate rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.1%. 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, published as part of Neonatal mortality rate (per 1000 live births). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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