Neonatal mortality rate in Eastern and Southern Africa

Eastern and Southern Africa: Neonatal mortality rate was 22.65 in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
22.65
Change on year
down 1.6%
Rank
6th
of 33 groups
All-time high
42.42
in 1990
All-time low
22.65
in 2024
Years of data
35
1990–2024

Neonatal mortality rate in Eastern and Southern Africa, 1990–2024

0102030401990200720241990: 42.41991: 41.91992: 41.51993: 411994: 40.61995: 39.91996: 39.31997: 38.71998: 381999: 372000: 36.12001: 35.32002: 34.32003: 33.42004: 32.52005: 31.82006: 312007: 30.32008: 29.62009: 28.92010: 28.32011: 27.72012: 272013: 26.42014: 262015: 25.62016: 25.32017: 252018: 24.62019: 24.32020: 242021: 23.72022: 23.42023: 232024: 22.6

Source: UNICEF.

Analysis

In 2024, neonatal mortality rate in Eastern and Southern Africa stood at 22.65. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.

That represents a change of down 1.6% on the previous year and down 12.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, neonatal mortality rate in Eastern and Southern Africa peaked at 42.42 in 1990 and was at its lowest, 22.65, in 2024.

That places Eastern and Southern Africa 6th out of 33 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.

Neonatal mortality rate in Eastern and Southern Africa, year by year

Annual values for Neonatal mortality rate (UN IGME estimate, 2024) in Eastern and Southern Africa, 1990 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1990 42.42
1991 41.94 -1.1%
1992 41.52 -1.0%
1993 41.04 -1.2%
1994 40.63 -1.0%
1995 39.86 -1.9%
1996 39.32 -1.3%
1997 38.7 -1.6%
1998 37.97 -1.9%
1999 37.01 -2.5%
2000 36.15 -2.3%
2001 35.29 -2.4%
2002 34.34 -2.7%
2003 33.41 -2.7%
2004 32.55 -2.6%
2005 31.76 -2.4%
2006 31.01 -2.3%
2007 30.32 -2.2%
2008 29.57 -2.5%
2009 28.93 -2.2%
2010 28.27 -2.3%
2011 27.72 -1.9%
2012 26.96 -2.8%
2013 26.39 -2.1%
2014 25.98 -1.5%
2015 25.63 -1.4%
2016 25.31 -1.2%
2017 24.98 -1.3%
2018 24.57 -1.6%
2019 24.26 -1.3%
2020 23.96 -1.2%
2021 23.73 -1.0%
2022 23.44 -1.2%
2023 23.03 -1.8%
2024 22.65 -1.6%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 40.04 37.01 42.42 10
2000s 32.33 28.93 36.15 10
2010s 26.01 24.26 28.27 10
2020s 23.36 22.65 23.96 5

Countries ranked near Eastern and Southern Africa

  1. 3 Pakistan 36.1 compare
  2. 4 Somalia 34.24 compare
  3. 5 Zimbabwe 33.68 compare
  4. 6 Afghanistan 33.14 compare
  5. 7 Liberia 32.94 compare
  6. 8 Niger 32.75 compare
  7. 9 Guinea-Bissau 31.98 compare

See the full ranking of 235 places →

More health data for Eastern and Southern Africa

All data for Eastern and Southern Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is neonatal mortality rate in Eastern and Southern Africa?
Neonatal mortality rate in Eastern and Southern Africa was 22.65 in 2024, according to UNICEF.
What is the highest neonatal mortality rate recorded in Eastern and Southern Africa?
The highest recorded value was 42.42 in 1990.
What is the lowest neonatal mortality rate recorded in Eastern and Southern Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 22.65 in 2024.
How does Eastern and Southern Africa rank for neonatal mortality rate?
Eastern and Southern Africa ranks 6th out of 33 groups with data for 2024.
Is neonatal mortality rate rising or falling in Eastern and Southern Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 12.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Eastern and Southern Africa data come from?
The figures come from UNICEF, published as part of Neonatal mortality rate (UN IGME estimate, 2024). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Neonatal mortality rate in Eastern and Southern Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNICEF. Retrieved 07 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/neonatal-mortality-rate-un-igme-estimate-2024/eastern-and-southern-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Neonatal mortality rate (UN IGME estimate, 2024)
Source
UNICEF
Licence
UNICEF Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
235 places, 11,638 data points, 1951–2024
Last refreshed