Neonatal mortality rate in Congo
Congo: Neonatal mortality rate was 1.65 deaths per 100 live births in 2024. ▼ Falling
Neonatal mortality rate in Congo, 1982–2024
Source: United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100 live births.
Analysis
The most recent figure for neonatal mortality rate in Congo is 1.65 deaths per 100 live births, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 43 years on record.
The figure is down 1.6% on the previous year and down 17.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, neonatal mortality rate in Congo peaked at 3.14 deaths per 100 live births in 1998 and was at its lowest, 1.65 deaths per 100 live births, in 2024.
That places Congo 55th out of 199 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 43 years of available data.
Neonatal mortality rate in Congo, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 | 3.02 deaths per 100 live births | — |
| 1983 | 2.98 deaths per 100 live births | -1.3% |
| 1984 | 2.95 deaths per 100 live births | -1.2% |
| 1985 | 2.91 deaths per 100 live births | -1.4% |
| 1986 | 2.88 deaths per 100 live births | -1.1% |
| 1987 | 2.85 deaths per 100 live births | -0.8% |
| 1988 | 2.84 deaths per 100 live births | -0.5% |
| 1989 | 2.83 deaths per 100 live births | -0.2% |
| 1990 | 2.84 deaths per 100 live births | +0.3% |
| 1991 | 2.86 deaths per 100 live births | +0.7% |
| 1992 | 2.89 deaths per 100 live births | +1.1% |
| 1993 | 2.94 deaths per 100 live births | +1.6% |
| 1994 | 2.99 deaths per 100 live births | +1.7% |
| 1995 | 3.04 deaths per 100 live births | +1.7% |
| 1996 | 3.09 deaths per 100 live births | +1.6% |
| 1997 | 3.13 deaths per 100 live births | +1.3% |
| 1998 | 3.14 deaths per 100 live births | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 3.13 deaths per 100 live births | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 3.09 deaths per 100 live births | -1.3% |
| 2001 | 3.03 deaths per 100 live births | -2.0% |
| 2002 | 2.94 deaths per 100 live births | -2.8% |
| 2003 | 2.83 deaths per 100 live births | -3.6% |
| 2004 | 2.72 deaths per 100 live births | -3.9% |
| 2005 | 2.61 deaths per 100 live births | -4.1% |
| 2006 | 2.5 deaths per 100 live births | -4.3% |
| 2007 | 2.4 deaths per 100 live births | -3.9% |
| 2008 | 2.31 deaths per 100 live births | -3.7% |
| 2009 | 2.24 deaths per 100 live births | -3.2% |
| 2010 | 2.18 deaths per 100 live births | -2.6% |
| 2011 | 2.13 deaths per 100 live births | -2.2% |
| 2012 | 2.09 deaths per 100 live births | -1.9% |
| 2013 | 2.05 deaths per 100 live births | -1.9% |
| 2014 | 2.01 deaths per 100 live births | -1.9% |
| 2015 | 1.97 deaths per 100 live births | -1.9% |
| 2016 | 1.93 deaths per 100 live births | -2.1% |
| 2017 | 1.89 deaths per 100 live births | -2.2% |
| 2018 | 1.86 deaths per 100 live births | -1.8% |
| 2019 | 1.83 deaths per 100 live births | -1.4% |
| 2020 | 1.79 deaths per 100 live births | -2.4% |
| 2021 | 1.76 deaths per 100 live births | -1.8% |
| 2022 | 1.72 deaths per 100 live births | -2.0% |
| 2023 | 1.68 deaths per 100 live births | -2.3% |
| 2024 | 1.65 deaths per 100 live births | -1.6% |
Congo compared with similar countries
- Congo's 1.65 deaths per 100 live births is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.81 deaths per 100 live births, 91% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Congo's 1.65 deaths per 100 live births is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.33 deaths per 100 live births, 71% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2.91 deaths per 100 live births | 2.83 deaths per 100 live births | 3.02 deaths per 100 live births | 8 |
| 1990s | 3.01 deaths per 100 live births | 2.84 deaths per 100 live births | 3.14 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.67 deaths per 100 live births | 2.24 deaths per 100 live births | 3.09 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 2 deaths per 100 live births | 1.83 deaths per 100 live births | 2.18 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.72 deaths per 100 live births | 1.65 deaths per 100 live births | 1.79 deaths per 100 live births | 5 |
Countries ranked near Congo
- 52 Botswana 1.76 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 53 Rwanda 1.74 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 54 India 1.67 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 56 Gabon 1.63 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 57 Eritrea 1.56 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 58 Guyana 1.53 deaths per 100 live births compare
More health data for Congo
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -0.4813 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.9705 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 759.5 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 2,688 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 11 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.44 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0695 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.45 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is neonatal mortality rate in Congo?
- Neonatal mortality rate in Congo was 1.65 deaths per 100 live births in 2024, according to United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest neonatal mortality rate recorded in Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 3.14 deaths per 100 live births in 1998.
- What is the lowest neonatal mortality rate recorded in Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.65 deaths per 100 live births in 2024.
- How does Congo rank for neonatal mortality rate?
- Congo ranks 55th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is neonatal mortality rate rising or falling in Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Congo data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Neonatal mortality rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated number of deaths of children aged less than 28 days, per 100 live births .