Neonatal mortality rate (United Nations) in New Zealand
New Zealand: Neonatal mortality rate (United Nations) was 0.2672 deaths per 100 live births in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
0.2672 deaths per 100 live births
Change on year
down 2.4%
World rank
162nd
of 199 countries
All-time high
1.11 deaths per 100 live births
in 1968
All-time low
0.2672 deaths per 100 live births
in 2024
Years of data
57
1968–2024
Neonatal mortality rate in New Zealand, 1968–2024
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
In 2024, neonatal mortality rate in New Zealand stood at 0.2672 deaths per 100 live births. That is the lowest value across all 57 years on record.
That represents a change of down 2.4% on the previous year and down 18.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, neonatal mortality rate in New Zealand peaked at 1.11 deaths per 100 live births in 1968 and was at its lowest, 0.2672 deaths per 100 live births, in 2024.
That places New Zealand 162nd out of 199 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Neonatal mortality rate (United Nations) in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | 1.11 deaths per 100 live births | — |
| 1969 | 1.09 deaths per 100 live births | -2.3% |
| 1970 | 1.06 deaths per 100 live births | -2.2% |
| 1971 | 1.04 deaths per 100 live births | -2.1% |
| 1972 | 1.02 deaths per 100 live births | -2.2% |
| 1973 | 0.9847 deaths per 100 live births | -3.1% |
| 1974 | 0.9428 deaths per 100 live births | -4.2% |
| 1975 | 0.8941 deaths per 100 live births | -5.2% |
| 1976 | 0.8433 deaths per 100 live births | -5.7% |
| 1977 | 0.7908 deaths per 100 live births | -6.2% |
| 1978 | 0.7367 deaths per 100 live births | -6.8% |
| 1979 | 0.6823 deaths per 100 live births | -7.4% |
| 1980 | 0.6324 deaths per 100 live births | -7.3% |
| 1981 | 0.592 deaths per 100 live births | -6.4% |
| 1982 | 0.5597 deaths per 100 live births | -5.4% |
| 1983 | 0.5321 deaths per 100 live births | -4.9% |
| 1984 | 0.5074 deaths per 100 live births | -4.6% |
| 1985 | 0.4864 deaths per 100 live births | -4.1% |
| 1986 | 0.4696 deaths per 100 live births | -3.5% |
| 1987 | 0.4563 deaths per 100 live births | -2.8% |
| 1988 | 0.4481 deaths per 100 live births | -1.8% |
| 1989 | 0.443 deaths per 100 live births | -1.1% |
| 1990 | 0.4354 deaths per 100 live births | -1.7% |
| 1991 | 0.421 deaths per 100 live births | -3.3% |
| 1992 | 0.4018 deaths per 100 live births | -4.6% |
| 1993 | 0.3819 deaths per 100 live births | -5.0% |
| 1994 | 0.3644 deaths per 100 live births | -4.6% |
| 1995 | 0.3519 deaths per 100 live births | -3.4% |
| 1996 | 0.3476 deaths per 100 live births | -1.2% |
| 1997 | 0.3488 deaths per 100 live births | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 0.3508 deaths per 100 live births | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 0.3506 deaths per 100 live births | -0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.3495 deaths per 100 live births | -0.3% |
| 2001 | 0.3485 deaths per 100 live births | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 0.3454 deaths per 100 live births | -0.9% |
| 2003 | 0.3383 deaths per 100 live births | -2.1% |
| 2004 | 0.3259 deaths per 100 live births | -3.7% |
| 2005 | 0.3118 deaths per 100 live births | -4.3% |
| 2006 | 0.2997 deaths per 100 live births | -3.9% |
| 2007 | 0.2927 deaths per 100 live births | -2.3% |
| 2008 | 0.294 deaths per 100 live births | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 0.3041 deaths per 100 live births | +3.4% |
| 2010 | 0.3174 deaths per 100 live births | +4.4% |
| 2011 | 0.3284 deaths per 100 live births | +3.4% |
| 2012 | 0.3342 deaths per 100 live births | +1.8% |
| 2013 | 0.3343 deaths per 100 live births | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 0.3296 deaths per 100 live births | -1.4% |
| 2015 | 0.3221 deaths per 100 live births | -2.3% |
| 2016 | 0.3146 deaths per 100 live births | -2.3% |
| 2017 | 0.3077 deaths per 100 live births | -2.2% |
| 2018 | 0.3015 deaths per 100 live births | -2.0% |
| 2019 | 0.2955 deaths per 100 live births | -2.0% |
| 2020 | 0.2903 deaths per 100 live births | -1.8% |
| 2021 | 0.2851 deaths per 100 live births | -1.8% |
| 2022 | 0.2799 deaths per 100 live births | -1.8% |
| 2023 | 0.2738 deaths per 100 live births | -2.2% |
| 2024 | 0.2672 deaths per 100 live births | -2.4% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 0.2672 deaths per 100 live births is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.2623 deaths per 100 live births, 1.0× the median. (65 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 0.2672 deaths per 100 live births is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.8767 deaths per 100 live births, 30% of the median. (30 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.1 deaths per 100 live births | 1.09 deaths per 100 live births | 1.11 deaths per 100 live births | 2 |
| 1970s | 0.8991 deaths per 100 live births | 0.6823 deaths per 100 live births | 1.06 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.5127 deaths per 100 live births | 0.443 deaths per 100 live births | 0.6324 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.3754 deaths per 100 live births | 0.3476 deaths per 100 live births | 0.4354 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.321 deaths per 100 live births | 0.2927 deaths per 100 live births | 0.3495 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.3185 deaths per 100 live births | 0.2955 deaths per 100 live births | 0.3343 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.2793 deaths per 100 live births | 0.2672 deaths per 100 live births | 0.2903 deaths per 100 live births | 5 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 159 Croatia 0.2751 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 160 Cyprus 0.271 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 161 Denmark 0.2699 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 163 Netherlands 0.2623 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 164 China 0.2594 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 165 Ireland 0.2582 deaths per 100 live births compare
More health data for New Zealand
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.94 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.4815 % change on previous year (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 33 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.1187 % 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 0.0277 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.018 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0291 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is neonatal mortality rate in New Zealand?
- Neonatal mortality rate in New Zealand was 0.2672 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 New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 1.11 deaths per 100 live births in 1968.
- What is the lowest neonatal mortality rate recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2672 deaths per 100 live births in 2024.
- How does New Zealand rank for neonatal mortality rate?
- New Zealand ranks 162nd out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is neonatal mortality rate rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 18.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this New Zealand 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 .