Number of child deaths in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Number of child deaths was 181,228 deaths in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
181,228 deaths
Change on year
down 12.4%
World rank
5th
of 199 countries
All-time high
606,966 deaths
in 1983
All-time low
181,228 deaths
in 2024
Years of data
54
1971–2024
Number of child deaths in Ethiopia, 1971–2024
Source: United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of child deaths in Ethiopia is 181,228 deaths, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 54 years on record.
The figure is down 12.4% on the previous year and down 19.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of child deaths in Ethiopia peaked at 606,966 deaths in 1983 and was at its lowest, 181,228 deaths, in 2024.
That places Ethiopia 5th out of 199 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 54 years of available data.
Number of child deaths in Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | deaths | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 335,381 deaths | — |
| 1972 | 406,154 deaths | +21.1% |
| 1973 | 413,211 deaths | +1.7% |
| 1974 | 421,843 deaths | +2.1% |
| 1975 | 431,458 deaths | +2.3% |
| 1976 | 379,655 deaths | -12.0% |
| 1977 | 392,177 deaths | +3.3% |
| 1978 | 401,880 deaths | +2.5% |
| 1979 | 408,429 deaths | +1.6% |
| 1980 | 412,755 deaths | +1.1% |
| 1981 | 412,655 deaths | -0.0% |
| 1982 | 415,872 deaths | +0.8% |
| 1983 | 606,966 deaths | +46.0% |
| 1984 | 602,934 deaths | -0.7% |
| 1985 | 592,444 deaths | -1.7% |
| 1986 | 594,471 deaths | +0.3% |
| 1987 | 428,154 deaths | -28.0% |
| 1988 | 438,620 deaths | +2.4% |
| 1989 | 447,551 deaths | +2.0% |
| 1990 | 455,763 deaths | +1.8% |
| 1991 | 461,580 deaths | +1.3% |
| 1992 | 466,287 deaths | +1.0% |
| 1993 | 468,301 deaths | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 465,808 deaths | -0.5% |
| 1995 | 461,054 deaths | -1.0% |
| 1996 | 454,845 deaths | -1.3% |
| 1997 | 447,282 deaths | -1.7% |
| 1998 | 437,049 deaths | -2.3% |
| 1999 | 426,969 deaths | -2.3% |
| 2000 | 416,009 deaths | -2.6% |
| 2001 | 403,851 deaths | -2.9% |
| 2002 | 390,811 deaths | -3.2% |
| 2003 | 376,220 deaths | -3.7% |
| 2004 | 360,994 deaths | -4.0% |
| 2005 | 346,678 deaths | -4.0% |
| 2006 | 331,615 deaths | -4.3% |
| 2007 | 316,202 deaths | -4.6% |
| 2008 | 300,993 deaths | -4.8% |
| 2009 | 285,403 deaths | -5.2% |
| 2010 | 270,973 deaths | -5.1% |
| 2011 | 258,304 deaths | -4.7% |
| 2012 | 245,820 deaths | -4.8% |
| 2013 | 233,777 deaths | -4.9% |
| 2014 | 224,104 deaths | -4.1% |
| 2015 | 217,031 deaths | -3.2% |
| 2016 | 210,991 deaths | -2.8% |
| 2017 | 205,897 deaths | -2.4% |
| 2018 | 202,298 deaths | -1.7% |
| 2019 | 200,241 deaths | -1.0% |
| 2020 | 197,679 deaths | -1.3% |
| 2021 | 275,537 deaths | +39.4% |
| 2022 | 270,294 deaths | -1.9% |
| 2023 | 206,843 deaths | -23.5% |
| 2024 | 181,228 deaths | -12.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 398,910 deaths | 335,381 deaths | 431,458 deaths | 9 |
| 1980s | 495,242 deaths | 412,655 deaths | 606,966 deaths | 10 |
| 1990s | 454,494 deaths | 426,969 deaths | 468,301 deaths | 10 |
| 2000s | 352,878 deaths | 285,403 deaths | 416,009 deaths | 10 |
| 2010s | 226,944 deaths | 200,241 deaths | 270,973 deaths | 10 |
| 2020s | 226,316 deaths | 181,228 deaths | 275,537 deaths | 5 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
More health data for Ethiopia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.67 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.9494 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 744.3 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 19,997 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 80 and above, female, per capita 0.0026 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, annual growth rate 5.48 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, per capita 0.0018 units per person (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, gaps filled 1,501 (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of child deaths in Ethiopia?
- Number of child deaths in Ethiopia was 181,228 deaths in 2024, according to United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of child deaths recorded in Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 606,966 deaths in 1983.
- What is the lowest number of child deaths recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 181,228 deaths in 2024.
- How does Ethiopia rank for number of child deaths?
- Ethiopia ranks 5th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of child deaths rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ethiopia 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 Number of child deaths. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Estimated number of deaths of children aged under 5 .