Number of child deaths in Zambia
Zambia: Number of child deaths was 32,949 deaths in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
32,949 deaths
Change on year
down 0.0%
World rank
32nd
of 199 countries
All-time high
67,971 deaths
in 1998
All-time low
28,662 deaths
in 1957
Years of data
68
1957–2024
Number of child deaths in Zambia, 1957–2024
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 Zambia is 32,949 deaths, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of down 11.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of child deaths in Zambia peaked at 67,971 deaths in 1998 and was at its lowest, 28,662 deaths, in 1957.
Zambia ranks 32nd of 199 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 68 years of available data.
Number of child deaths in Zambia, year by year
| Year | deaths | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1957 | 28,662 deaths | — |
| 1958 | 28,974 deaths | +1.1% |
| 1959 | 29,282 deaths | +1.1% |
| 1960 | 29,621 deaths | +1.2% |
| 1961 | 29,998 deaths | +1.3% |
| 1962 | 30,422 deaths | +1.4% |
| 1963 | 30,924 deaths | +1.7% |
| 1964 | 31,511 deaths | +1.9% |
| 1965 | 32,204 deaths | +2.2% |
| 1966 | 32,985 deaths | +2.4% |
| 1967 | 33,870 deaths | +2.7% |
| 1968 | 34,710 deaths | +2.5% |
| 1969 | 35,392 deaths | +2.0% |
| 1970 | 35,852 deaths | +1.3% |
| 1971 | 36,069 deaths | +0.6% |
| 1972 | 36,076 deaths | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 36,079 deaths | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 36,136 deaths | +0.2% |
| 1975 | 36,497 deaths | +1.0% |
| 1976 | 37,110 deaths | +1.7% |
| 1977 | 38,032 deaths | +2.5% |
| 1978 | 39,120 deaths | +2.9% |
| 1979 | 40,154 deaths | +2.6% |
| 1980 | 41,152 deaths | +2.5% |
| 1981 | 42,212 deaths | +2.6% |
| 1982 | 43,640 deaths | +3.4% |
| 1983 | 45,512 deaths | +4.3% |
| 1984 | 47,797 deaths | +5.0% |
| 1985 | 50,422 deaths | +5.5% |
| 1986 | 53,295 deaths | +5.7% |
| 1987 | 56,133 deaths | +5.3% |
| 1988 | 58,729 deaths | +4.6% |
| 1989 | 61,128 deaths | +4.1% |
| 1990 | 63,108 deaths | +3.2% |
| 1991 | 64,648 deaths | +2.4% |
| 1992 | 65,786 deaths | +1.8% |
| 1993 | 66,570 deaths | +1.2% |
| 1994 | 67,125 deaths | +0.8% |
| 1995 | 67,332 deaths | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 67,477 deaths | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 67,713 deaths | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 67,971 deaths | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 67,611 deaths | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 66,221 deaths | -2.1% |
| 2001 | 63,579 deaths | -4.0% |
| 2002 | 60,054 deaths | -5.5% |
| 2003 | 56,310 deaths | -6.2% |
| 2004 | 52,764 deaths | -6.3% |
| 2005 | 49,856 deaths | -5.5% |
| 2006 | 47,454 deaths | -4.8% |
| 2007 | 45,980 deaths | -3.1% |
| 2008 | 44,683 deaths | -2.8% |
| 2009 | 42,710 deaths | -4.4% |
| 2010 | 41,450 deaths | -3.0% |
| 2011 | 40,874 deaths | -1.4% |
| 2012 | 40,050 deaths | -2.0% |
| 2013 | 38,712 deaths | -3.3% |
| 2014 | 37,151 deaths | -4.0% |
| 2015 | 36,138 deaths | -2.7% |
| 2016 | 34,709 deaths | -4.0% |
| 2017 | 33,885 deaths | -2.4% |
| 2018 | 34,044 deaths | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 33,794 deaths | -0.7% |
| 2020 | 33,646 deaths | -0.4% |
| 2021 | 32,759 deaths | -2.6% |
| 2022 | 32,696 deaths | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 32,958 deaths | +0.8% |
| 2024 | 32,949 deaths | -0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 28,973 deaths | 28,662 deaths | 29,282 deaths | 3 |
| 1960s | 32,164 deaths | 29,621 deaths | 35,392 deaths | 10 |
| 1970s | 37,112 deaths | 35,852 deaths | 40,154 deaths | 10 |
| 1980s | 50,002 deaths | 41,152 deaths | 61,128 deaths | 10 |
| 1990s | 66,534 deaths | 63,108 deaths | 67,971 deaths | 10 |
| 2000s | 52,961 deaths | 42,710 deaths | 66,221 deaths | 10 |
| 2010s | 37,081 deaths | 33,794 deaths | 41,450 deaths | 10 |
| 2020s | 33,002 deaths | 32,696 deaths | 33,646 deaths | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More health data for Zambia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.09 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.7971 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 809.3 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 8,894 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 75-79, female, annual growth rate 5.38 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, female, per capita 0.0018 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, male, annual growth rate 4.29 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, male, per capita 0.0011 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of child deaths in Zambia?
- Number of child deaths in Zambia was 32,949 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 67,971 deaths in 1998.
- What is the lowest number of child deaths recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 28,662 deaths in 1957.
- How does Zambia rank for number of child deaths?
- Zambia ranks 32nd out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of child deaths rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zambia 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 .