Number of children who die before age 5 in Australia
Australia: Number of children who die before age 5 was 1,162 deaths in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
1,162 deaths
Change on year
down 15.2%
World rank
106th
of 236 countries
All-time high
6,104 deaths
in 1951
All-time low
1,071 deaths
in 2020
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Number of children who die before age 5 in Australia, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of children who die before age 5 in Australia is 1,162 deaths, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 15.2% on the previous year and down 12.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of children who die before age 5 in Australia peaked at 6,104 deaths in 1951 and was at its lowest, 1,071 deaths, in 2020.
Australia ranks 106th of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of children who die before age 5 in Australia, year by year
| Year | deaths | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 5,789 deaths | — |
| 1951 | 6,104 deaths | +5.4% |
| 1952 | 6,035 deaths | -1.1% |
| 1953 | 5,899 deaths | -2.3% |
| 1954 | 5,674 deaths | -3.8% |
| 1955 | 5,719 deaths | +0.8% |
| 1956 | 5,650 deaths | -1.2% |
| 1957 | 5,826 deaths | +3.1% |
| 1958 | 5,501 deaths | -5.6% |
| 1959 | 5,827 deaths | +5.9% |
| 1960 | 5,560 deaths | -4.6% |
| 1961 | 5,655 deaths | +1.7% |
| 1962 | 5,652 deaths | -0.1% |
| 1963 | 5,422 deaths | -4.1% |
| 1964 | 5,169 deaths | -4.7% |
| 1965 | 5,016 deaths | -3.0% |
| 1966 | 4,900 deaths | -2.3% |
| 1967 | 4,936 deaths | +0.7% |
| 1968 | 5,128 deaths | +3.9% |
| 1969 | 5,418 deaths | +5.7% |
| 1970 | 5,633 deaths | +4.0% |
| 1971 | 5,780 deaths | +2.6% |
| 1972 | 5,390 deaths | -6.7% |
| 1973 | 4,911 deaths | -8.9% |
| 1974 | 4,796 deaths | -2.3% |
| 1975 | 4,094 deaths | -14.6% |
| 1976 | 3,777 deaths | -7.7% |
| 1977 | 3,425 deaths | -9.3% |
| 1978 | 3,316 deaths | -3.2% |
| 1979 | 3,015 deaths | -9.1% |
| 1980 | 2,887 deaths | -4.2% |
| 1981 | 2,951 deaths | +2.2% |
| 1982 | 2,948 deaths | -0.1% |
| 1983 | 2,824 deaths | -4.2% |
| 1984 | 2,729 deaths | -3.4% |
| 1985 | 2,889 deaths | +5.9% |
| 1986 | 2,588 deaths | -10.4% |
| 1987 | 2,615 deaths | +1.0% |
| 1988 | 2,436 deaths | -6.8% |
| 1989 | 2,557 deaths | +5.0% |
| 1990 | 2,476 deaths | -3.2% |
| 1991 | 2,126 deaths | -14.1% |
| 1992 | 2,225 deaths | +4.7% |
| 1993 | 1,978 deaths | -11.1% |
| 1994 | 1,913 deaths | -3.3% |
| 1995 | 1,817 deaths | -5.0% |
| 1996 | 1,821 deaths | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 1,725 deaths | -5.3% |
| 1998 | 1,628 deaths | -5.6% |
| 1999 | 1,742 deaths | +7.0% |
| 2000 | 1,551 deaths | -11.0% |
| 2001 | 1,527 deaths | -1.5% |
| 2002 | 1,517 deaths | -0.7% |
| 2003 | 1,485 deaths | -2.1% |
| 2004 | 1,461 deaths | -1.6% |
| 2005 | 1,582 deaths | +8.3% |
| 2006 | 1,518 deaths | -4.0% |
| 2007 | 1,460 deaths | -3.8% |
| 2008 | 1,491 deaths | +2.1% |
| 2009 | 1,464 deaths | -1.8% |
| 2010 | 1,451 deaths | -0.9% |
| 2011 | 1,347 deaths | -7.2% |
| 2012 | 1,232 deaths | -8.5% |
| 2013 | 1,333 deaths | +8.2% |
| 2014 | 1,203 deaths | -9.8% |
| 2015 | 1,155 deaths | -4.0% |
| 2016 | 1,151 deaths | -0.3% |
| 2017 | 1,223 deaths | +6.3% |
| 2018 | 1,151 deaths | -5.9% |
| 2019 | 1,159 deaths | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 1,071 deaths | -7.6% |
| 2021 | 1,172 deaths | +9.4% |
| 2022 | 1,370 deaths | +16.9% |
| 2023 | 1,162 deaths | -15.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 5,802 deaths | 5,501 deaths | 6,104 deaths | 10 |
| 1960s | 5,286 deaths | 4,900 deaths | 5,655 deaths | 10 |
| 1970s | 4,414 deaths | 3,015 deaths | 5,780 deaths | 10 |
| 1980s | 2,742 deaths | 2,436 deaths | 2,951 deaths | 10 |
| 1990s | 1,945 deaths | 1,628 deaths | 2,476 deaths | 10 |
| 2000s | 1,506 deaths | 1,460 deaths | 1,582 deaths | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,240 deaths | 1,151 deaths | 1,451 deaths | 10 |
| 2020s | 1,194 deaths | 1,071 deaths | 1,370 deaths | 4 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More health data for Australia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.83 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.9072 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 906.6 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 215 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 80 and above, female, per capita 0.0265 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, annual growth rate 5.91 % 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 0.0202 units per person (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, gaps filled 25,277 (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, per capita 0.0009 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of children who die before age 5 in Australia?
- Number of children who die before age 5 in Australia was 1,162 deaths in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of children who die before age 5 recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 6,104 deaths in 1951.
- What is the lowest number of children who die before age 5 recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,071 deaths in 2020.
- How does Australia rank for number of children who die before age 5?
- Australia ranks 106th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of children who die before age 5 rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of children who die before age 5. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Number of deaths in a calendar year. This only includes people aged 0-4.