Number of children who die before age 5 in China
China: Number of children who die before age 5 was 70,824 deaths in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
70,824 deaths
Change on year
down 2.1%
World rank
17th
of 236 countries
All-time high
7.68 million deaths
in 1960
All-time low
70,824 deaths
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Number of children who die before age 5 in China, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths.
Analysis
China recorded 70,824 deaths for number of children who die before age 5 in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
The figure is down 2.1% on the previous year and down 69.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of children who die before age 5 in China peaked at 7.68 million deaths in 1960 and was at its lowest, 70,824 deaths, in 2023.
China ranks 17th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
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 China, year by year
| Year | deaths | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 4.17 million deaths | — |
| 1951 | 4.24 million deaths | +1.5% |
| 1952 | 4.49 million deaths | +6.0% |
| 1953 | 4.49 million deaths | -0.2% |
| 1954 | 4.54 million deaths | +1.1% |
| 1955 | 4.52 million deaths | -0.5% |
| 1956 | 4.35 million deaths | -3.7% |
| 1957 | 4.40 million deaths | +1.2% |
| 1958 | 4.18 million deaths | -5.0% |
| 1959 | 6.17 million deaths | +47.6% |
| 1960 | 7.68 million deaths | +24.5% |
| 1961 | 5.00 million deaths | -34.8% |
| 1962 | 3.25 million deaths | -35.1% |
| 1963 | 3.93 million deaths | +21.0% |
| 1964 | 3.96 million deaths | +0.8% |
| 1965 | 3.90 million deaths | -1.5% |
| 1966 | 3.82 million deaths | -2.1% |
| 1967 | 3.60 million deaths | -5.7% |
| 1968 | 3.64 million deaths | +1.0% |
| 1969 | 3.54 million deaths | -2.7% |
| 1970 | 3.42 million deaths | -3.5% |
| 1971 | 3.19 million deaths | -6.7% |
| 1972 | 2.94 million deaths | -7.7% |
| 1973 | 2.71 million deaths | -8.0% |
| 1974 | 2.42 million deaths | -10.4% |
| 1975 | 2.12 million deaths | -12.6% |
| 1976 | 1.91 million deaths | -10.0% |
| 1977 | 1.63 million deaths | -14.3% |
| 1978 | 1.49 million deaths | -8.9% |
| 1979 | 1.42 million deaths | -4.5% |
| 1980 | 1.38 million deaths | -3.1% |
| 1981 | 1.35 million deaths | -1.7% |
| 1982 | 1.39 million deaths | +2.3% |
| 1983 | 1.28 million deaths | -7.5% |
| 1984 | 1.28 million deaths | -0.2% |
| 1985 | 1.31 million deaths | +2.4% |
| 1986 | 1.37 million deaths | +4.8% |
| 1987 | 1.43 million deaths | +4.5% |
| 1988 | 1.41 million deaths | -1.4% |
| 1989 | 1.43 million deaths | +1.3% |
| 1990 | 1.46 million deaths | +1.7% |
| 1991 | 1.27 million deaths | -12.5% |
| 1992 | 1.15 million deaths | -9.6% |
| 1993 | 1.07 million deaths | -7.5% |
| 1994 | 988,105 deaths | -7.2% |
| 1995 | 916,042 deaths | -7.3% |
| 1996 | 842,805 deaths | -8.0% |
| 1997 | 774,504 deaths | -8.1% |
| 1998 | 713,496 deaths | -7.9% |
| 1999 | 656,287 deaths | -8.0% |
| 2000 | 625,893 deaths | -4.6% |
| 2001 | 561,863 deaths | -10.2% |
| 2002 | 512,491 deaths | -8.8% |
| 2003 | 467,493 deaths | -8.8% |
| 2004 | 433,014 deaths | -7.4% |
| 2005 | 399,792 deaths | -7.7% |
| 2006 | 371,363 deaths | -7.1% |
| 2007 | 346,620 deaths | -6.7% |
| 2008 | 334,076 deaths | -3.6% |
| 2009 | 306,336 deaths | -8.3% |
| 2010 | 283,665 deaths | -7.4% |
| 2011 | 260,979 deaths | -8.0% |
| 2012 | 255,120 deaths | -2.2% |
| 2013 | 230,487 deaths | -9.7% |
| 2014 | 216,890 deaths | -5.9% |
| 2015 | 192,467 deaths | -11.3% |
| 2016 | 183,254 deaths | -4.8% |
| 2017 | 170,302 deaths | -7.1% |
| 2018 | 141,044 deaths | -17.2% |
| 2019 | 124,102 deaths | -12.0% |
| 2020 | 99,296 deaths | -20.0% |
| 2021 | 82,067 deaths | -17.4% |
| 2022 | 72,370 deaths | -11.8% |
| 2023 | 70,824 deaths | -2.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 4.55 million deaths | 4.17 million deaths | 6.17 million deaths | 10 |
| 1960s | 4.23 million deaths | 3.25 million deaths | 7.68 million deaths | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.32 million deaths | 1.42 million deaths | 3.42 million deaths | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.36 million deaths | 1.28 million deaths | 1.43 million deaths | 10 |
| 1990s | 983,800 deaths | 656,287 deaths | 1.46 million deaths | 10 |
| 2000s | 435,894 deaths | 306,336 deaths | 625,893 deaths | 10 |
| 2010s | 205,831 deaths | 124,102 deaths | 283,665 deaths | 10 |
| 2020s | 81,139 deaths | 70,824 deaths | 99,296 deaths | 4 |
Countries ranked near China
- 14 Mozambique 80,047 deaths compare
- 15 Somalia 79,142 deaths compare
- 16 Chad 79,068 deaths compare
- 18 Cote d'Ivoire 66,701 deaths compare
- 19 Uganda 65,931 deaths compare
- 20 Madagascar 64,828 deaths compare
More health data for China
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.15 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.0985 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 2,029 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 4,642 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 80 and above, female, per capita 0.016 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, annual growth rate 3.29 % 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 0.0101 units per person (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, gaps filled 33,364 (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of children who die before age 5 in China?
- Number of children who die before age 5 in China was 70,824 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 China?
- The highest recorded value was 7.68 million deaths in 1960.
- What is the lowest number of children who die before age 5 recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 70,824 deaths in 2023.
- How does China rank for number of children who die before age 5?
- China ranks 17th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of children who die before age 5 rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 69.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China 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.
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About this data
Number of deaths in a calendar year. This only includes people aged 0-4.