Number of children who die before age 5 in Ghana
Ghana: Number of children who die before age 5 was 36,223 deaths in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
36,223 deaths
Change on year
down 2.7%
World rank
30th
of 236 countries
All-time high
88,934 deaths
in 1984
All-time low
36,223 deaths
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Number of children who die before age 5 in Ghana, 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 Ghana is 36,223 deaths, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.7% on the previous year and down 31.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of children who die before age 5 in Ghana peaked at 88,934 deaths in 1984 and was at its lowest, 36,223 deaths, in 2023.
That places Ghana 30th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Number of children who die before age 5 in Ghana, year by year
| Year | deaths | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 57,339 deaths | — |
| 1951 | 59,280 deaths | +3.4% |
| 1952 | 61,229 deaths | +3.3% |
| 1953 | 62,933 deaths | +2.8% |
| 1954 | 64,356 deaths | +2.3% |
| 1955 | 65,754 deaths | +2.2% |
| 1956 | 67,130 deaths | +2.1% |
| 1957 | 68,260 deaths | +1.7% |
| 1958 | 69,454 deaths | +1.7% |
| 1959 | 70,428 deaths | +1.4% |
| 1960 | 71,428 deaths | +1.4% |
| 1961 | 72,399 deaths | +1.4% |
| 1962 | 74,946 deaths | +3.5% |
| 1963 | 76,520 deaths | +2.1% |
| 1964 | 77,782 deaths | +1.6% |
| 1965 | 79,048 deaths | +1.6% |
| 1966 | 80,073 deaths | +1.3% |
| 1967 | 81,268 deaths | +1.5% |
| 1968 | 82,574 deaths | +1.6% |
| 1969 | 84,102 deaths | +1.9% |
| 1970 | 85,566 deaths | +1.7% |
| 1971 | 86,251 deaths | +0.8% |
| 1972 | 85,506 deaths | -0.9% |
| 1973 | 85,477 deaths | -0.0% |
| 1974 | 85,182 deaths | -0.3% |
| 1975 | 84,571 deaths | -0.7% |
| 1976 | 84,036 deaths | -0.6% |
| 1977 | 83,795 deaths | -0.3% |
| 1978 | 84,543 deaths | +0.9% |
| 1979 | 85,431 deaths | +1.1% |
| 1980 | 86,801 deaths | +1.6% |
| 1981 | 86,737 deaths | -0.1% |
| 1982 | 87,604 deaths | +1.0% |
| 1983 | 88,529 deaths | +1.1% |
| 1984 | 88,934 deaths | +0.5% |
| 1985 | 87,854 deaths | -1.2% |
| 1986 | 86,669 deaths | -1.3% |
| 1987 | 84,993 deaths | -1.9% |
| 1988 | 82,738 deaths | -2.7% |
| 1989 | 80,608 deaths | -2.6% |
| 1990 | 78,906 deaths | -2.1% |
| 1991 | 77,520 deaths | -1.8% |
| 1992 | 76,061 deaths | -1.9% |
| 1993 | 74,942 deaths | -1.5% |
| 1994 | 74,286 deaths | -0.9% |
| 1995 | 72,732 deaths | -2.1% |
| 1996 | 71,190 deaths | -2.1% |
| 1997 | 70,164 deaths | -1.4% |
| 1998 | 69,264 deaths | -1.3% |
| 1999 | 68,501 deaths | -1.1% |
| 2000 | 67,913 deaths | -0.9% |
| 2001 | 67,061 deaths | -1.3% |
| 2002 | 65,979 deaths | -1.6% |
| 2003 | 64,848 deaths | -1.7% |
| 2004 | 63,637 deaths | -1.9% |
| 2005 | 63,029 deaths | -1.0% |
| 2006 | 61,905 deaths | -1.8% |
| 2007 | 60,472 deaths | -2.3% |
| 2008 | 59,025 deaths | -2.4% |
| 2009 | 57,708 deaths | -2.2% |
| 2010 | 56,547 deaths | -2.0% |
| 2011 | 55,340 deaths | -2.1% |
| 2012 | 53,954 deaths | -2.5% |
| 2013 | 52,466 deaths | -2.8% |
| 2014 | 50,631 deaths | -3.5% |
| 2015 | 48,985 deaths | -3.3% |
| 2016 | 46,970 deaths | -4.1% |
| 2017 | 44,608 deaths | -5.0% |
| 2018 | 42,855 deaths | -3.9% |
| 2019 | 41,272 deaths | -3.7% |
| 2020 | 39,801 deaths | -3.6% |
| 2021 | 38,481 deaths | -3.3% |
| 2022 | 37,244 deaths | -3.2% |
| 2023 | 36,223 deaths | -2.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 64,616 deaths | 57,339 deaths | 70,428 deaths | 10 |
| 1960s | 78,014 deaths | 71,428 deaths | 84,102 deaths | 10 |
| 1970s | 85,036 deaths | 83,795 deaths | 86,251 deaths | 10 |
| 1980s | 86,147 deaths | 80,608 deaths | 88,934 deaths | 10 |
| 1990s | 73,357 deaths | 68,501 deaths | 78,906 deaths | 10 |
| 2000s | 63,158 deaths | 57,708 deaths | 67,913 deaths | 10 |
| 2010s | 49,363 deaths | 41,272 deaths | 56,547 deaths | 10 |
| 2020s | 37,937 deaths | 36,223 deaths | 39,801 deaths | 4 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
More health data for Ghana
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.37 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.6224 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 986.1 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 8,361 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 65-69, male, annual growth rate 4.75 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 65-69, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 65-69, male, per capita 0.0076 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 70-74, female, annual growth rate 3.26 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 70-74, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 70-74, female, per capita 0.0057 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of children who die before age 5 in Ghana?
- Number of children who die before age 5 in Ghana was 36,223 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 Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 88,934 deaths in 1984.
- What is the lowest number of children who die before age 5 recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 36,223 deaths in 2023.
- How does Ghana rank for number of children who die before age 5?
- Ghana ranks 30th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of children who die before age 5 rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 31.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ghana 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.