Number of children who die before age 5 in Zambia
Zambia: Number of children who die before age 5 was 35,250 deaths in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
35,250 deaths
Change on year
down 3.6%
World rank
33rd
of 236 countries
All-time high
70,050 deaths
in 1996
All-time low
26,302 deaths
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Number of children who die before age 5 in Zambia, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths.
Analysis
In 2023, number of children who die before age 5 in Zambia stood at 35,250 deaths.
The figure is down 3.6% on the previous year and down 17.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of children who die before age 5 in Zambia peaked at 70,050 deaths in 1996 and was at its lowest, 26,302 deaths, in 1950.
That places Zambia 33rd out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Number of children who die before age 5 in Zambia, year by year
| Year | deaths | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 26,302 deaths | — |
| 1951 | 26,905 deaths | +2.3% |
| 1952 | 27,403 deaths | +1.9% |
| 1953 | 27,837 deaths | +1.6% |
| 1954 | 28,227 deaths | +1.4% |
| 1955 | 28,565 deaths | +1.2% |
| 1956 | 28,856 deaths | +1.0% |
| 1957 | 29,193 deaths | +1.2% |
| 1958 | 29,517 deaths | +1.1% |
| 1959 | 29,885 deaths | +1.2% |
| 1960 | 30,308 deaths | +1.4% |
| 1961 | 30,752 deaths | +1.5% |
| 1962 | 31,293 deaths | +1.8% |
| 1963 | 31,904 deaths | +2.0% |
| 1964 | 32,820 deaths | +2.9% |
| 1965 | 33,184 deaths | +1.1% |
| 1966 | 33,883 deaths | +2.1% |
| 1967 | 34,583 deaths | +2.1% |
| 1968 | 35,270 deaths | +2.0% |
| 1969 | 35,861 deaths | +1.7% |
| 1970 | 36,404 deaths | +1.5% |
| 1971 | 36,714 deaths | +0.9% |
| 1972 | 36,992 deaths | +0.8% |
| 1973 | 37,210 deaths | +0.6% |
| 1974 | 37,505 deaths | +0.8% |
| 1975 | 38,083 deaths | +1.5% |
| 1976 | 38,710 deaths | +1.6% |
| 1977 | 39,500 deaths | +2.0% |
| 1978 | 40,409 deaths | +2.3% |
| 1979 | 41,368 deaths | +2.4% |
| 1980 | 42,419 deaths | +2.5% |
| 1981 | 43,735 deaths | +3.1% |
| 1982 | 45,483 deaths | +4.0% |
| 1983 | 47,437 deaths | +4.3% |
| 1984 | 49,778 deaths | +4.9% |
| 1985 | 52,328 deaths | +5.1% |
| 1986 | 54,994 deaths | +5.1% |
| 1987 | 57,602 deaths | +4.7% |
| 1988 | 60,066 deaths | +4.3% |
| 1989 | 62,406 deaths | +3.9% |
| 1990 | 64,504 deaths | +3.4% |
| 1991 | 66,420 deaths | +3.0% |
| 1992 | 67,526 deaths | +1.7% |
| 1993 | 68,398 deaths | +1.3% |
| 1994 | 69,096 deaths | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 69,724 deaths | +0.9% |
| 1996 | 70,050 deaths | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 69,974 deaths | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 69,565 deaths | -0.6% |
| 1999 | 68,879 deaths | -1.0% |
| 2000 | 67,181 deaths | -2.5% |
| 2001 | 64,731 deaths | -3.6% |
| 2002 | 61,862 deaths | -4.4% |
| 2003 | 58,833 deaths | -4.9% |
| 2004 | 56,148 deaths | -4.6% |
| 2005 | 53,538 deaths | -4.6% |
| 2006 | 51,560 deaths | -3.7% |
| 2007 | 49,552 deaths | -3.9% |
| 2008 | 47,926 deaths | -3.3% |
| 2009 | 46,561 deaths | -2.8% |
| 2010 | 45,349 deaths | -2.6% |
| 2011 | 44,399 deaths | -2.1% |
| 2012 | 43,512 deaths | -2.0% |
| 2013 | 42,606 deaths | -2.1% |
| 2014 | 41,663 deaths | -2.2% |
| 2015 | 41,135 deaths | -1.3% |
| 2016 | 40,450 deaths | -1.7% |
| 2017 | 39,877 deaths | -1.4% |
| 2018 | 39,478 deaths | -1.0% |
| 2019 | 38,922 deaths | -1.4% |
| 2020 | 38,321 deaths | -1.5% |
| 2021 | 37,730 deaths | -1.5% |
| 2022 | 36,581 deaths | -3.0% |
| 2023 | 35,250 deaths | -3.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 28,269 deaths | 26,302 deaths | 29,885 deaths | 10 |
| 1960s | 32,986 deaths | 30,308 deaths | 35,861 deaths | 10 |
| 1970s | 38,290 deaths | 36,404 deaths | 41,368 deaths | 10 |
| 1980s | 51,625 deaths | 42,419 deaths | 62,406 deaths | 10 |
| 1990s | 68,414 deaths | 64,504 deaths | 70,050 deaths | 10 |
| 2000s | 55,789 deaths | 46,561 deaths | 67,181 deaths | 10 |
| 2010s | 41,739 deaths | 38,922 deaths | 45,349 deaths | 10 |
| 2020s | 36,970 deaths | 35,250 deaths | 38,321 deaths | 4 |
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 60-64, female, annual growth rate 5.3 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, female, per capita 0.0079 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, male, annual growth rate 6.33 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, male, per capita 0.0065 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of children who die before age 5 in Zambia?
- Number of children who die before age 5 in Zambia was 35,250 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 70,050 deaths in 1996.
- What is the lowest number of children who die before age 5 recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 26,302 deaths in 1950.
- How does Zambia rank for number of children who die before age 5?
- Zambia ranks 33rd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of children who die before age 5 rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zambia 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.