Number of infant deaths (United Nations) in Kenya
Kenya: Number of infant deaths (United Nations) was 51,310 deaths in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
51,310 deaths
Change on year
down 0.3%
World rank
15th
of 199 countries
All-time high
77,460 deaths
in 1998
All-time low
46,031 deaths
in 1961
Years of data
71
1954–2024
Number of infant deaths in Kenya, 1954–2024
Source: United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths.
Analysis
Kenya recorded 51,310 deaths for number of infant deaths in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.3% on the previous year and down 11.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of infant deaths in Kenya peaked at 77,460 deaths in 1998 and was at its lowest, 46,031 deaths, in 1961.
That places Kenya 15th out of 199 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 71 years of available data.
Number of infant deaths (United Nations) in Kenya, year by year
| Year | deaths | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1954 | 49,304 deaths | — |
| 1955 | 48,631 deaths | -1.4% |
| 1956 | 48,084 deaths | -1.1% |
| 1957 | 47,686 deaths | -0.8% |
| 1958 | 47,251 deaths | -0.9% |
| 1959 | 46,709 deaths | -1.1% |
| 1960 | 46,188 deaths | -1.1% |
| 1961 | 46,031 deaths | -0.3% |
| 1962 | 46,152 deaths | +0.3% |
| 1963 | 46,393 deaths | +0.5% |
| 1964 | 46,815 deaths | +0.9% |
| 1965 | 47,469 deaths | +1.4% |
| 1966 | 48,281 deaths | +1.7% |
| 1967 | 49,002 deaths | +1.5% |
| 1968 | 49,615 deaths | +1.3% |
| 1969 | 50,254 deaths | +1.3% |
| 1970 | 50,858 deaths | +1.2% |
| 1971 | 51,423 deaths | +1.1% |
| 1972 | 51,745 deaths | +0.6% |
| 1973 | 51,727 deaths | -0.0% |
| 1974 | 51,623 deaths | -0.2% |
| 1975 | 51,613 deaths | -0.0% |
| 1976 | 51,662 deaths | +0.1% |
| 1977 | 51,616 deaths | -0.1% |
| 1978 | 51,549 deaths | -0.1% |
| 1979 | 51,597 deaths | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 51,768 deaths | +0.3% |
| 1981 | 52,154 deaths | +0.7% |
| 1982 | 52,683 deaths | +1.0% |
| 1983 | 53,131 deaths | +0.9% |
| 1984 | 53,984 deaths | +1.6% |
| 1985 | 55,252 deaths | +2.3% |
| 1986 | 56,920 deaths | +3.0% |
| 1987 | 59,024 deaths | +3.7% |
| 1988 | 61,404 deaths | +4.0% |
| 1989 | 64,026 deaths | +4.3% |
| 1990 | 66,696 deaths | +4.2% |
| 1991 | 69,120 deaths | +3.6% |
| 1992 | 71,118 deaths | +2.9% |
| 1993 | 72,666 deaths | +2.2% |
| 1994 | 73,842 deaths | +1.6% |
| 1995 | 75,056 deaths | +1.6% |
| 1996 | 76,209 deaths | +1.5% |
| 1997 | 76,925 deaths | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 77,460 deaths | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 77,438 deaths | -0.0% |
| 2000 | 76,680 deaths | -1.0% |
| 2001 | 75,786 deaths | -1.2% |
| 2002 | 74,353 deaths | -1.9% |
| 2003 | 72,336 deaths | -2.7% |
| 2004 | 70,031 deaths | -3.2% |
| 2005 | 67,420 deaths | -3.7% |
| 2006 | 65,508 deaths | -2.8% |
| 2007 | 64,272 deaths | -1.9% |
| 2008 | 62,175 deaths | -3.3% |
| 2009 | 62,412 deaths | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 62,030 deaths | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 61,164 deaths | -1.4% |
| 2012 | 60,750 deaths | -0.7% |
| 2013 | 59,332 deaths | -2.3% |
| 2014 | 57,847 deaths | -2.5% |
| 2015 | 56,249 deaths | -2.8% |
| 2016 | 55,548 deaths | -1.2% |
| 2017 | 55,295 deaths | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 54,268 deaths | -1.9% |
| 2019 | 53,300 deaths | -1.8% |
| 2020 | 52,579 deaths | -1.4% |
| 2021 | 52,310 deaths | -0.5% |
| 2022 | 52,067 deaths | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 51,461 deaths | -1.2% |
| 2024 | 51,310 deaths | -0.3% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 51,310 deaths is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 7,969 deaths, 6.4× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 51,310 deaths is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 22,678 deaths, 2.3× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 47,944 deaths | 46,709 deaths | 49,304 deaths | 6 |
| 1960s | 47,620 deaths | 46,031 deaths | 50,254 deaths | 10 |
| 1970s | 51,541 deaths | 50,858 deaths | 51,745 deaths | 10 |
| 1980s | 56,035 deaths | 51,768 deaths | 64,026 deaths | 10 |
| 1990s | 73,653 deaths | 66,696 deaths | 77,460 deaths | 10 |
| 2000s | 69,097 deaths | 62,175 deaths | 76,680 deaths | 10 |
| 2010s | 57,578 deaths | 53,300 deaths | 62,030 deaths | 10 |
| 2020s | 51,945 deaths | 51,310 deaths | 52,579 deaths | 5 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More health data for Kenya
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.44 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.6026 % change on previous year (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 16,059 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 89 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.28 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0621 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.28 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.063 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of infant deaths in Kenya?
- Number of infant deaths in Kenya was 51,310 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 infant deaths recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 77,460 deaths in 1998.
- What is the lowest number of infant deaths recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 46,031 deaths in 1961.
- How does Kenya rank for number of infant deaths?
- Kenya ranks 15th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of infant deaths rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Kenya 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 infant deaths. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated number of deaths of children aged under 1 .