Number of infant deaths (United Nations) in Malawi
Malawi: Number of infant deaths (United Nations) was 25,217 in 2024. ▼ Falling
Number of infant deaths in Malawi, 1962–2024
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
Malawi recorded 25,217 for number of infant deaths in 2024.
That represents a change of up 0.6% on the previous year and up 1.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of infant deaths in Malawi peaked at 69,254 in 2001 and was at its lowest, 23,096, in 2018.
Malawi ranks 32nd of 199 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 63 years of available data.
Number of infant deaths (United Nations) in Malawi, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1962 | 32,491 | — |
| 1963 | 33,495 | +3.1% |
| 1964 | 34,351 | +2.6% |
| 1965 | 35,226 | +2.5% |
| 1966 | 36,164 | +2.7% |
| 1967 | 37,185 | +2.8% |
| 1968 | 38,166 | +2.6% |
| 1969 | 39,096 | +2.4% |
| 1970 | 39,742 | +1.7% |
| 1971 | 40,216 | +1.2% |
| 1972 | 40,518 | +0.8% |
| 1973 | 40,699 | +0.4% |
| 1974 | 40,740 | +0.1% |
| 1975 | 40,740 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 40,794 | +0.1% |
| 1977 | 40,827 | +0.1% |
| 1978 | 40,928 | +0.2% |
| 1979 | 41,220 | +0.7% |
| 1980 | 41,896 | +1.6% |
| 1981 | 42,720 | +2.0% |
| 1982 | 43,801 | +2.5% |
| 1983 | 45,337 | +3.5% |
| 1984 | 47,352 | +4.4% |
| 1985 | 49,779 | +5.1% |
| 1986 | 52,109 | +4.7% |
| 1987 | 53,879 | +3.4% |
| 1988 | 56,159 | +4.2% |
| 1989 | 58,253 | +3.7% |
| 1990 | 59,437 | +2.0% |
| 1991 | 59,917 | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 59,601 | -0.5% |
| 1993 | 59,119 | -0.8% |
| 1994 | 57,729 | -2.4% |
| 1995 | 54,881 | -4.9% |
| 1996 | 53,148 | -3.2% |
| 1997 | 52,829 | -0.6% |
| 1998 | 52,454 | -0.7% |
| 1999 | 51,155 | -2.5% |
| 2000 | 48,901 | -4.4% |
| 2001 | 69,254 | +41.6% |
| 2002 | 42,373 | -38.8% |
| 2003 | 39,846 | -6.0% |
| 2004 | 37,542 | -5.8% |
| 2005 | 35,897 | -4.4% |
| 2006 | 34,800 | -3.1% |
| 2007 | 34,066 | -2.1% |
| 2008 | 32,796 | -3.7% |
| 2009 | 31,806 | -3.0% |
| 2010 | 30,753 | -3.3% |
| 2011 | 28,780 | -6.4% |
| 2012 | 27,135 | -5.7% |
| 2013 | 25,714 | -5.2% |
| 2014 | 24,816 | -3.5% |
| 2015 | 23,872 | -3.8% |
| 2016 | 23,386 | -2.0% |
| 2017 | 23,122 | -1.1% |
| 2018 | 23,096 | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 23,636 | +2.3% |
| 2020 | 23,947 | +1.3% |
| 2021 | 24,353 | +1.7% |
| 2022 | 24,861 | +2.1% |
| 2023 | 25,073 | +0.9% |
| 2024 | 25,217 | +0.6% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 25,217 is below the median for low income countries, which is 31,762, 79% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 25,217 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 22,678, 1.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of infant deaths (United Nations) in Malawi changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | +41.6% | 48,901 | 69,254 |
| 2002 | -38.8% | 69,254 | 42,373 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 35,772 | 32,491 | 39,096 | 8 |
| 1970s | 40,642 | 39,742 | 41,220 | 10 |
| 1980s | 49,128 | 41,896 | 58,253 | 10 |
| 1990s | 56,027 | 51,155 | 59,917 | 10 |
| 2000s | 40,728 | 31,806 | 69,254 | 10 |
| 2010s | 25,431 | 23,096 | 30,753 | 10 |
| 2020s | 24,690 | 23,947 | 25,217 | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More health data for Malawi
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -0.8368 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.9312 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 6,399 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.61 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0714 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.63 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0718 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of infant deaths in Malawi?
- Number of infant deaths in Malawi was 25,217 in 2024, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of infant deaths recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 69,254 in 2001.
- What is the lowest number of infant deaths recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 23,096 in 2018.
- How does Malawi rank for number of infant deaths?
- Malawi ranks 32nd out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of infant deaths rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Number of infant deaths. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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