Number of infant deaths in New Zealand
New Zealand: Number of infant deaths was 238 deaths in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
238 deaths
Change on year
down 2.1%
World rank
137th
of 199 countries
All-time high
1,403 deaths
in 1959
All-time low
238 deaths
in 2024
Years of data
74
1951–2024
Number of infant deaths in New Zealand, 1951–2024
Source: United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of infant deaths in New Zealand is 238 deaths, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
The figure is down 2.1% on the previous year and down 13.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of infant deaths in New Zealand peaked at 1,403 deaths in 1959 and was at its lowest, 238 deaths, in 2024.
That places New Zealand 137th out of 199 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of infant deaths in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | deaths | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 1,370 deaths | — |
| 1952 | 1,366 deaths | -0.3% |
| 1953 | 1,353 deaths | -1.0% |
| 1954 | 1,352 deaths | -0.1% |
| 1955 | 1,368 deaths | +1.2% |
| 1956 | 1,380 deaths | +0.9% |
| 1957 | 1,386 deaths | +0.4% |
| 1958 | 1,394 deaths | +0.6% |
| 1959 | 1,403 deaths | +0.6% |
| 1960 | 1,401 deaths | -0.1% |
| 1961 | 1,390 deaths | -0.8% |
| 1962 | 1,346 deaths | -3.2% |
| 1963 | 1,287 deaths | -4.4% |
| 1964 | 1,217 deaths | -5.4% |
| 1965 | 1,139 deaths | -6.4% |
| 1966 | 1,095 deaths | -3.9% |
| 1967 | 1,082 deaths | -1.2% |
| 1968 | 1,082 deaths | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 1,075 deaths | -0.6% |
| 1970 | 1,052 deaths | -2.1% |
| 1971 | 1,046 deaths | -0.6% |
| 1972 | 1,029 deaths | -1.6% |
| 1973 | 968 deaths | -5.9% |
| 1974 | 910 deaths | -6.0% |
| 1975 | 855 deaths | -6.0% |
| 1976 | 804 deaths | -6.0% |
| 1977 | 769 deaths | -4.4% |
| 1978 | 719 deaths | -6.5% |
| 1979 | 684 deaths | -4.9% |
| 1980 | 659 deaths | -3.7% |
| 1981 | 632 deaths | -4.1% |
| 1982 | 612 deaths | -3.2% |
| 1983 | 595 deaths | -2.8% |
| 1984 | 590 deaths | -0.8% |
| 1985 | 584 deaths | -1.0% |
| 1986 | 575 deaths | -1.5% |
| 1987 | 571 deaths | -0.7% |
| 1988 | 570 deaths | -0.2% |
| 1989 | 558 deaths | -2.1% |
| 1990 | 539 deaths | -3.4% |
| 1991 | 514 deaths | -4.6% |
| 1992 | 484 deaths | -5.8% |
| 1993 | 459 deaths | -5.2% |
| 1994 | 431 deaths | -6.1% |
| 1995 | 408 deaths | -5.3% |
| 1996 | 392 deaths | -3.9% |
| 1997 | 378 deaths | -3.6% |
| 1998 | 360 deaths | -4.8% |
| 1999 | 349 deaths | -3.1% |
| 2000 | 343 deaths | -1.7% |
| 2001 | 331 deaths | -3.5% |
| 2002 | 315 deaths | -4.8% |
| 2003 | 308 deaths | -2.2% |
| 2004 | 312 deaths | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 312 deaths | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 312 deaths | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 326 deaths | +4.5% |
| 2008 | 336 deaths | +3.1% |
| 2009 | 329 deaths | -2.1% |
| 2010 | 324 deaths | -1.5% |
| 2011 | 317 deaths | -2.2% |
| 2012 | 305 deaths | -3.8% |
| 2013 | 292 deaths | -4.3% |
| 2014 | 276 deaths | -5.5% |
| 2015 | 275 deaths | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 273 deaths | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 266 deaths | -2.6% |
| 2018 | 258 deaths | -3.0% |
| 2019 | 255 deaths | -1.2% |
| 2020 | 251 deaths | -1.6% |
| 2021 | 248 deaths | -1.2% |
| 2022 | 247 deaths | -0.4% |
| 2023 | 243 deaths | -1.6% |
| 2024 | 238 deaths | -2.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 1,375 deaths | 1,352 deaths | 1,403 deaths | 9 |
| 1960s | 1,211 deaths | 1,075 deaths | 1,401 deaths | 10 |
| 1970s | 883.6 deaths | 684 deaths | 1,052 deaths | 10 |
| 1980s | 594.6 deaths | 558 deaths | 659 deaths | 10 |
| 1990s | 431.4 deaths | 349 deaths | 539 deaths | 10 |
| 2000s | 322.4 deaths | 308 deaths | 343 deaths | 10 |
| 2010s | 284.1 deaths | 255 deaths | 324 deaths | 10 |
| 2020s | 245.4 deaths | 238 deaths | 251 deaths | 5 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
More health data for New Zealand
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.94 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.4815 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,116 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 33 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 40-44, male, annual growth rate 1.53 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, male, per capita 0.0317 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 45-49, female, annual growth rate 0.0095 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 45-49, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 45-49, female, per capita 0.0297 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of infant deaths in New Zealand?
- Number of infant deaths in New Zealand was 238 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 New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 1,403 deaths in 1959.
- What is the lowest number of infant deaths recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 238 deaths in 2024.
- How does New Zealand rank for number of infant deaths?
- New Zealand ranks 137th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of infant deaths rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this New Zealand 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Estimated number of deaths of children aged under 1 .