Number of infant deaths in Iceland
Iceland: Number of infant deaths was 8.0% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
8.0%
Change on year
down 11.1%
World rank
185th
of 199 countries
All-time high
94.0%
in 1951
All-time low
8.0%
in 2015
Years of data
73
1951–2023
Number of infant deaths in Iceland, 1951–2023
Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of infant deaths in Iceland is 8.0%, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 73 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 11.1% on the previous year and down 11.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of infant deaths in Iceland peaked at 94.0% in 1951 and was at its lowest, 8.0%, in 2015.
That places Iceland 185th out of 199 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of infant deaths in Iceland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 94.0% | — |
| 1952 | 90.0% | -4.3% |
| 1953 | 88.0% | -2.2% |
| 1954 | 87.0% | -1.1% |
| 1955 | 86.0% | -1.1% |
| 1956 | 85.0% | -1.2% |
| 1957 | 85.0% | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 83.0% | -2.4% |
| 1959 | 82.0% | -1.2% |
| 1960 | 83.0% | +1.2% |
| 1961 | 80.0% | -3.6% |
| 1962 | 77.0% | -3.8% |
| 1963 | 78.0% | +1.3% |
| 1964 | 76.0% | -2.6% |
| 1965 | 73.0% | -3.9% |
| 1966 | 70.0% | -4.1% |
| 1967 | 66.0% | -5.7% |
| 1968 | 60.0% | -9.1% |
| 1969 | 57.0% | -5.0% |
| 1970 | 54.0% | -5.3% |
| 1971 | 52.0% | -3.7% |
| 1972 | 53.0% | +1.9% |
| 1973 | 53.0% | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 49.0% | -7.5% |
| 1975 | 45.0% | -8.2% |
| 1976 | 43.0% | -4.4% |
| 1977 | 39.0% | -9.3% |
| 1978 | 36.0% | -7.7% |
| 1979 | 36.0% | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 36.0% | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 33.0% | -8.3% |
| 1982 | 31.0% | -6.1% |
| 1983 | 29.0% | -6.5% |
| 1984 | 27.0% | -6.9% |
| 1985 | 25.0% | -7.4% |
| 1986 | 23.0% | -8.0% |
| 1987 | 23.0% | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 24.0% | +4.3% |
| 1989 | 24.0% | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 24.0% | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 23.0% | -4.2% |
| 1992 | 22.0% | -4.3% |
| 1993 | 21.0% | -4.5% |
| 1994 | 20.0% | -4.8% |
| 1995 | 18.0% | -10.0% |
| 1996 | 17.0% | -5.6% |
| 1997 | 16.0% | -5.9% |
| 1998 | 15.0% | -6.2% |
| 1999 | 14.0% | -6.7% |
| 2000 | 13.0% | -7.1% |
| 2001 | 13.0% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 12.0% | -7.7% |
| 2003 | 11.0% | -8.3% |
| 2004 | 11.0% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 10.0% | -9.1% |
| 2006 | 10.0% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 10.0% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 10.0% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 10.0% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 10.0% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 10.0% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 9.0% | -10.0% |
| 2013 | 9.0% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 9.0% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 8.0% | -11.1% |
| 2016 | 8.0% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 8.0% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 8.0% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 9.0% | +12.5% |
| 2020 | 9.0% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 9.0% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 9.0% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 8.0% | -11.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 86.7% | 82.0% | 94.0% | 9 |
| 1960s | 72.0% | 57.0% | 83.0% | 10 |
| 1970s | 46.0% | 36.0% | 54.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 27.5% | 23.0% | 36.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 19.0% | 14.0% | 24.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 11.0% | 10.0% | 13.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.8% | 8.0% | 10.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.8% | 8.0% | 9.0% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
- 182 Montenegro 15.0% compare
- 183 Luxembourg 14.0% compare
- 184 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 12.0% compare
- 185 Antigua and Barbuda 8.0% compare
- 185 Saint Kitts and Nevis 8.0% compare
- 188 British Virgin Islands 4.0% compare
- 188 Palau 4.0% compare
- 188 Tuvalu 4.0% compare
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Frequently asked questions
- What is number of infant deaths in Iceland?
- Number of infant deaths in Iceland was 8.0% in 2023, according to World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of infant deaths recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 94.0% in 1951.
- What is the lowest number of infant deaths recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.0% in 2015.
- How does Iceland rank for number of infant deaths?
- Iceland ranks 185th out of 199 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of infant deaths rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iceland data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing 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
The number of infants dying before reaching one year of age.