Number of infant deaths in Zambia
Zambia: Number of infant deaths was 20,899.0% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
20,899.0%
Change on year
down 2.7%
World rank
36th
of 199 countries
All-time high
40,309.0%
in 1999
All-time low
13,217.0%
in 1953
Years of data
71
1953–2023
Number of infant deaths in Zambia, 1953–2023
Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Zambia recorded 20,899.0% for number of infant deaths in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.7% on the previous year and down 21.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of infant deaths in Zambia peaked at 40,309.0% in 1999 and was at its lowest, 13,217.0%, in 1953.
That places Zambia 36th out of 199 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 71 years of available data.
Number of infant deaths in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1953 | 13,217.0% | — |
| 1954 | 13,419.0% | +1.5% |
| 1955 | 13,630.0% | +1.6% |
| 1956 | 13,799.0% | +1.2% |
| 1957 | 14,018.0% | +1.6% |
| 1958 | 14,248.0% | +1.6% |
| 1959 | 14,525.0% | +1.9% |
| 1960 | 14,818.0% | +2.0% |
| 1961 | 15,097.0% | +1.9% |
| 1962 | 15,395.0% | +2.0% |
| 1963 | 15,725.0% | +2.1% |
| 1964 | 16,103.0% | +2.4% |
| 1965 | 16,516.0% | +2.6% |
| 1966 | 16,985.0% | +2.8% |
| 1967 | 17,475.0% | +2.9% |
| 1968 | 17,976.0% | +2.9% |
| 1969 | 18,414.0% | +2.4% |
| 1970 | 18,780.0% | +2.0% |
| 1971 | 18,976.0% | +1.0% |
| 1972 | 19,031.0% | +0.3% |
| 1973 | 19,093.0% | +0.3% |
| 1974 | 19,209.0% | +0.6% |
| 1975 | 19,504.0% | +1.5% |
| 1976 | 19,925.0% | +2.2% |
| 1977 | 20,398.0% | +2.4% |
| 1978 | 20,983.0% | +2.9% |
| 1979 | 21,589.0% | +2.9% |
| 1980 | 22,231.0% | +3.0% |
| 1981 | 22,958.0% | +3.3% |
| 1982 | 23,918.0% | +4.2% |
| 1983 | 25,176.0% | +5.3% |
| 1984 | 26,676.0% | +6.0% |
| 1985 | 28,380.0% | +6.4% |
| 1986 | 30,189.0% | +6.4% |
| 1987 | 31,901.0% | +5.7% |
| 1988 | 33,462.0% | +4.9% |
| 1989 | 34,904.0% | +4.3% |
| 1990 | 36,159.0% | +3.6% |
| 1991 | 37,183.0% | +2.8% |
| 1992 | 37,923.0% | +2.0% |
| 1993 | 38,471.0% | +1.4% |
| 1994 | 39,010.0% | +1.4% |
| 1995 | 39,369.0% | +0.9% |
| 1996 | 39,672.0% | +0.8% |
| 1997 | 39,928.0% | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 40,214.0% | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 40,309.0% | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 39,722.0% | -1.5% |
| 2001 | 38,250.0% | -3.7% |
| 2002 | 36,306.0% | -5.1% |
| 2003 | 34,345.0% | -5.4% |
| 2004 | 32,328.0% | -5.9% |
| 2005 | 30,636.0% | -5.2% |
| 2006 | 29,688.0% | -3.1% |
| 2007 | 29,435.0% | -0.9% |
| 2008 | 28,793.0% | -2.2% |
| 2009 | 28,226.0% | -2.0% |
| 2010 | 27,815.0% | -1.5% |
| 2011 | 27,532.0% | -1.0% |
| 2012 | 27,171.0% | -1.3% |
| 2013 | 26,519.0% | -2.4% |
| 2014 | 25,898.0% | -2.3% |
| 2015 | 25,677.0% | -0.9% |
| 2016 | 25,027.0% | -2.5% |
| 2017 | 24,003.0% | -4.1% |
| 2018 | 23,550.0% | -1.9% |
| 2019 | 22,832.0% | -3.0% |
| 2020 | 22,365.0% | -2.0% |
| 2021 | 21,912.0% | -2.0% |
| 2022 | 21,476.0% | -2.0% |
| 2023 | 20,899.0% | -2.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 13,836.6% | 13,217.0% | 14,525.0% | 7 |
| 1960s | 16,450.4% | 14,818.0% | 18,414.0% | 10 |
| 1970s | 19,748.8% | 18,780.0% | 21,589.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 27,979.5% | 22,231.0% | 34,904.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 38,823.8% | 36,159.0% | 40,309.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 32,772.9% | 28,226.0% | 39,722.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 25,602.4% | 22,832.0% | 27,815.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 21,663.0% | 20,899.0% | 22,365.0% | 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 75-79, female, annual growth rate 5.38 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, female, per capita 0.0018 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, male, annual growth rate 4.29 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, male, per capita 0.0011 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of infant deaths in Zambia?
- Number of infant deaths in Zambia was 20,899.0% 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 40,309.0% in 1999.
- What is the lowest number of infant deaths recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 13,217.0% in 1953.
- How does Zambia rank for number of infant deaths?
- Zambia ranks 36th out of 199 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of infant deaths rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zambia 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.