Number of maternal deaths, per square kilometre in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)

Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries): Number of maternal deaths, per square kilometre was 0.0074 units per square kilometre in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)
0.0074 units per square kilometre
Change on year
down 1.1%
Rank
9th
of 47 groups
All-time high
0.0117 units per square kilometre
in 1987
All-time low
0.0074 units per square kilometre
in 2023
Years of data
39
1985–2023

Number of maternal deaths, per square kilometre in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), 1985–2023

00.0030.0050.0070.010.0131985200420231985: 0.011 units per square kilometre1986: 0.011 units per square kilometre1987: 0.012 units per square kilometre1988: 0.011 units per square kilometre1989: 0.011 units per square kilometre1990: 0.011 units per square kilometre1991: 0.011 units per square kilometre1992: 0.012 units per square kilometre1993: 0.011 units per square kilometre1994: 0.011 units per square kilometre1995: 0.01 units per square kilometre1996: 0.01 units per square kilometre1997: 0.01 units per square kilometre1998: 0.011 units per square kilometre1999: 0.01 units per square kilometre2000: 0.01 units per square kilometre2001: 0.01 units per square kilometre2002: 0.01 units per square kilometre2003: 0.01 units per square kilometre2004: 0.01 units per square kilometre2005: 0.01 units per square kilometre2006: 0.01 units per square kilometre2007: 0.01 units per square kilometre2008: 0.01 units per square kilometre2009: 0.01 units per square kilometre2010: 0.01 units per square kilometre2011: 0.01 units per square kilometre2012: 0.009 units per square kilometre2013: 0.009 units per square kilometre2014: 0.009 units per square kilometre2015: 0.009 units per square kilometre2016: 0.009 units per square kilometre2017: 0.009 units per square kilometre2018: 0.008 units per square kilometre2019: 0.008 units per square kilometre2020: 0.008 units per square kilometre2021: 0.008 units per square kilometre2022: 0.007 units per square kilometre2023: 0.007 units per square kilometre

Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per square kilometre.

Analysis

The most recent figure for number of maternal deaths, per square kilometre in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) is 0.0074 units per square kilometre, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 39 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.1% on the previous year and down 19.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, number of maternal deaths, per square kilometre in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 0.0117 units per square kilometre in 1987 and was at its lowest, 0.0074 units per square kilometre, in 2023.

That places Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) 9th out of 47 groups with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 39 years of available data.

Number of maternal deaths, per square kilometre in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), year by year

Annual values for Number of maternal deaths, per square kilometre in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), 1985 to 2023.
Year units per square kilometre Change
1985 0.0113 units per square kilometre
1986 0.0112 units per square kilometre -0.9%
1987 0.0117 units per square kilometre +4.9%
1988 0.0114 units per square kilometre -3.0%
1989 0.0113 units per square kilometre -0.4%
1990 0.0113 units per square kilometre +0.0%
1991 0.0113 units per square kilometre -0.4%
1992 0.0116 units per square kilometre +3.1%
1993 0.011 units per square kilometre -5.6%
1994 0.0107 units per square kilometre -2.1%
1995 0.0104 units per square kilometre -3.1%
1996 0.0104 units per square kilometre +0.0%
1997 0.0104 units per square kilometre -0.5%
1998 0.0108 units per square kilometre +4.5%
1999 0.01 units per square kilometre -7.4%
2000 0.0099 units per square kilometre -1.4%
2001 0.0098 units per square kilometre -0.5%
2002 0.0098 units per square kilometre -0.5%
2003 0.0097 units per square kilometre -1.0%
2004 0.0096 units per square kilometre -1.2%
2005 0.0097 units per square kilometre +1.0%
2006 0.0099 units per square kilometre +1.9%
2007 0.01 units per square kilometre +1.4%
2008 0.0103 units per square kilometre +2.8%
2009 0.0104 units per square kilometre +0.9%
2010 0.0104 units per square kilometre +0.4%
2011 0.0104 units per square kilometre -0.4%
2012 0.0092 units per square kilometre -11.3%
2013 0.0092 units per square kilometre +0.0%
2014 0.0092 units per square kilometre +0.0%
2015 0.0091 units per square kilometre -0.9%
2016 0.0089 units per square kilometre -2.8%
2017 0.0086 units per square kilometre -2.8%
2018 0.0083 units per square kilometre -3.9%
2019 0.0081 units per square kilometre -2.5%
2020 0.0078 units per square kilometre -3.6%
2021 0.0081 units per square kilometre +3.8%
2022 0.0075 units per square kilometre -7.3%
2023 0.0074 units per square kilometre -1.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 0.0114 units per square kilometre 0.0112 units per square kilometre 0.0117 units per square kilometre 5
1990s 0.0108 units per square kilometre 0.01 units per square kilometre 0.0116 units per square kilometre 10
2000s 0.0099 units per square kilometre 0.0096 units per square kilometre 0.0104 units per square kilometre 10
2010s 0.0091 units per square kilometre 0.0081 units per square kilometre 0.0104 units per square kilometre 10
2020s 0.0077 units per square kilometre 0.0074 units per square kilometre 0.0081 units per square kilometre 4

Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)

  1. 6 Bangladesh 0.0308 units per square kilometre compare
  2. 7 Gambia 0.0287 units per square kilometre compare
  3. 8 Comoros 0.0236 units per square kilometre compare
  4. 9 Benin 0.0222 units per square kilometre compare
  5. 10 Togo 0.0184 units per square kilometre compare
  6. 11 Malawi 0.0159 units per square kilometre compare
  7. 12 Uganda 0.0145 units per square kilometre compare

See the full ranking of 241 places →

More health data for Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)

All data for Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) →

Frequently asked questions

What is number of maternal deaths, per square kilometre in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
Number of maternal deaths, per square kilometre in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) was 0.0074 units per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
What is the highest number of maternal deaths, per square kilometre recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
The highest recorded value was 0.0117 units per square kilometre in 1987.
What is the lowest number of maternal deaths, per square kilometre recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
The lowest recorded value was 0.0074 units per square kilometre in 2023.
How does Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for number of maternal deaths, per square kilometre?
Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 9th out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
Is number of maternal deaths, per square kilometre rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
Over the last ten years it is down 19.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) data come from?
The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Number of maternal deaths, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Number of maternal deaths, per square kilometre in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries). Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 12 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/number-of-maternal-deaths-per-square-kilometre/sub-saharan-africa-ida-and-ibrd-countries/

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<a href="https://health.statizoid.com/stat/number-of-maternal-deaths-per-square-kilometre/sub-saharan-africa-ida-and-ibrd-countries/">Number of maternal deaths, per square kilometre in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)</a> — Statizoid

How this figure is calculated

Number of maternal deaths divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.

Number of maternal deaths ÷ Land area (sq. km)

Computed from

Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.

About this data

Indicator
Number of maternal deaths, per square kilometre
Unit
units per square kilometre
Source
Statizoid (derived)
Licence
Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page
Coverage
241 places, 9,090 data points, 1985–2023
Last refreshed

Number of maternal deaths divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.