Number of maternal deaths, per square kilometre in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Number of maternal deaths, per square kilometre was 0.0078 units per square kilometre in 2023. ▼ Falling
Number of maternal deaths, per square kilometre in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1985–2023
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 is 0.0078 units per square kilometre, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 39 years on record.
That represents a change of down 16.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of maternal deaths, per square kilometre in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 0.012 units per square kilometre in 1987 and was at its lowest, 0.0078 units per square kilometre, in 2022.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa 7th 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, year by year
| Year | units per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 0.0116 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1986 | 0.0115 units per square kilometre | -1.3% |
| 1987 | 0.012 units per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 1988 | 0.0116 units per square kilometre | -2.9% |
| 1989 | 0.0115 units per square kilometre | -0.9% |
| 1990 | 0.0115 units per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 0.0115 units per square kilometre | -0.4% |
| 1992 | 0.0118 units per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1993 | 0.0112 units per square kilometre | -5.6% |
| 1994 | 0.0109 units per square kilometre | -2.1% |
| 1995 | 0.0105 units per square kilometre | -3.4% |
| 1996 | 0.0106 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 0.0105 units per square kilometre | -0.9% |
| 1998 | 0.011 units per square kilometre | +4.5% |
| 1999 | 0.0102 units per square kilometre | -7.3% |
| 2000 | 0.01 units per square kilometre | -1.4% |
| 2001 | 0.01 units per square kilometre | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 0.0099 units per square kilometre | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 0.0098 units per square kilometre | -0.9% |
| 2004 | 0.0097 units per square kilometre | -1.6% |
| 2005 | 0.0098 units per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 0.01 units per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 2007 | 0.0101 units per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 0.0104 units per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 2009 | 0.0106 units per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 0.0106 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 0.0106 units per square kilometre | -0.0% |
| 2012 | 0.0094 units per square kilometre | -11.3% |
| 2013 | 0.0094 units per square kilometre | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 0.0094 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 0.0094 units per square kilometre | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 0.0092 units per square kilometre | -2.2% |
| 2017 | 0.009 units per square kilometre | -2.3% |
| 2018 | 0.0086 units per square kilometre | -4.2% |
| 2019 | 0.0084 units per square kilometre | -2.4% |
| 2020 | 0.0081 units per square kilometre | -3.0% |
| 2021 | 0.0085 units per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 2022 | 0.0078 units per square kilometre | -7.9% |
| 2023 | 0.0078 units per square kilometre | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.0116 units per square kilometre | 0.0115 units per square kilometre | 0.012 units per square kilometre | 5 |
| 1990s | 0.011 units per square kilometre | 0.0102 units per square kilometre | 0.0118 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.01 units per square kilometre | 0.0097 units per square kilometre | 0.0106 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.0094 units per square kilometre | 0.0084 units per square kilometre | 0.0106 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0081 units per square kilometre | 0.0078 units per square kilometre | 0.0085 units per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 4 Rwanda 0.0369 units per square kilometre compare
- 5 Haiti 0.0308 units per square kilometre compare
- 6 Bangladesh 0.0308 units per square kilometre compare
- 7 Gambia 0.0287 units per square kilometre compare
- 8 Comoros 0.0236 units per square kilometre compare
- 9 Benin 0.0222 units per square kilometre compare
- 10 Togo 0.0184 units per square kilometre compare
More health data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Population ages 65 and above, male, annual growth rate 3.59 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, female, annual growth rate 3.74 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, female, per capita 0.0099 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, female, per capita 0.0181 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, total, annual growth rate 3.67 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, male, per capita 0.0142 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, total, per capita 0.5639 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of maternal deaths, per square kilometre in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Number of maternal deaths, per square kilometre in Sub-Saharan Africa was 0.0078 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?
- The highest recorded value was 0.012 units per square kilometre in 1987.
- What is the lowest number of maternal deaths, per square kilometre recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0078 units per square kilometre in 2022.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for number of maternal deaths, per square kilometre?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 7th out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is number of maternal deaths, per square kilometre rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 39 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
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
- Number of maternal deaths Trends in Maternal Mortality, World Health Organization (WHO)
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
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
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.