Number of neonatal deaths by region in Kenya
Kenya: Number of neonatal deaths by region was 31,481 in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
31,481
Change on year
down 0.5%
World rank
15th
of 195 countries
All-time high
35,299
in 2009
All-time low
20,625
in 1960
Years of data
65
1960–2024
Number of neonatal deaths by region in Kenya, 1960–2024
Source: UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, UN Population Division), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Kenya recorded 31,481 for number of neonatal deaths by region in 2024.
The figure is down 0.5% on the previous year and down 7.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of neonatal deaths by region in Kenya peaked at 35,299 in 2009 and was at its lowest, 20,625, in 1960.
Kenya ranks 15th of 195 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 65 years of available data.
Number of neonatal deaths by region in Kenya, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 20,625 | — |
| 1961 | 20,776 | +0.7% |
| 1962 | 20,894 | +0.6% |
| 1963 | 21,046 | +0.7% |
| 1964 | 21,227 | +0.9% |
| 1965 | 21,516 | +1.4% |
| 1966 | 21,900 | +1.8% |
| 1967 | 22,252 | +1.6% |
| 1968 | 22,657 | +1.8% |
| 1969 | 23,058 | +1.8% |
| 1970 | 23,376 | +1.4% |
| 1971 | 23,660 | +1.2% |
| 1972 | 23,656 | -0.0% |
| 1973 | 23,602 | -0.2% |
| 1974 | 23,605 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 23,698 | +0.4% |
| 1976 | 23,894 | +0.8% |
| 1977 | 24,048 | +0.6% |
| 1978 | 24,291 | +1.0% |
| 1979 | 24,548 | +1.1% |
| 1980 | 24,785 | +1.0% |
| 1981 | 25,250 | +1.9% |
| 1982 | 25,538 | +1.1% |
| 1983 | 25,800 | +1.0% |
| 1984 | 26,150 | +1.4% |
| 1985 | 26,424 | +1.0% |
| 1986 | 26,670 | +0.9% |
| 1987 | 26,840 | +0.6% |
| 1988 | 26,836 | -0.0% |
| 1989 | 26,827 | -0.0% |
| 1990 | 26,788 | -0.1% |
| 1991 | 26,862 | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 26,971 | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 27,340 | +1.4% |
| 1994 | 27,788 | +1.6% |
| 1995 | 28,620 | +3.0% |
| 1996 | 29,384 | +2.7% |
| 1997 | 30,227 | +2.9% |
| 1998 | 31,153 | +3.1% |
| 1999 | 31,753 | +1.9% |
| 2000 | 32,452 | +2.2% |
| 2001 | 33,149 | +2.1% |
| 2002 | 33,621 | +1.4% |
| 2003 | 33,782 | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 33,987 | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 34,235 | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 34,522 | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 34,923 | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 35,159 | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 35,299 | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 35,239 | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 34,884 | -1.0% |
| 2012 | 34,435 | -1.3% |
| 2013 | 34,034 | -1.2% |
| 2014 | 33,870 | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 33,810 | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 33,548 | -0.8% |
| 2017 | 33,247 | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 32,914 | -1.0% |
| 2019 | 32,233 | -2.1% |
| 2020 | 31,924 | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 31,912 | -0.0% |
| 2022 | 31,759 | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 31,638 | -0.4% |
| 2024 | 31,481 | -0.5% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 31,481 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 5,153, 6.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 31,481 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 13,437, 2.3× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 21,595 | 20,625 | 23,058 | 10 |
| 1970s | 23,838 | 23,376 | 24,548 | 10 |
| 1980s | 26,112 | 24,785 | 26,840 | 10 |
| 1990s | 28,689 | 26,788 | 31,753 | 10 |
| 2000s | 34,113 | 32,452 | 35,299 | 10 |
| 2010s | 33,821 | 32,233 | 35,239 | 10 |
| 2020s | 31,743 | 31,481 | 31,924 | 5 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More health data for Kenya
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.44 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.6026 % change on previous year (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 16,059 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 89 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.28 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0621 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.28 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.063 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of neonatal deaths by region in Kenya?
- Number of neonatal deaths by region in Kenya was 31,481 in 2024, according to UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, UN Population Division), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of neonatal deaths by region recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 35,299 in 2009.
- What is the lowest number of neonatal deaths by region recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 20,625 in 1960.
- How does Kenya rank for number of neonatal deaths by region?
- Kenya ranks 15th out of 195 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of neonatal deaths by region rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, UN Population Division), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of neonatal deaths by region. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
The estimated number of neonates – babies under 28 days old – who die each year.