Number of neonatal deaths in China
China: Number of neonatal deaths was 22,892 deaths in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Number of neonatal deaths in China, 1990–2024
Source: United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths.
Analysis
China recorded 22,892 deaths for number of neonatal deaths in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
That represents a change of down 7.7% on the previous year and down 79.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of neonatal deaths in China peaked at 830,147 deaths in 1990 and was at its lowest, 22,892 deaths, in 2024.
That places China 25th out of 199 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of neonatal deaths in China, year by year
| Year | deaths | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 830,147 deaths | — |
| 1991 | 669,455 deaths | -19.4% |
| 1992 | 613,677 deaths | -8.3% |
| 1993 | 576,488 deaths | -6.1% |
| 1994 | 541,047 deaths | -6.1% |
| 1995 | 508,468 deaths | -6.0% |
| 1996 | 470,546 deaths | -7.5% |
| 1997 | 434,578 deaths | -7.6% |
| 1998 | 403,992 deaths | -7.0% |
| 1999 | 378,479 deaths | -6.3% |
| 2000 | 374,209 deaths | -1.1% |
| 2001 | 330,546 deaths | -11.7% |
| 2002 | 301,204 deaths | -8.9% |
| 2003 | 273,341 deaths | -9.3% |
| 2004 | 252,198 deaths | -7.7% |
| 2005 | 230,143 deaths | -8.7% |
| 2006 | 210,907 deaths | -8.4% |
| 2007 | 193,928 deaths | -8.1% |
| 2008 | 180,176 deaths | -7.1% |
| 2009 | 165,960 deaths | -7.9% |
| 2010 | 149,705 deaths | -9.8% |
| 2011 | 135,636 deaths | -9.4% |
| 2012 | 133,564 deaths | -1.5% |
| 2013 | 116,551 deaths | -12.7% |
| 2014 | 109,198 deaths | -6.3% |
| 2015 | 93,469 deaths | -14.4% |
| 2016 | 89,184 deaths | -4.6% |
| 2017 | 81,412 deaths | -8.7% |
| 2018 | 63,127 deaths | -22.5% |
| 2019 | 55,063 deaths | -12.8% |
| 2020 | 41,391 deaths | -24.8% |
| 2021 | 33,761 deaths | -18.4% |
| 2022 | 28,333 deaths | -16.1% |
| 2023 | 24,806 deaths | -12.4% |
| 2024 | 22,892 deaths | -7.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 542,688 deaths | 378,479 deaths | 830,147 deaths | 10 |
| 2000s | 251,261 deaths | 165,960 deaths | 374,209 deaths | 10 |
| 2010s | 102,691 deaths | 55,063 deaths | 149,705 deaths | 10 |
| 2020s | 30,237 deaths | 22,892 deaths | 41,391 deaths | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
- 22 Philippines 25,061 deaths compare
- 23 Cameroon 24,029 deaths compare
- 24 Madagascar 23,361 deaths compare
- 26 Brazil 18,331 deaths compare
- 27 Myanmar 17,588 deaths compare
- 28 Burkina Faso 17,516 deaths compare
More health data for China
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.15 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.0985 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 2,029 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 4,642 deaths (2100)
- Total tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 10 (2025)
- Total tetanus - number of reported cases, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
- Diphtheria - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Diphtheria - number of reported cases, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
- Measles - number of reported cases, gaps filled 1,770 (2025)
- Measles - number of reported cases, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of neonatal deaths in China?
- Number of neonatal deaths in China was 22,892 deaths in 2024, according to United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of neonatal deaths recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 830,147 deaths in 1990.
- What is the lowest number of neonatal deaths recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 22,892 deaths in 2024.
- How does China rank for number of neonatal deaths?
- China ranks 25th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of neonatal deaths rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 79.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of neonatal deaths. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated number of deaths of children aged less than 28 days .