Number of neonatal deaths in Malawi
Malawi: Number of neonatal deaths was 15,906 deaths in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
15,906 deaths
Change on year
up 1.1%
World rank
32nd
of 199 countries
All-time high
23,126 deaths
in 1991
All-time low
14,335 deaths
in 2016
Years of data
55
1970–2024
Number of neonatal deaths in Malawi, 1970–2024
Source: United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of neonatal deaths in Malawi is 15,906 deaths, measured in 2024.
The figure is up 1.1% on the previous year and up 7.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of neonatal deaths in Malawi peaked at 23,126 deaths in 1991 and was at its lowest, 14,335 deaths, in 2016.
Malawi ranks 32nd of 199 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 55 years of available data.
Number of neonatal deaths in Malawi, year by year
| Year | deaths | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 17,295 deaths | — |
| 1971 | 17,403 deaths | +0.6% |
| 1972 | 17,454 deaths | +0.3% |
| 1973 | 17,445 deaths | -0.1% |
| 1974 | 17,423 deaths | -0.1% |
| 1975 | 17,441 deaths | +0.1% |
| 1976 | 17,486 deaths | +0.3% |
| 1977 | 17,588 deaths | +0.6% |
| 1978 | 17,835 deaths | +1.4% |
| 1979 | 18,189 deaths | +2.0% |
| 1980 | 18,676 deaths | +2.7% |
| 1981 | 18,997 deaths | +1.7% |
| 1982 | 19,326 deaths | +1.7% |
| 1983 | 19,634 deaths | +1.6% |
| 1984 | 20,046 deaths | +2.1% |
| 1985 | 20,567 deaths | +2.6% |
| 1986 | 20,962 deaths | +1.9% |
| 1987 | 21,240 deaths | +1.3% |
| 1988 | 22,117 deaths | +4.1% |
| 1989 | 22,610 deaths | +2.2% |
| 1990 | 23,010 deaths | +1.8% |
| 1991 | 23,126 deaths | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 23,057 deaths | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 23,012 deaths | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 22,285 deaths | -3.2% |
| 1995 | 21,135 deaths | -5.2% |
| 1996 | 20,876 deaths | -1.2% |
| 1997 | 20,776 deaths | -0.5% |
| 1998 | 20,554 deaths | -1.1% |
| 1999 | 19,984 deaths | -2.8% |
| 2000 | 19,088 deaths | -4.5% |
| 2001 | 19,017 deaths | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 17,618 deaths | -7.4% |
| 2003 | 17,081 deaths | -3.0% |
| 2004 | 16,753 deaths | -1.9% |
| 2005 | 16,603 deaths | -0.9% |
| 2006 | 16,564 deaths | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 16,593 deaths | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 16,550 deaths | -0.3% |
| 2009 | 16,410 deaths | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 16,100 deaths | -1.9% |
| 2011 | 15,783 deaths | -2.0% |
| 2012 | 15,369 deaths | -2.6% |
| 2013 | 15,101 deaths | -1.7% |
| 2014 | 14,770 deaths | -2.2% |
| 2015 | 14,501 deaths | -1.8% |
| 2016 | 14,335 deaths | -1.1% |
| 2017 | 14,441 deaths | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 14,616 deaths | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 14,867 deaths | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 15,158 deaths | +2.0% |
| 2021 | 15,360 deaths | +1.3% |
| 2022 | 15,557 deaths | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 15,738 deaths | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 15,906 deaths | +1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 17,556 deaths | 17,295 deaths | 18,189 deaths | 10 |
| 1980s | 20,418 deaths | 18,676 deaths | 22,610 deaths | 10 |
| 1990s | 21,782 deaths | 19,984 deaths | 23,126 deaths | 10 |
| 2000s | 17,228 deaths | 16,410 deaths | 19,088 deaths | 10 |
| 2010s | 14,988 deaths | 14,335 deaths | 16,100 deaths | 10 |
| 2020s | 15,544 deaths | 15,158 deaths | 15,906 deaths | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More health data for Malawi
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -0.8368 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.9312 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 856.3 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 6,399 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 0-14, female, annual growth rate 1.08 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per capita 0.2005 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, annual growth rate 1.18 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per capita 0.2007 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of neonatal deaths in Malawi?
- Number of neonatal deaths in Malawi was 15,906 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 Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 23,126 deaths in 1991.
- What is the lowest number of neonatal deaths recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 14,335 deaths in 2016.
- How does Malawi rank for number of neonatal deaths?
- Malawi ranks 32nd out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of neonatal deaths rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malawi 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.
Download this data
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About this data
Estimated number of deaths of children aged less than 28 days .