Number of neonatal deaths in Zambia
Zambia: Number of neonatal deaths was 14,944 in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
14,944
Change on year
up 1.2%
World rank
33rd
of 197 countries
All-time high
15,003
in 2000
All-time low
7,637
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024
Number of neonatal deaths in Zambia, 1970–2024
Source: UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of neonatal deaths in Zambia is 14,944, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.2% on the previous year and up 4.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of neonatal deaths in Zambia peaked at 15,003 in 2000 and was at its lowest, 7,637, in 1970.
That places Zambia 33rd out of 197 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
Number of neonatal deaths in Zambia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 7,637 | — |
| 1971 | 7,778 | +1.8% |
| 1972 | 7,921 | +1.8% |
| 1973 | 8,062 | +1.8% |
| 1974 | 8,210 | +1.8% |
| 1975 | 8,445 | +2.9% |
| 1976 | 8,611 | +2.0% |
| 1977 | 8,837 | +2.6% |
| 1978 | 9,059 | +2.5% |
| 1979 | 9,278 | +2.4% |
| 1980 | 9,474 | +2.1% |
| 1981 | 9,772 | +3.1% |
| 1982 | 10,145 | +3.8% |
| 1983 | 10,569 | +4.2% |
| 1984 | 10,980 | +3.9% |
| 1985 | 11,427 | +4.1% |
| 1986 | 11,829 | +3.5% |
| 1987 | 12,175 | +2.9% |
| 1988 | 12,489 | +2.6% |
| 1989 | 12,786 | +2.4% |
| 1990 | 12,955 | +1.3% |
| 1991 | 13,056 | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 13,087 | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 13,299 | +1.6% |
| 1994 | 13,586 | +2.2% |
| 1995 | 13,884 | +2.2% |
| 1996 | 14,184 | +2.2% |
| 1997 | 14,483 | +2.1% |
| 1998 | 14,808 | +2.2% |
| 1999 | 14,989 | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 15,003 | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 14,848 | -1.0% |
| 2002 | 14,603 | -1.7% |
| 2003 | 14,275 | -2.2% |
| 2004 | 14,095 | -1.3% |
| 2005 | 13,975 | -0.9% |
| 2006 | 13,974 | -0.0% |
| 2007 | 13,990 | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 14,099 | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 14,217 | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 14,324 | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 14,391 | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 14,406 | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 14,365 | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 14,336 | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 14,317 | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 14,295 | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 14,245 | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 14,265 | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 14,309 | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 14,322 | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 14,420 | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 14,608 | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 14,764 | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 14,944 | +1.2% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 14,944 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 5,153, 2.9× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 14,944 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 13,437, 1.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 8,384 | 7,637 | 9,278 | 10 |
| 1980s | 11,165 | 9,474 | 12,786 | 10 |
| 1990s | 13,833 | 12,955 | 14,989 | 10 |
| 2000s | 14,308 | 13,974 | 15,003 | 10 |
| 2010s | 14,325 | 14,245 | 14,406 | 10 |
| 2020s | 14,612 | 14,322 | 14,944 | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More health data for Zambia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.09 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.7971 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 8,894 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.68 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0743 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.69 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0744 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of neonatal deaths in Zambia?
- Number of neonatal deaths in Zambia was 14,944 in 2024, according to UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).
- What is the highest number of neonatal deaths recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 15,003 in 2000.
- What is the lowest number of neonatal deaths recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 7,637 in 1970.
- How does Zambia rank for number of neonatal deaths?
- Zambia ranks 33rd out of 197 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of neonatal deaths rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), published as part of Number of neonatal deaths. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of neonates dying before reaching 28 days of age.