Number of under-five deaths in World
World: Number of under-five deaths was 4.86 million in 2024. ▼ Falling
Number of under-five deaths in World, 1990–2024
Source: UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).
Analysis
World recorded 4.86 million for number of under-five deaths in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
The figure is down 2.6% on the previous year and down 22.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of under-five deaths in World peaked at 12.97 million in 1990 and was at its lowest, 4.86 million, in 2024.
World ranks 1st of 47 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Number of under-five deaths in World, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 12.97 million | — |
| 1991 | 12.74 million | -1.8% |
| 1992 | 12.39 million | -2.8% |
| 1993 | 12.11 million | -2.2% |
| 1994 | 11.81 million | -2.5% |
| 1995 | 11.51 million | -2.5% |
| 1996 | 11.32 million | -1.6% |
| 1997 | 11.01 million | -2.7% |
| 1998 | 10.80 million | -2.0% |
| 1999 | 10.36 million | -4.0% |
| 2000 | 10.06 million | -2.9% |
| 2001 | 9.79 million | -2.7% |
| 2002 | 9.40 million | -4.0% |
| 2003 | 9.03 million | -3.9% |
| 2004 | 8.75 million | -3.1% |
| 2005 | 8.33 million | -4.8% |
| 2006 | 8.02 million | -3.8% |
| 2007 | 7.75 million | -3.4% |
| 2008 | 7.53 million | -2.8% |
| 2009 | 7.35 million | -2.3% |
| 2010 | 7.08 million | -3.7% |
| 2011 | 6.95 million | -1.7% |
| 2012 | 6.64 million | -4.5% |
| 2013 | 6.42 million | -3.3% |
| 2014 | 6.27 million | -2.4% |
| 2015 | 6.10 million | -2.7% |
| 2016 | 5.95 million | -2.5% |
| 2017 | 5.81 million | -2.3% |
| 2018 | 5.57 million | -4.1% |
| 2019 | 5.43 million | -2.4% |
| 2020 | 5.26 million | -3.2% |
| 2021 | 5.23 million | -0.6% |
| 2022 | 5.22 million | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 4.99 million | -4.5% |
| 2024 | 4.86 million | -2.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 11.70 million | 10.36 million | 12.97 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.60 million | 7.35 million | 10.06 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.22 million | 5.43 million | 7.08 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.11 million | 4.86 million | 5.26 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near World
More health data for World
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 2,458 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.47 % 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 0.0381 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.6031 % 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 0.0401 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 05-09, female, annual growth rate -0.915 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 05-09, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 05-09, female, per capita 0.04 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of under-five deaths in World?
- Number of under-five deaths in World was 4.86 million in 2024, according to UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).
- What is the highest number of under-five deaths recorded in World?
- The highest recorded value was 12.97 million in 1990.
- What is the lowest number of under-five deaths recorded in World?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.86 million in 2024.
- How does World rank for number of under-five deaths?
- World ranks 1st out of 47 groups with data for 2024.
- Is number of under-five deaths rising or falling in World?
- Over the last ten years it is down 22.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this World 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 under-five deaths. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of children dying before reaching age five.