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The maternal mortality ratio in 1985 and 2020 in Zambia

Zambia: The maternal mortality ratio in 1985 and 2020 was 134.66 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020. ▼ Falling

Latest (2020)
134.66 deaths per 100,000 live births
Change on year
up 4.5%
World rank
56th
of 185 countries
All-time high
607.3 deaths per 100,000 live births
in 1991
All-time low
128.84 deaths per 100,000 live births
in 2019
Years of data
36
1985–2020

The maternal mortality ratio in 1985 and 2020 in Zambia, 1985–2020

1002003004005006001985200220201985: 555.4 deaths per 100,000 live births1986: 573.4 deaths per 100,000 live births1987: 560.2 deaths per 100,000 live births1988: 580.5 deaths per 100,000 live births1989: 588.9 deaths per 100,000 live births1990: 603 deaths per 100,000 live births1991: 607.3 deaths per 100,000 live births1992: 599.2 deaths per 100,000 live births1993: 576.2 deaths per 100,000 live births1994: 543.7 deaths per 100,000 live births1995: 523.2 deaths per 100,000 live births1996: 508.7 deaths per 100,000 live births1997: 500.7 deaths per 100,000 live births1998: 491.7 deaths per 100,000 live births1999: 468.4 deaths per 100,000 live births2000: 418.7 deaths per 100,000 live births2001: 362.6 deaths per 100,000 live births2002: 337.1 deaths per 100,000 live births2003: 308.2 deaths per 100,000 live births2004: 311.7 deaths per 100,000 live births2005: 309.2 deaths per 100,000 live births2006: 306.1 deaths per 100,000 live births2007: 295.9 deaths per 100,000 live births2008: 319.6 deaths per 100,000 live births2009: 326.6 deaths per 100,000 live births2010: 268.5 deaths per 100,000 live births2011: 232.8 deaths per 100,000 live births2012: 220.6 deaths per 100,000 live births2013: 191.4 deaths per 100,000 live births2014: 168.8 deaths per 100,000 live births2015: 165.7 deaths per 100,000 live births2016: 155.4 deaths per 100,000 live births2017: 155.8 deaths per 100,000 live births2018: 144.9 deaths per 100,000 live births2019: 128.8 deaths per 100,000 live births2020: 134.7 deaths per 100,000 live births

Source: UN MMEIG (2023) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100,000 live births.

Analysis

Zambia recorded 134.66 deaths per 100,000 live births for the maternal mortality ratio in 1985 and 2020 in 2020.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.5% on the previous year and down 49.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, the maternal mortality ratio in 1985 and 2020 in Zambia peaked at 607.3 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1991 and was at its lowest, 128.84 deaths per 100,000 live births, in 2019.

Zambia ranks 56th of 185 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.

The maternal mortality ratio in 1985 and 2020 in Zambia, year by year

Year deaths per 100,000 live births Change
1985 555.44 deaths per 100,000 live births —
1986 573.41 deaths per 100,000 live births +3.2%
1987 560.24 deaths per 100,000 live births -2.3%
1988 580.49 deaths per 100,000 live births +3.6%
1989 588.89 deaths per 100,000 live births +1.4%
1990 602.99 deaths per 100,000 live births +2.4%
1991 607.3 deaths per 100,000 live births +0.7%
1992 599.19 deaths per 100,000 live births -1.3%
1993 576.15 deaths per 100,000 live births -3.8%
1994 543.75 deaths per 100,000 live births -5.6%
1995 523.19 deaths per 100,000 live births -3.8%
1996 508.72 deaths per 100,000 live births -2.8%
1997 500.66 deaths per 100,000 live births -1.6%
1998 491.66 deaths per 100,000 live births -1.8%
1999 468.42 deaths per 100,000 live births -4.7%
2000 418.69 deaths per 100,000 live births -10.6%
2001 362.62 deaths per 100,000 live births -13.4%
2002 337.08 deaths per 100,000 live births -7.0%
2003 308.19 deaths per 100,000 live births -8.6%
2004 311.69 deaths per 100,000 live births +1.1%
2005 309.25 deaths per 100,000 live births -0.8%
2006 306.09 deaths per 100,000 live births -1.0%
2007 295.85 deaths per 100,000 live births -3.3%
2008 319.58 deaths per 100,000 live births +8.0%
2009 326.59 deaths per 100,000 live births +2.2%
2010 268.49 deaths per 100,000 live births -17.8%
2011 232.77 deaths per 100,000 live births -13.3%
2012 220.63 deaths per 100,000 live births -5.2%
2013 191.35 deaths per 100,000 live births -13.3%
2014 168.84 deaths per 100,000 live births -11.8%
2015 165.73 deaths per 100,000 live births -1.8%
2016 155.36 deaths per 100,000 live births -6.3%
2017 155.82 deaths per 100,000 live births +0.3%
2018 144.87 deaths per 100,000 live births -7.0%
2019 128.84 deaths per 100,000 live births -11.1%
2020 134.66 deaths per 100,000 live births +4.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 571.69 deaths per 100,000 live births 555.44 deaths per 100,000 live births 588.89 deaths per 100,000 live births 5
1990s 542.2 deaths per 100,000 live births 468.42 deaths per 100,000 live births 607.3 deaths per 100,000 live births 10
2000s 329.57 deaths per 100,000 live births 295.85 deaths per 100,000 live births 418.69 deaths per 100,000 live births 10
2010s 183.27 deaths per 100,000 live births 128.84 deaths per 100,000 live births 268.49 deaths per 100,000 live births 10
2020s 134.66 deaths per 100,000 live births 134.66 deaths per 100,000 live births 134.66 deaths per 100,000 live births 1

Countries ranked near Zambia

  1. 53 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 160.91 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
  2. 54 Pakistan 154.16 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
  3. 55 Sao Tome and Principe 146.24 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
  4. 57 Belize 129.79 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
  5. 58 Mozambique 127.11 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
  6. 59 South Africa 126.83 deaths per 100,000 live births compare

See the full ranking of 185 places →

More health data for Zambia

All data for Zambia →

Frequently asked questions

What is the maternal mortality ratio in 1985 and 2020 in Zambia?
The maternal mortality ratio in 1985 and 2020 in Zambia was 134.66 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020, according to UN MMEIG (2023) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest the maternal mortality ratio in 1985 and 2020 recorded in Zambia?
The highest recorded value was 607.3 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1991.
What is the lowest the maternal mortality ratio in 1985 and 2020 recorded in Zambia?
The lowest recorded value was 128.84 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2019.
How does Zambia rank for the maternal mortality ratio in 1985 and 2020?
Zambia ranks 56th out of 185 countries with data for 2020.
Is the maternal mortality ratio in 1985 and 2020 rising or falling in Zambia?
Over the last ten years it is down 49.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Zambia data come from?
The figures come from UN MMEIG (2023) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of The maternal mortality ratio in 1985 and 2020. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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The maternal mortality ratio in 1985 and 2020 in Zambia. Statizoid, drawing on UN MMEIG (2023) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 30 August 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/the-maternal-mortality-ratio-in-1985-and-2020/zambia/

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About this data

Indicator
The maternal mortality ratio in 1985 and 2020
Unit
deaths per 100,000 live births
Source
UN MMEIG (2023) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
185 places, 6,660 data points, 1985–2020
Last refreshed

The estimated maternal mortality ratio (MMR) is the number of maternal deaths per 100,000 live births.