Youth mortality rate in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Youth mortality rate was 6.18 deaths per 100 live births in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
6.18 deaths per 100 live births
Change on year
down 2.7%
World rank
27th
of 199 countries
All-time high
32.52 deaths per 100 live births
in 1984
All-time low
6.18 deaths per 100 live births
in 2024
Years of data
48
1977–2024
Youth mortality rate in Afghanistan, 1977–2024
Source: United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100 live births.
Analysis
In 2024, youth mortality rate in Afghanistan stood at 6.18 deaths per 100 live births. That is the lowest value across all 48 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.7% on the previous year and down 25.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth mortality rate in Afghanistan peaked at 32.52 deaths per 100 live births in 1984 and was at its lowest, 6.18 deaths per 100 live births, in 2024.
That places Afghanistan 27th 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.
Youth mortality rate in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 30 deaths per 100 live births | — |
| 1978 | 29.18 deaths per 100 live births | -2.7% |
| 1979 | 28.38 deaths per 100 live births | -2.7% |
| 1980 | 27.57 deaths per 100 live births | -2.9% |
| 1981 | 26.77 deaths per 100 live births | -2.9% |
| 1982 | 30.25 deaths per 100 live births | +13.0% |
| 1983 | 29.51 deaths per 100 live births | -2.4% |
| 1984 | 32.52 deaths per 100 live births | +10.2% |
| 1985 | 31.62 deaths per 100 live births | -2.8% |
| 1986 | 27.06 deaths per 100 live births | -14.4% |
| 1987 | 26.33 deaths per 100 live births | -2.7% |
| 1988 | 21.33 deaths per 100 live births | -19.0% |
| 1989 | 20.58 deaths per 100 live births | -3.5% |
| 1990 | 20.55 deaths per 100 live births | -0.2% |
| 1991 | 19.77 deaths per 100 live births | -3.8% |
| 1992 | 18.91 deaths per 100 live births | -4.3% |
| 1993 | 17.68 deaths per 100 live births | -6.5% |
| 1994 | 17.07 deaths per 100 live births | -3.5% |
| 1995 | 16.5 deaths per 100 live births | -3.3% |
| 1996 | 15.96 deaths per 100 live births | -3.2% |
| 1997 | 15.46 deaths per 100 live births | -3.1% |
| 1998 | 15.35 deaths per 100 live births | -0.7% |
| 1999 | 14.51 deaths per 100 live births | -5.4% |
| 2000 | 14.05 deaths per 100 live births | -3.2% |
| 2001 | 13.59 deaths per 100 live births | -3.2% |
| 2002 | 13.13 deaths per 100 live births | -3.4% |
| 2003 | 12.67 deaths per 100 live births | -3.5% |
| 2004 | 12.2 deaths per 100 live births | -3.7% |
| 2005 | 11.75 deaths per 100 live births | -3.7% |
| 2006 | 11.32 deaths per 100 live births | -3.7% |
| 2007 | 10.89 deaths per 100 live births | -3.8% |
| 2008 | 10.47 deaths per 100 live births | -3.8% |
| 2009 | 10.05 deaths per 100 live births | -4.1% |
| 2010 | 9.64 deaths per 100 live births | -4.1% |
| 2011 | 9.24 deaths per 100 live births | -4.2% |
| 2012 | 8.84 deaths per 100 live births | -4.3% |
| 2013 | 8.55 deaths per 100 live births | -3.3% |
| 2014 | 8.26 deaths per 100 live births | -3.4% |
| 2015 | 8.01 deaths per 100 live births | -3.0% |
| 2016 | 7.75 deaths per 100 live births | -3.2% |
| 2017 | 7.35 deaths per 100 live births | -5.1% |
| 2018 | 7.15 deaths per 100 live births | -2.8% |
| 2019 | 6.97 deaths per 100 live births | -2.5% |
| 2020 | 6.89 deaths per 100 live births | -1.1% |
| 2021 | 6.76 deaths per 100 live births | -1.9% |
| 2022 | 6.51 deaths per 100 live births | -3.7% |
| 2023 | 6.35 deaths per 100 live births | -2.5% |
| 2024 | 6.18 deaths per 100 live births | -2.7% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 6.18 deaths per 100 live births is below the median for low income countries, which is 7.42 deaths per 100 live births, 83% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 6.18 deaths per 100 live births is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 1.49 deaths per 100 live births, 4.2× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 29.19 deaths per 100 live births | 28.38 deaths per 100 live births | 30 deaths per 100 live births | 3 |
| 1980s | 27.35 deaths per 100 live births | 20.58 deaths per 100 live births | 32.52 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1990s | 17.18 deaths per 100 live births | 14.51 deaths per 100 live births | 20.55 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 12.01 deaths per 100 live births | 10.05 deaths per 100 live births | 14.05 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.18 deaths per 100 live births | 6.97 deaths per 100 live births | 9.64 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.54 deaths per 100 live births | 6.18 deaths per 100 live births | 6.89 deaths per 100 live births | 5 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
- 24 Togo 6.59 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 25 Burundi 6.38 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 26 Kiribati 6.23 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 28 Pakistan 6.14 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 29 Haiti 6.13 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 30 Angola 5.97 deaths per 100 live births compare
More health data for Afghanistan
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.45 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 1.03 % change on previous year (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 14,735 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 19 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.78 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.077 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.75 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0804 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is youth mortality rate in Afghanistan?
- Youth mortality rate in Afghanistan was 6.18 deaths per 100 live births in 2024, according to United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest youth mortality rate recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 32.52 deaths per 100 live births in 1984.
- What is the lowest youth mortality rate recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.18 deaths per 100 live births in 2024.
- How does Afghanistan rank for youth mortality rate?
- Afghanistan ranks 27th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is youth mortality rate rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 25.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Afghanistan 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 Youth mortality rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated number of deaths of children aged under fifteen years, per 100 live births.