Highest infant mortality rates, 1990 to 2024
South Sudan has the highest infant mortality rate in 2024 at 71.9 deaths per 1,000 live births. In 1990 Liberia led at 170.9.
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What the data shows
- In 2024, South Sudan ranks #1 with 71.9, ahead of Nigeria (69.8) and Niger (65.6).
- Back in 1990, Liberia was #1 with 170.9.
- The top spot changed hands 14 times, first to Somalia, Fed. Rep. in 1991, most recently to South Sudan in 2023.
- Biggest climber: Zimbabwe, from #24 in 1990 to #6 in 2024.
About this chart
South Sudan has the highest infant mortality rate in 2024, with 71.9 deaths before age 1 per 1,000 live births. Nigeria follows at 69.8, then Niger at 65.6, Somalia at 65.4 and Liberia at 63.2. Rates have fallen sharply since 1990, when the top of the list was Liberia at 170.9, Timor-Leste at 165.5 and South Sudan at 157.4. Even the worst rate today is less than half of Liberia's 1990 level.
Infant mortality is the number of babies who die before their first birthday, per 1,000 live births, as estimated by the World Bank. This page shows the countries with the highest rates, not the lowest, and the chart tracks the full period from 1990 to 2024. Because these are modeled estimates for countries where death registration is limited, they carry more uncertainty than figures from countries with complete records. Zimbabwe (62.4) and Guinea (59.8) also appear in the top seven.
The data
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (SP.DYN.IMRT.IN), infant deaths per 1,000 live births; countries over 1 million people. Retrieved November 4, 2026.
| Date | 🇸🇸 South Sudan | 🇳🇬 Nigeria | 🇳🇪 Niger | 🇸🇴 Somalia, Fed. Rep. | 🇱🇷 Liberia | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | 🇬🇳 Guinea | 🇨🇫 Central African Republic | 🇨🇩 DR Congo | 🇹🇩 Chad | 🇱🇸 Lesotho | 🇸🇱 Sierra Leone | 🇦🇫 Afghanistan | 🇵🇰 Pakistan | 🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea | 🇲🇱 Mali | 🇲🇿 Mozambique | 🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau | 🇭🇹 Haiti | 🇲🇼 Malawi | 🇹🇱 Timor-Leste | 🇪🇹 Ethiopia | 🇦🇴 Angola | 🇷🇼 Rwanda |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 157.4 | 104.7 | 147.7 | 106.3 | 170.9 | 54.0 | 134.5 | 109.0 | 98.5 | 116.8 | 75.9 | 135.4 | 145.9 | 113.0 | 118.2 | 124.7 | 148.0 | 123.9 | 98.6 | 134.0 | 165.5 | 127.2 | 118.1 | 86.9 |
| 1991 | 155.8 | 104.7 | 145.5 | 216.4 | 172.3 | 53.5 | 131.2 | 108.5 | 97.5 | 115.2 | 75.1 | 135.1 | 141.4 | 111.0 | 117.8 | 122.6 | 146.9 | 121.9 | 95.7 | 130.5 | 161.7 | 124.4 | 118.5 | 92.6 |
| 1992 | 165.5 | 104.7 | 142.5 | 223.2 | 171.9 | 53.7 | 127.7 | 107.7 | 96.5 | 113.6 | 74.8 | 134.8 | 137.2 | 108.9 | 117.3 | 120.8 | 145.3 | 120.0 | 93.0 | 126.4 | 153.5 | 121.3 | 119.0 | 101.5 |
| 1993 | 163.4 | 104.7 | 138.9 | 218.5 | 169.8 | 55.2 | 124.0 | 106.9 | 95.7 | 112.2 | 74.8 | 134.5 | 133.1 | 106.7 | 116.9 | 119.1 | 143.1 | 117.8 | 90.1 | 122.6 | 145.5 | 117.9 | 119.3 | 111.5 |
| 1994 | 138.5 | 104.6 | 134.3 | 103.9 | 166.1 | 58.0 | 120.3 | 106.2 | 95.0 | 110.9 | 75.1 | 133.8 | 129.4 | 104.3 | 116.3 | 117.4 | 140.0 | 115.6 | 87.3 | 119.1 | 139.1 | 114.1 | 119.5 | 212.9 |
| 1995 | 146.8 | 104.2 | 129.5 | 103.9 | 161.0 | 58.7 | 116.4 | 105.5 | 94.3 | 109.5 | 75.3 | 132.9 | 126.0 | 101.8 | 115.7 | 115.6 | 136.3 | 113.3 | 84.4 | 115.8 | 137.9 | 110.3 | 119.4 | 126.5 |
| 1996 | 143.7 | 103.4 | 124.6 | 103.9 | 155.1 | 63.1 | 112.6 | 104.5 | 118.1 | 108.1 | 75.1 | 131.6 | 122.7 | 99.1 | 114.7 | 113.6 | 131.5 | 110.8 | 81.6 | 113.6 | 131.4 | 106.5 | 118.7 | 129.0 |
| 1997 | 140.3 | 102.1 | 120.1 | 103.9 | 148.3 | 62.2 | 108.9 | 103.5 | 116.5 | 106.7 | 74.8 | 130.0 | 119.6 | 96.4 | 113.3 | 111.4 | 126.0 | 108.4 | 78.8 | 111.7 | 125.2 | 102.8 | 117.2 | 128.5 |
| 1998 | 238.8 | 100.2 | 115.8 | 103.9 | 141.0 | 59.6 | 105.1 | 102.3 | 110.5 | 105.1 | 74.3 | 128.0 | 116.6 | 93.8 | 111.4 | 108.9 | 119.7 | 105.9 | 76.1 | 109.0 | 124.8 | 99.1 | 114.8 | 124.4 |
| 1999 | 122.4 | 97.7 | 112.1 | 103.9 | 133.4 | 59.0 | 101.2 | 101.1 | 107.9 | 103.5 | 74.4 | 125.9 | 113.6 | 91.2 | 109.0 | 106.1 | 113.3 | 103.3 | 73.5 | 104.5 | 134.0 | 95.7 | 111.9 | 117.1 |
| 2000 | 118.2 | 94.9 | 108.3 | 103.9 | 125.5 | 58.3 | 97.3 | 99.6 | 105.0 | 101.7 | 74.8 | 123.4 | 110.6 | 88.8 | 106.2 | 103.1 | 106.9 | 100.7 | 71.1 | 98.9 | 84.4 | 92.3 | 108.3 | 108.1 |
| 2001 | 113.6 | 91.8 | 104.1 | 103.9 | 117.5 | 58.3 | 93.6 | 97.9 | 101.8 | 99.9 | 75.5 | 120.8 | 107.5 | 86.6 | 103.3 | 99.9 | 100.8 | 97.9 | 68.8 | 138.5 | 80.4 | 88.9 | 103.8 | 98.4 |
| 2002 | 109.0 | 88.6 | 99.4 | 103.9 | 109.5 | 58.7 | 90.1 | 96.1 | 98.5 | 98.0 | 76.4 | 118.2 | 104.3 | 84.7 | 100.3 | 96.8 | 95.2 | 94.8 | 66.7 | 83.8 | 76.4 | 85.3 | 98.4 | 88.7 |
| 2003 | 104.5 | 85.6 | 94.4 | 103.9 | 102.0 | 59.5 | 87.0 | 94.3 | 95.2 | 96.2 | 77.1 | 115.4 | 100.8 | 83.0 | 97.2 | 93.8 | 90.0 | 91.8 | 64.9 | 76.4 | 72.6 | 81.7 | 92.5 | 79.5 |
| 2004 | 100.2 | 82.7 | 89.5 | 103.9 | 95.0 | 61.7 | 84.1 | 92.2 | 91.7 | 94.3 | 77.8 | 112.4 | 97.4 | 81.4 | 94.0 | 91.0 | 85.1 | 88.5 | 63.2 | 70.1 | 69.1 | 78.0 | 85.8 | 71.1 |
| 2005 | 96.2 | 80.0 | 84.9 | 103.9 | 89.0 | 64.5 | 81.7 | 90.0 | 72.0 | 92.4 | 78.9 | 109.3 | 93.8 | 80.0 | 90.7 | 88.3 | 80.5 | 85.1 | 61.8 | 65.1 | 65.6 | 74.4 | 78.9 | 64.0 |
| 2006 | 92.3 | 77.7 | 80.8 | 103.5 | 83.8 | 65.9 | 79.6 | 87.4 | 69.0 | 90.4 | 79.6 | 105.9 | 90.3 | 78.6 | 87.2 | 85.8 | 76.0 | 81.7 | 60.4 | 61.6 | 62.5 | 70.9 | 72.2 | 58.1 |
| 2007 | 88.6 | 75.6 | 77.3 | 102.5 | 79.8 | 68.8 | 77.9 | 85.3 | 66.2 | 88.3 | 79.0 | 102.3 | 86.8 | 77.3 | 83.6 | 83.4 | 70.1 | 78.2 | 59.1 | 59.1 | 59.5 | 67.7 | 66.0 | 53.2 |
| 2008 | 85.0 | 73.8 | 74.5 | 100.5 | 76.5 | 69.8 | 76.6 | 83.4 | 63.7 | 86.2 | 83.9 | 98.6 | 83.4 | 75.9 | 80.3 | 81.1 | 67.4 | 74.7 | 58.0 | 56.0 | 56.8 | 64.7 | 60.3 | 49.1 |
| 2009 | 81.5 | 72.3 | 72.4 | 98.4 | 73.8 | 69.8 | 75.4 | 239.9 | 61.4 | 84.1 | 77.6 | 94.7 | 80.1 | 74.4 | 77.1 | 78.9 | 63.9 | 71.2 | 56.8 | 53.7 | 54.3 | 61.8 | 55.4 | 45.7 |
| 2010 | 78.2 | 71.1 | 70.9 | 112.5 | 71.7 | 67.4 | 74.4 | 88.5 | 59.5 | 82.0 | 73.6 | 90.8 | 76.9 | 72.8 | 74.3 | 76.7 | 63.6 | 67.9 | 79.3 | 51.5 | 52.0 | 59.2 | 51.1 | 42.6 |
| 2011 | 75.3 | 70.0 | 70.0 | 217.6 | 69.9 | 64.2 | 73.6 | 77.7 | 57.9 | 79.9 | 70.9 | 87.0 | 74.0 | 71.1 | 71.7 | 74.5 | 59.8 | 64.6 | 54.4 | 48.0 | 50.0 | 56.8 | 47.6 | 39.3 |
| 2012 | 73.2 | 69.1 | 69.5 | 112.2 | 68.3 | 58.8 | 72.9 | 76.1 | 56.7 | 77.8 | 71.0 | 83.4 | 71.2 | 69.3 | 69.3 | 72.4 | 57.1 | 61.8 | 53.2 | 45.1 | 48.1 | 54.4 | 44.6 | 37.4 |
| 2013 | 72.2 | 68.5 | 69.2 | 88.4 | 67.0 | 56.6 | 72.1 | 81.0 | 55.8 | 75.9 | 71.4 | 80.1 | 68.6 | 67.4 | 67.1 | 70.3 | 56.1 | 59.3 | 52.0 | 42.6 | 46.5 | 52.2 | 42.2 | 35.9 |
| 2014 | 118.2 | 68.1 | 69.1 | 86.0 | 68.0 | 54.7 | 72.0 | 101.7 | 55.3 | 74.0 | 70.3 | 77.8 | 66.2 | 65.5 | 65.0 | 68.2 | 55.1 | 57.1 | 50.9 | 41.1 | 45.0 | 50.0 | 40.3 | 34.7 |
| 2015 | 151.3 | 68.0 | 69.1 | 83.7 | 65.1 | 54.7 | 71.2 | 72.0 | 55.1 | 72.1 | 69.0 | 76.9 | 64.0 | 63.6 | 62.9 | 66.1 | 53.8 | 55.2 | 49.7 | 39.7 | 43.6 | 47.9 | 38.8 | 33.9 |
| 2016 | 169.8 | 68.1 | 69.2 | 81.5 | 64.2 | 54.3 | 69.9 | 77.1 | 55.1 | 70.2 | 68.2 | 71.3 | 61.9 | 61.7 | 60.9 | 64.0 | 52.8 | 53.4 | 48.5 | 39.1 | 42.5 | 45.9 | 37.6 | 33.2 |
| 2017 | 181.5 | 68.3 | 69.3 | 96.5 | 63.7 | 54.2 | 69.0 | 88.4 | 55.4 | 68.3 | 68.0 | 68.7 | 60.1 | 59.8 | 59.1 | 61.9 | 51.4 | 51.7 | 47.2 | 38.5 | 41.4 | 44.0 | 36.7 | 32.7 |
| 2018 | 92.9 | 68.7 | 69.3 | 85.1 | 63.4 | 54.4 | 68.1 | 73.9 | 55.8 | 66.4 | 65.2 | 66.3 | 58.3 | 58.1 | 57.2 | 59.7 | 50.3 | 50.1 | 46.0 | 38.0 | 40.6 | 42.3 | 36.0 | 32.2 |
| 2019 | 71.9 | 69.1 | 69.3 | 75.0 | 63.3 | 55.8 | 67.0 | 128.9 | 56.5 | 64.6 | 63.5 | 64.0 | 56.6 | 56.3 | 55.7 | 57.6 | 49.2 | 48.6 | 44.7 | 38.3 | 39.6 | 40.8 | 35.5 | 31.7 |
| 2020 | 71.9 | 69.5 | 69.1 | 72.9 | 63.4 | 57.8 | 65.7 | 74.7 | 57.2 | 62.9 | 62.1 | 61.9 | 54.9 | 54.6 | 53.9 | 55.4 | 48.6 | 47.2 | 43.6 | 38.2 | 38.7 | 39.4 | 34.9 | 31.3 |
| 2021 | 71.9 | 69.9 | 68.7 | 70.9 | 63.5 | 59.8 | 64.4 | 96.3 | 57.6 | 61.3 | 61.1 | 59.9 | 53.2 | 53.0 | 52.2 | 53.3 | 47.1 | 45.9 | 42.5 | 38.3 | 37.7 | 49.9 | 34.4 | 30.9 |
| 2022 | 71.9 | 70.2 | 68.0 | 89.2 | 63.6 | 61.6 | 62.9 | 206.8 | 57.6 | 59.6 | 59.9 | 58.1 | 51.6 | 51.3 | 50.7 | 51.2 | 45.9 | 44.7 | 41.3 | 38.6 | 36.7 | 48.3 | 33.7 | 30.5 |
| 2023 | 71.9 | 70.1 | 66.9 | 67.3 | 63.6 | 62.2 | 61.4 | 60.8 | 57.2 | 58.0 | 58.4 | 56.3 | 49.9 | 49.7 | 49.2 | 49.3 | 44.9 | 43.4 | 40.1 | 38.4 | 35.7 | 38.7 | 33.0 | 30.1 |
| 2024 | 71.9 | 69.8 | 65.6 | 65.4 | 63.2 | 62.4 | 59.8 | 58.8 | 56.4 | 56.3 | 56.3 | 54.6 | 48.3 | 48.2 | 47.6 | 47.5 | 43.7 | 42.1 | 39.0 | 38.0 | 34.6 | 34.5 | 32.1 | 29.4 |
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Frequently asked questions
Which country has the highest infant mortality rate?
South Sudan has the highest infant mortality rate in the latest data, at 71.9 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2024. Nigeria is second at 69.8 and Niger third at 65.6.
What is the definition of infant mortality rate?
It is the number of infants who die before reaching age 1 for every 1,000 live births in a given year. It is a common indicator of a country's health care, nutrition and living conditions.
How much has infant mortality fallen since 1990?
In the highest-rate countries it has fallen substantially. Liberia's rate was 170.9 per 1,000 in 1990 and 63.2 in 2024, a drop of more than 100 points.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank, World Development Indicators (SP.DYN.IMRT.IN), infant deaths per 1,000 live births; countries over 1 million people. Retrieved November 4, 2026. You can download the full table as a CSV from this page.
Can I turn this chart into a video?
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