Under-5 Mortality Rate
Probability of dying between birth and age 5, expressed per 1,000 live births.
Quick Reference
Unit
per 1,000 live births
Category
Health
Metric Code
under5_mortality_rate
How It's Calculated
Number of deaths of children under five years old divided by total live births, multiplied by 1,000. Uses cohort life table approach or survey-based direct estimates. Includes both infant (0-11 months) and child (12-59 months) mortality.
Why It Matters
Under-5 mortality captures the full spectrum of early childhood health challenges including vaccine-preventable diseases, malnutrition, diarrheal diseases, and pneumonia. It is a key Sustainable Development Goal indicator (SDG 3.2) and reflects investments in child health, nutrition, and basic sanitation.
Understanding the Values
Very Low: < 10 per 1,000 (excellent - Nordic countries, Japan) Low: 10-25 (SDG target met - most developed countries) Medium: 25-50 (needs improvement - emerging economies) High: 50-100 (concerning - weak health systems) Very High: > 100 (crisis - conflict zones, extreme poverty) SDG Target 3.2: Reduce to ≤ 25 per 1,000 by 2030 Global average: ~38 per 1,000 (2023)
Related Metrics
Child Malnutrition (Underweight)
Percentage of children under 5 who are moderately or severely underweight for their age.
Measles Immunization Coverage
Percentage of children ages 12-23 months who received at least one dose of measles-containing vaccine.
Infant Mortality Rate
Number of deaths of infants under one year old per 1,000 live births.
Maternal Mortality Ratio
Number of maternal deaths during pregnancy or within 42 days of termination, per 100,000 live births.
Data Quality & Coverage
Coverage: 217 countries Update frequency: Annual Source: World Bank World Development Indicators Limitations: Quality varies by country - high-income countries have precise vital statistics, while low-income countries rely on household surveys with 3-5 year lags. Does not distinguish between neonatal, infant, and child mortality causes.