Infant Mortality Rate
Number of deaths of infants under one year old per 1,000 live births.
Quick Reference
Unit
per 1,000 live births
Category
People & Society
Metric Code
infant_mortality
How It's Calculated
Number of infant deaths (age 0-11 months) divided by total live births in the same year, multiplied by 1,000. Based on vital registration systems or household surveys (DHS, MICS) in countries with incomplete registration.
Why It Matters
Infant mortality is a sensitive indicator of healthcare quality, maternal health, nutrition, and socioeconomic conditions. It reflects access to prenatal care, skilled birth attendance, immunization coverage, and treatment of common childhood illnesses. Rapid declines signal improving health systems.
Understanding the Values
Very Low: < 5 per 1,000 (best performing countries - Japan, Singapore, Norway) Low: 5-10 (developed countries with strong healthcare) Medium: 10-30 (developing countries, improving systems) High: 30-60 (low-income countries, weak healthcare) Very High: > 60 (crisis settings, severe healthcare gaps) SDG Target 3.2: Reduce to ≤ 12 per 1,000 by 2030 Global average: ~28 per 1,000 (2023)
Related Metrics
Under-5 Mortality Rate
Probability of dying between birth and age 5, expressed per 1,000 live births.
Life Expectancy at Birth
Average number of years a newborn is expected to live under current mortality patterns.
DTP3 Immunization Coverage
Percentage of children ages 12-23 months who received three doses of diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccine.
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 Sources: UN Data, WHO, World Bank Limitations: Underreporting common in countries with weak vital registration. Survey-based estimates have wider confidence intervals. Neonatal deaths (first 28 days) account for ~50% of infant mortality but require separate analysis.