World Bank Data · 195 countries
Countries With Highest Infant Mortality
Infant mortality, the death of children before their first birthday, is one of the most sensitive indicators of a country's health system and overall development. Central African Republic, Sierra Leone, and Somalia have the highest rates, with more than 50 deaths per 1,000 live births in some countries. The leading causes are preventable: neonatal complications, pneumonia, diarrhea, malaria, and malnutrition. Access to clean water, skilled birth attendants, vaccines, and basic antibiotics can prevent the vast majority of infant deaths. Globally, infant mortality has declined by more than 50% since 1990, saving millions of lives, one of the great public health achievements of the modern era. But the gap between rich and poor nations remains stark: a baby born in the highest-mortality countries is 50 times more likely to die before age one than one born in Japan or Iceland.
Key Findings
- 1South Sudan leads with a infant mortality rate (per 1,000) of 71.9, followed by Nigeria (70.1) and Somalia, Fed. Rep. (67.3).
- 2The gap between #1 South Sudan and #195 San Marino (1.3) is 7060.0 percentage points.
- 3The national median across all states is 13.1 (Uzbekistan at the midpoint).
- 4The top 10 states are: South Sudan, Nigeria, Somalia, Fed. Rep., Niger, Liberia, Zimbabwe, Guinea, Central African Republic, Lesotho, Chad.
Full Ranking: Countries With Highest Infant Mortality
Source: Census ACS 5-Year Estimates
| # | Country | Infant Mortality | Life Expectancy | GDP/Capita |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zimbabwe | 62.2 | 62.8 | $2,195 |
| 2 | Zambia | 35 | 66.3 | $1,331 |
| 3 | Yemen, Rep. | 34.9 | 69.3 | - |
| 4 | Viet Nam | 12.4 | 74.6 | $4,323 |
| 5 | Venezuela, RB | 21.2 | 72.5 | $3,617 |
| 6 | Vanuatu | 14.7 | 71.5 | $3,483 |
| 7 | Uzbekistan | 13.1 | 72.4 | $2,879 |
| 8 | Uruguay | 6.1 | 78.1 | $23,019 |
| 9 | United States | 5.5 | 78.4 | $81,032 |
| 10 | United Kingdom | 4.1 | 81.2 | $49,944 |
| 11 | United Arab Emirates | 4 | 82.9 | $49,851 |
| 12 | Ukraine | 7.8 | 73.4 | $5,140 |
| 13 | Uganda | 36.2 | 68.3 | $1,002 |
| 14 | Tuvalu | 17 | 67.1 | $6,345 |
| 15 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 3.1 | 78 | $35,470 |
| 16 | Turkmenistan | 31.3 | 70.1 | $6,232 |
| 17 | Turkiye | 9.8 | 77.2 | $13,375 |
| 18 | Tunisia | 10.5 | 76.5 | $3,951 |
| 19 | Trinidad and Tobago | 17.5 | 73.5 | $18,308 |
| 20 | Tonga | 8 | 72.9 | $5,652 |
| 21 | Togo | 35.9 | 62.7 | $1,055 |
| 22 | Timor-Leste | 35.7 | 67.7 | $1,502 |
| 23 | Thailand | 7.9 | 76.4 | $7,195 |
| 24 | Tanzania | 29.7 | 67 | $1,224 |
| 25 | Tajikistan | 24 | 71.8 | $1,178 |
| 26 | Taiwan | 4.1 | 80.9 | $34,430 |
| 27 | Syrian Arab Republic | 18.6 | 72.1 | - |
| 28 | Switzerland | 3.4 | 84.2 | $100,624 |
| 29 | Sweden | 2 | 83.3 | $54,950 |
| 30 | Suriname | 15.2 | 73.6 | $5,522 |
| 31 | Sudan | 44 | 66.3 | $797.28 |
| 32 | St. Vincent and the Grenadines | 10.7 | 71.2 | $10,582 |
| 33 | St. Lucia | 16 | 72.7 | $13,555 |
| 34 | St. Kitts and Nevis | 14.4 | 72.1 | $22,577 |
| 35 | Sri Lanka | 5.3 | 77.5 | $3,799 |
| 36 | Spain | 2.6 | 83.9 | $33,493 |
| 37 | South Sudan | 71.9 | 57.6 | - |
| 38 | South Africa | 24.3 | 66.1 | $6,034 |
| 39 | Somalia, Fed. Rep. | 67.3 | 58.8 | $596.89 |
| 40 | Solomon Islands | 16.9 | 70.5 | $1,883 |
| 41 | Slovenia | 1.9 | 81.9 | $32,660 |
| 42 | Slovak Republic | 5.2 | 78.1 | $24,615 |
| 43 | Singapore | 2.1 | 83.1 | $85,412 |
| 44 | Sierra Leone | 56.3 | 61.8 | $758.33 |
| 45 | Seychelles | 13.1 | 75.4 | $18,263 |
| 46 | Serbia | 4.5 | 76.1 | $12,282 |
| 47 | Senegal | 30 | 68.7 | $1,698 |
| 48 | Saudi Arabia | 4.8 | 78.7 | $36,157 |
| 49 | Sao Tome and Principe | 9.5 | 69.7 | $2,991 |
| 50 | San Marino | 1.3 | 85.7 | $59,880 |
| 51 | Samoa | 12.6 | 71.7 | $4,823 |
| 52 | Rwanda | 30.1 | 67.8 | $1,027 |
| 53 | Russian Federation | 4.2 | 73.3 | $14,159 |
| 54 | Romania | 5.6 | 76.4 | $18,244 |
| 55 | Qatar | 4.9 | 82.4 | $81,817 |
| 56 | Portugal | 2.7 | 82.3 | $27,635 |
| 57 | Poland | 3.7 | 78.3 | $22,145 |
| 58 | Philippines | 22 | 69.8 | $3,804 |
| 59 | Peru | 11.3 | 77.7 | $7,888 |
| 60 | Paraguay | 15 | 73.8 | $6,300 |
| 61 | Papua New Guinea | 32.2 | 66.1 | $2,966 |
| 62 | Panama | 11.9 | 79.6 | $18,797 |
| 63 | Palau | 19 | 69.3 | $15,611 |
| 64 | Pakistan | 49.7 | 67.6 | $1,360 |
| 65 | Oman | 8.4 | 80 | $21,028 |
| 66 | Norway | 2 | 83 | $87,497 |
| 67 | North Macedonia | 3 | 75.3 | $8,674 |
| 68 | Nigeria | 70.1 | 54.5 | $2,139 |
| 69 | Niger | 66.9 | 61.2 | $638.34 |
| 70 | Nicaragua | 12 | 74.9 | $2,609 |
| 71 | New Zealand | 4.1 | 81.8 | $49,076 |
| 72 | Netherlands | 3.4 | 81.9 | $63,516 |
| 73 | Nepal | 23.1 | 70.4 | $1,382 |
| 74 | Nauru | 8.2 | 62.1 | $12,752 |
| 75 | Namibia | 38.3 | 67.4 | $4,188 |
| 76 | Myanmar | 33.8 | 66.9 | $1,233 |
| 77 | Mozambique | 44.9 | 63.6 | $622.00 |
| 78 | Morocco | 15.3 | 75.3 | $3,814 |
| 79 | Montenegro | 2 | 77.6 | $12,260 |
| 80 | Mongolia | 11.4 | 72.1 | $5,839 |
| 81 | Monaco | 2.3 | 86.4 | $256,800 |
| 82 | Moldova | 14.9 | 71.2 | $6,800 |
| 83 | Micronesia, Fed. Sts. | 20.9 | 67.2 | $3,920 |
| 84 | Mexico | 12.4 | 75.1 | $13,861 |
| 85 | Mauritius | 13.8 | 73.4 | $11,270 |
| 86 | Mauritania | 31.1 | 68.5 | $2,136 |
| 87 | Marshall Islands | 23.4 | 66.9 | $6,793 |
| 88 | Malta | 4.8 | 83.4 | $40,906 |
| 89 | Mali | 49.3 | 60.4 | $1,044 |
| 90 | Maldives | 5 | 81 | $12,588 |
| 91 | Malaysia | 6.9 | 76.7 | $11,386 |
| 92 | Malawi | 38.4 | 67.4 | $633.21 |
| 93 | Madagascar | 43.7 | 63.6 | $508.72 |
| 94 | Luxembourg | 1.9 | 83.3 | $133,231 |
| 95 | Lithuania | 2.9 | 77.3 | $27,786 |
| 96 | Libya | 16.3 | 69.3 | $6,027 |
| 97 | Liberia | 63.6 | 62.2 | $799.19 |
| 98 | Lesotho | 58.4 | 57.4 | $916.28 |
| 99 | Lebanon | 14.7 | 77.8 | $3,478 |
| 100 | Latvia | 2.4 | 75.4 | $22,710 |
| 101 | Lao PDR | 28.2 | 69 | $2,067 |
| 102 | Kyrgyz Republic | 15 | 72.2 | $2,138 |
| 103 | Kuwait | 7.2 | 83.2 | $34,076 |
| 104 | Kosovo | 8.3 | 78 | $6,221 |
| 105 | Korea, Rep. | 2.4 | 83.4 | $35,674 |
| 106 | Korea, Dem. People's Rep. | 14.5 | 73.6 | - |
| 107 | Kiribati | 39.8 | 66.5 | $2,178 |
| 108 | Kenya | 34.7 | 63.6 | $1,943 |
| 109 | Kazakhstan | 7.6 | 74.4 | $12,879 |
| 110 | Jordan | 12.3 | 77.8 | $4,466 |
| 111 | Japan | 1.8 | 84 | $33,836 |
| 112 | Jamaica | 16.7 | 71.5 | $7,542 |
| 113 | Italy | 2.3 | 83.4 | $39,277 |
| 114 | Ireland | 3.4 | 82.8 | $106,819 |
| 115 | Iraq | 20.7 | 72.3 | $5,965 |
| 116 | Iran, Islamic Rep. | 10.6 | 77.7 | $5,049 |
| 117 | Indonesia | 15.7 | 71.1 | $4,876 |
| 118 | India | 24.5 | 72 | $2,530 |
| 119 | Iceland | 2.1 | 82.5 | $82,139 |
| 120 | Hungary | 3.2 | 76.6 | $22,231 |
| 121 | Honduras | 13.2 | 72.9 | $3,227 |
| 122 | Haiti | 40.1 | 64.9 | $1,706 |
| 123 | Guyana | 24 | 70.2 | $20,474 |
| 124 | Guinea-Bissau | 43.4 | 64.1 | $988.09 |
| 125 | Guinea | 61.4 | 60.7 | $1,555 |
| 126 | Guatemala | 17.7 | 72.6 | $5,758 |
| 127 | Grenada | 16.7 | 75.2 | $11,414 |
| 128 | Greece | 3.3 | 81.7 | $23,344 |
| 129 | Ghana | 28.4 | 65.5 | $2,384 |
| 130 | Germany | 3.1 | 81 | $54,777 |
| 131 | Georgia | 7.6 | 74.5 | $8,284 |
| 132 | Gambia, The | 33.7 | 65.9 | $883.02 |
| 133 | Gabon | 26.9 | 68.3 | $7,803 |
| 134 | France | 3.4 | 82.8 | $44,700 |
| 135 | Finland | 1.9 | 81.6 | $52,834 |
| 136 | Fiji | 23.5 | 67.3 | $5,926 |
| 137 | Ethiopia | 38.7 | 67.3 | $1,056 |
| 138 | Eswatini | 44.7 | 64.1 | $3,756 |
| 139 | Estonia | 1.6 | 78.8 | $30,264 |
| 140 | Eritrea | 25.4 | 68.6 | - |
| 141 | Equatorial Guinea | 49.2 | 63.7 | $6,678 |
| 142 | El Salvador | 9.2 | 72.1 | $5,365 |
| 143 | Egypt, Arab Rep. | 21.3 | 71.6 | $3,457 |
| 144 | Ecuador | 11.1 | 77.4 | $6,738 |
| 145 | Dominican Republic | 28.4 | 73.7 | $10,630 |
| 146 | Dominica | 33.1 | 71.1 | $9,913 |
| 147 | Djibouti | 44.4 | 66 | $3,381 |
| 148 | Denmark | 3.4 | 81.8 | $68,044 |
| 149 | Czechia | 2.1 | 79.8 | $31,762 |
| 150 | Cyprus | 3.8 | 81.6 | $36,624 |
| 151 | Cuba | 6.5 | 78.1 | - |
| 152 | Croatia | 4 | 78.5 | $22,184 |
| 153 | Cote d'Ivoire | 46.2 | 61.9 | $2,592 |
| 154 | Costa Rica | 8.8 | 80.8 | $16,942 |
| 155 | Congo, Rep. | 27.7 | 65.8 | $2,478 |
| 156 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | 57.2 | 61.9 | $660.21 |
| 157 | Comoros | 36 | 66.8 | $1,560 |
| 158 | Colombia | 10.8 | 77.7 | $7,001 |
| 159 | China | 4.4 | 78 | $12,951 |
| 160 | Chile | 5.9 | 81.2 | $17,067 |
| 161 | Chad | 58 | 55.1 | $949.33 |
| 162 | Central African Republic | 60.8 | 57.4 | $495.98 |
| 163 | Canada | 4.7 | 81.6 | $54,220 |
| 164 | Cameroon | 41.3 | 63.7 | $1,720 |
| 165 | Cambodia | 17 | 70.7 | $2,430 |
| 166 | Cabo Verde | 11 | 76.1 | $4,795 |
| 167 | Burundi | 31.4 | 63.7 | $250.63 |
| 168 | Burkina Faso | 44.9 | 61.1 | $873.48 |
| 169 | Bulgaria | 4.8 | 75.8 | $15,853 |
| 170 | Brunei Darussalam | 8.7 | 75.3 | $32,891 |
| 171 | British Virgin Islands | 11.7 | 77.3 | - |
| 172 | Brazil | 12.4 | 75.8 | $10,378 |
| 173 | Botswana | 33.3 | 69.2 | $7,826 |
| 174 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 5.3 | 77.9 | $8,663 |
| 175 | Bolivia | 14.9 | 68.6 | $4,275 |
| 176 | Bhutan | 14.3 | 73 | $3,831 |
| 177 | Benin | 46.5 | 60.8 | $1,394 |
| 178 | Belize | 10.9 | 73.6 | $7,425 |
| 179 | Belgium | 3.2 | 82.4 | $55,291 |
| 180 | Belarus | 1.9 | 74.2 | $7,897 |
| 181 | Barbados | 9.4 | 76.2 | $25,584 |
| 182 | Bangladesh | 24.4 | 74.7 | $2,551 |
| 183 | Bahrain | 7.2 | 81.3 | $29,290 |
| 184 | Bahamas, The | 11.3 | 74.6 | $38,232 |
| 185 | Azerbaijan | 13.2 | 74.4 | $7,133 |
| 186 | Austria | 2.8 | 81.8 | $56,580 |
| 187 | Australia | 3.1 | 83.1 | $65,058 |
| 188 | Armenia | 8.9 | 77.5 | $8,159 |
| 189 | Argentina | 8.2 | 77.4 | $14,262 |
| 190 | Antigua and Barbuda | 7.2 | 77.6 | $21,495 |
| 191 | Angola | 33 | 64.6 | $2,916 |
| 192 | Andorra | 2.5 | 84 | $46,812 |
| 193 | Algeria | 19.7 | 76.3 | $5,370 |
| 194 | Albania | 8.3 | 79.6 | $9,731 |
| 195 | Afghanistan | 49.9 | 66 | $413.76 |
Methodology
Rankings are based on American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year estimates from the US Census Bureau. All 50 states and the District of Columbia are included. The ACS surveys approximately 3.5 million households annually and provides detailed demographic, social, economic, and housing data. 5-Year estimates offer the most reliable data for state-level comparisons by averaging responses over a 60-month period. Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
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Frequently Asked Questions
South Sudan has the highest infant mortality rate (per 1,000) at 71.9, according to latest Census ACS data. Nigeria and Somalia, Fed. Rep. round out the top three.
San Marino has the lowest infant mortality rate (per 1,000) at 1.3. Estonia is second-lowest at 1.6.
The median across all 195 states is 13.1. Note that the national median and the state-level median are calculated differently, the state median represents the midpoint when all states are ranked.
This data comes from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year estimates published by the US Census Bureau. The ACS surveys approximately 3.5 million households annually and provides the most comprehensive demographic data available between decennial censuses.
Rankings are based on the latest available Census ACS 5-Year estimates. The Census Bureau releases new ACS data annually. Our data was last updated on April 12, 2026.
Rankings are based on American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year estimates from the US Census Bureau. All 50 states and the District of Columbia are included. The ACS surveys approximately 3.5 million households annually and provides detailed demographic, social, economic, and housing data. 5-Year estimates offer the most reliable data for state-level comparisons by averaging responses over a 60-month period. Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, 2026.