China — Infant mortality
Infant Mortality Rate for China, 1969–2024.
Infant mortality for China was 4.1 in 2024, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 56 years, from 1969 to 2024. The highest recorded value was 88.8 in 1969. Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -5.44% per year.
China ranks 154 of 196 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 79%. The median for East Asia & Pacific is 14.4, so China sits below it. It peaked in 1969 and has fallen 95% since. Over the last decade (2014–2024) the figure moved down 54%. Within East Asia & Pacific it ranks 25 of 30 economies; New Zealand (4.0) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was down 9% in 2007. That is 34% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 66th of 155 in 1969 → 66th of 155 in 1970 → 99th of 179 in 1980 → 87th of 196 in 1990 → 88th of 196 in 2000 → 126th of 196 in 2010 → 146th of 196 in 2020 → 154th of 196 in 2024.
Key figures
Full history — 1969 to 2024
| Year | per 1,000 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 4.1 | -6.8% |
| 2023 | 4.4 | -8.3% |
| 2022 | 4.8 | -5.9% |
| 2021 | 5.1 | -7.3% |
| 2020 | 5.5 | -8.3% |
| 2019 | 6 | -6.3% |
| 2018 | 6.4 | -8.6% |
| 2017 | 7 | -7.9% |
| 2016 | 7.6 | -7.3% |
| 2015 | 8.2 | -7.9% |
| 2014 | 8.9 | -8.2% |
| 2013 | 9.7 | -7.6% |
| 2012 | 10.5 | -7.9% |
| 2011 | 11.4 | -8.1% |
| 2010 | 12.4 | -8.1% |
| 2009 | 13.5 | -8.8% |
| 2008 | 14.8 | -8.1% |
| 2007 | 16.1 | -9.0% |
| 2006 | 17.7 | -8.8% |
| 2005 | 19.4 | -8.9% |
| 2004 | 21.3 | -9.0% |
| 2003 | 23.4 | -8.6% |
| 2002 | 25.6 | -7.9% |
| 2001 | 27.8 | -7.0% |
| 2000 | 29.9 | -6.3% |
| 1999 | 31.9 | -5.6% |
| 1998 | 33.8 | -4.8% |
| 1997 | 35.5 | -4.6% |
| 1996 | 37.2 | -3.9% |
| 1995 | 38.7 | -3.5% |
| 1994 | 40.1 | -2.9% |
| 1993 | 41.3 | -2.4% |
| 1992 | 42.3 | -1.6% |
| 1991 | 43 | -0.7% |
| 1990 | 43.3 | -0.2% |
| 1989 | 43.4 | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 43.2 | +0.2% |
| 1987 | 43.1 | +0.2% |
| 1986 | 43 | -0.2% |
| 1985 | 43.1 | -0.9% |
| 1984 | 43.5 | -1.6% |
| 1983 | 44.2 | -2.4% |
| 1982 | 45.3 | -3.2% |
| 1981 | 46.8 | -4.1% |
| 1980 | 48.8 | -4.9% |
| 1979 | 51.3 | -5.2% |
| 1978 | 54.1 | -5.6% |
| 1977 | 57.3 | -5.9% |
| 1976 | 60.9 | -5.9% |
| 1975 | 64.7 | -5.7% |
| 1974 | 68.6 | -5.5% |
| 1973 | 72.6 | -5.2% |
| 1972 | 76.6 | -4.8% |
| 1971 | 80.5 | -4.8% |
| 1970 | 84.6 | -4.7% |
| 1969 | 88.8 | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was China’s Infant mortality in 1970?
84.6 (1970). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are China’s Infant mortality figures nominal or inflation-adjusted?
They are exactly as the World Bank publishes them — per 1,000 live births — with no inflation restatement and no PPP conversion. Years the source does not report are omitted rather than interpolated.
Is China’s Infant mortality growing or shrinking?
Between 1969 and 2024 the series was shrinking overall: -95.4% in total — about 5.4% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.DYN.IMRT.IN. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2024: 4.1; 2023: 4.4; 2022: 4.8; 2021: 5.1; 2020: 5.5. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.DYN.IMRT.IN — Infant Mortality Rate. Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.