Infant mortality ranking 1961 — the top 20 economies
The twenty largest economies by Infant Mortality Rate in 1961, ranked by the exact World Bank figures. The leader: Yemen (273.4). A total of 131 economies reported a value that year.
The leader, Yemen, stood at 273.4. The twentieth economy, Algeria, reported 161.5 — a 1.7× spread inside the top 20 alone. Of 131 economies reporting that year, these twenty are the ones usually quoted.
| # | Country | per 1,000 live births (1961) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yemen | 273.4 |
| 2 | Afghanistan | 249.2 |
| 3 | Oman | 230.9 |
| 4 | Nepal | 217.2 |
| 5 | Cote d'Ivoire | 204.2 |
| 6 | Liberia | 198.9 |
| 7 | South Sudan | 193.7 |
| 8 | Haiti | 192.8 |
| 9 | Guinea | 190 |
| 10 | Bolivia | 183.8 |
| 11 | Libya | 182.3 |
| 12 | Turkiye | 174.3 |
| 13 | Bangladesh | 172.6 |
| 14 | Cameroon | 172.1 |
| 15 | Burkina Faso | 170 |
| 16 | Egypt | 168.7 |
| 17 | Sierra Leone | 164.7 |
| 18 | Malawi | 163.8 |
| 19 | Pakistan | 163.1 |
| 20 | Algeria | 161.5 |
Where are they now?
The top five of 1961 and their rank in the latest published year:
| Country | Rank in 1961 | Rank today |
|---|---|---|
| Yemen | #24 | #38 |
| Afghanistan | #9 | #13 |
| Oman | #82 | #124 |
| Nepal | #42 | #64 |
| Cote d'Ivoire | #12 | #18 |
Other years
Frequently asked questions
Which country had the largest Infant mortality in 1961?
Yemen, with 273.4 (per 1,000 live births).
How many countries are included?
131 economies reported a value for SP.DYN.IMRT.IN in 1961. Coverage widens over time — earlier years include fewer reporting economies.