Malawi — Infant mortality
Infant Mortality Rate for Malawi, 1961–2024.
Infant mortality for Malawi was 38.0 in 2024, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 64 years, from 1961 to 2024. The highest recorded value was 165.9 in 1969. The lowest was 38.0 in 2018 (about 1.0× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -2.29% per year.
Malawi ranks 29 of 196 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 15%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 38.0, so Malawi sits level with it. It peaked in 1969 and has fallen 77% since. Over the last decade (2014–2024) the figure moved down 8%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 24 of 48 economies; Namibia (36.4) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 40% in 2001.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 18th of 131 in 1961 → 12th of 155 in 1970 → 15th of 179 in 1980 → 9th of 196 in 1990 → 16th of 196 in 2000 → 33rd of 196 in 2010 → 34th of 196 in 2020 → 29th of 196 in 2024.
Key figures
Full history — 1961 to 2024
| Year | per 1,000 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 38 | -1.0% |
| 2023 | 38.4 | -0.5% |
| 2022 | 38.6 | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 38.3 | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 38.2 | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 38.3 | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 38 | -1.3% |
| 2017 | 38.5 | -1.5% |
| 2016 | 39.1 | -1.5% |
| 2015 | 39.7 | -3.4% |
| 2014 | 41.1 | -3.5% |
| 2013 | 42.6 | -5.5% |
| 2012 | 45.1 | -6.0% |
| 2011 | 48 | -6.8% |
| 2010 | 51.5 | -4.1% |
| 2009 | 53.7 | -4.1% |
| 2008 | 56 | -5.2% |
| 2007 | 59.1 | -4.1% |
| 2006 | 61.6 | -5.4% |
| 2005 | 65.1 | -7.1% |
| 2004 | 70.1 | -8.2% |
| 2003 | 76.4 | -8.8% |
| 2002 | 83.8 | -39.5% |
| 2001 | 138.5 | +40.0% |
| 2000 | 98.9 | -5.4% |
| 1999 | 104.5 | -4.1% |
| 1998 | 109 | -2.4% |
| 1997 | 111.7 | -1.7% |
| 1996 | 113.6 | -1.9% |
| 1995 | 115.8 | -2.8% |
| 1994 | 119.1 | -2.9% |
| 1993 | 122.6 | -3.0% |
| 1992 | 126.4 | -3.1% |
| 1991 | 130.5 | -2.6% |
| 1990 | 134 | -2.0% |
| 1989 | 136.7 | -1.2% |
| 1988 | 138.4 | +0.1% |
| 1987 | 138.3 | +0.9% |
| 1986 | 137.1 | +1.9% |
| 1985 | 134.6 | +2.2% |
| 1984 | 131.7 | +1.7% |
| 1983 | 129.5 | +0.5% |
| 1982 | 128.9 | -0.8% |
| 1981 | 130 | -1.9% |
| 1980 | 132.5 | -2.6% |
| 1979 | 136 | -2.9% |
| 1978 | 140.1 | -2.8% |
| 1977 | 144.2 | -2.6% |
| 1976 | 148.1 | -2.4% |
| 1975 | 151.8 | -2.3% |
| 1974 | 155.4 | -2.1% |
| 1973 | 158.7 | -1.7% |
| 1972 | 161.4 | -1.3% |
| 1971 | 163.6 | -0.9% |
| 1970 | 165.1 | -0.5% |
| 1969 | 165.9 | +0.1% |
| 1968 | 165.7 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 165.7 | +0.2% |
| 1966 | 165.4 | +0.1% |
| 1965 | 165.2 | +0.3% |
| 1964 | 164.7 | +0.1% |
| 1963 | 164.5 | +0.2% |
| 1962 | 164.1 | +0.2% |
| 1961 | 163.8 | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Malawi’s Infant mortality in 1962?
164.1 (1962). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are Malawi’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 Malawi’s Infant mortality growing or shrinking?
Between 1961 and 2024 the series was shrinking overall: -76.8% in total — about 2.3% 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: 38; 2023: 38.4; 2022: 38.6; 2021: 38.3; 2020: 38.2. 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.