New Zealand — Infant mortality
Infant Mortality Rate for New Zealand, 1960–2024.
Infant mortality for New Zealand was 4.0 in 2024, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 65 years, from 1960 to 2024. The highest recorded value was 22.5 in 1960. Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -2.66% per year.
New Zealand ranks 159 of 196 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 81%. The median for East Asia & Pacific is 14.4, so New Zealand sits below it. It peaked in 1960 and has fallen 82% since. Over the last decade (2014–2024) the figure moved down 17%. Within East Asia & Pacific it ranks 26 of 30 economies; Australia (3.1) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was down 6% in 1992. That is 9% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 121st of 130 in 1960 → 145th of 155 in 1970 → 160th of 179 in 1980 → 173rd of 196 in 1990 → 167th of 196 in 2000 → 158th of 196 in 2010 → 158th of 196 in 2020 → 159th of 196 in 2024.
Key figures
Full history — 1960 to 2024
| Year | per 1,000 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 4 | -2.4% |
| 2023 | 4.1 | -2.4% |
| 2022 | 4.2 | -2.3% |
| 2021 | 4.3 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 4.3 | -2.3% |
| 2019 | 4.4 | -2.2% |
| 2018 | 4.5 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 4.5 | -2.2% |
| 2016 | 4.6 | -2.1% |
| 2015 | 4.7 | -2.1% |
| 2014 | 4.8 | -2.0% |
| 2013 | 4.9 | -2.0% |
| 2012 | 5 | -2.0% |
| 2011 | 5.1 | -1.9% |
| 2010 | 5.2 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 5.2 | -1.9% |
| 2008 | 5.3 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 5.3 | -1.9% |
| 2006 | 5.4 | -1.8% |
| 2005 | 5.5 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 5.5 | -3.5% |
| 2003 | 5.7 | -1.7% |
| 2002 | 5.8 | -1.7% |
| 2001 | 5.9 | -3.3% |
| 2000 | 6.1 | -1.6% |
| 1999 | 6.2 | -3.1% |
| 1998 | 6.4 | -3.0% |
| 1997 | 6.6 | -4.3% |
| 1996 | 6.9 | -4.2% |
| 1995 | 7.2 | -4.0% |
| 1994 | 7.5 | -3.8% |
| 1993 | 7.8 | -4.9% |
| 1992 | 8.2 | -5.7% |
| 1991 | 8.7 | -4.4% |
| 1990 | 9.1 | -5.2% |
| 1989 | 9.6 | -5.0% |
| 1988 | 10.1 | -4.7% |
| 1987 | 10.6 | -3.6% |
| 1986 | 11 | -2.7% |
| 1985 | 11.3 | -2.6% |
| 1984 | 11.6 | -2.5% |
| 1983 | 11.9 | -2.5% |
| 1982 | 12.2 | -2.4% |
| 1981 | 12.5 | -2.3% |
| 1980 | 12.8 | -3.0% |
| 1979 | 13.2 | -2.9% |
| 1978 | 13.6 | -2.9% |
| 1977 | 14 | -3.4% |
| 1976 | 14.5 | -3.3% |
| 1975 | 15 | -2.6% |
| 1974 | 15.4 | -2.5% |
| 1973 | 15.8 | -2.5% |
| 1972 | 16.2 | -2.4% |
| 1971 | 16.6 | -1.8% |
| 1970 | 16.9 | -2.3% |
| 1969 | 17.3 | -1.7% |
| 1968 | 17.6 | -1.7% |
| 1967 | 17.9 | -2.2% |
| 1966 | 18.3 | -2.7% |
| 1965 | 18.8 | -3.1% |
| 1964 | 19.4 | -3.5% |
| 1963 | 20.1 | -3.8% |
| 1962 | 20.9 | -4.1% |
| 1961 | 21.8 | -3.1% |
| 1960 | 22.5 | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was New Zealand’s Infant mortality in 1961?
21.8 (1961). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are New Zealand’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 New Zealand’s Infant mortality growing or shrinking?
Between 1960 and 2024 the series was shrinking overall: -82.2% in total — about 2.7% 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; 2023: 4.1; 2022: 4.2; 2021: 4.3; 2020: 4.3. 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.