Number of child deaths per woman in Malawi
Malawi: Number of child deaths per woman was 0.1976 under-five deaths per woman in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Number of child deaths per woman in Malawi, 1961–2024
Source: Gapminder (2015); UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in under-five deaths per woman.
Analysis
Malawi recorded 0.1976 under-five deaths per woman for number of child deaths per woman in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.4% on the previous year and down 28.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of child deaths per woman in Malawi peaked at 2.53 under-five deaths per woman in 1961 and was at its lowest, 0.1957 under-five deaths per woman, in 2021.
Malawi ranks 29th of 200 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.52 under-five deaths per woman | 2.5 under-five deaths per woman | 2.53 under-five deaths per woman | 9 |
| 1970s | 2.27 under-five deaths per woman | 1.99 under-five deaths per woman | 2.5 under-five deaths per woman | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.83 under-five deaths per woman | 1.72 under-five deaths per woman | 1.94 under-five deaths per woman | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.38 under-five deaths per woman | 1.12 under-five deaths per woman | 1.66 under-five deaths per woman | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.7575 under-five deaths per woman | 0.4654 under-five deaths per woman | 1.43 under-five deaths per woman | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.2859 under-five deaths per woman | 0.2088 under-five deaths per woman | 0.4226 under-five deaths per woman | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.2017 under-five deaths per woman | 0.1957 under-five deaths per woman | 0.2094 under-five deaths per woman | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 26 Zambia 0.2201 under-five deaths per woman compare
- 27 Zimbabwe 0.2095 under-five deaths per woman compare
- 28 Gambia 0.2053 under-five deaths per woman compare
- 30 Afghanistan 0.1872 under-five deaths per woman compare
- 31 Kiribati 0.1779 under-five deaths per woman compare
- 32 Pakistan 0.1696 under-five deaths per woman compare
More reference data data for Malawi
- Fertility rate vs. Human Development Index 3.65 live births per woman (2023)
- Fertility rate: births per woman 3.65 live births per woman (2023)
- Fertility rate: births per woman 3.65 live births per woman (2023)
- Human Development Index 0.517 (2023)
- Rule of Law - Governance score 54.45 0-100 (2024)
- Rule of Law - Governance estimate -0.1463 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 (2024)
- Voice and Accountability - Governance estimate -0.1094 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 (2024)
- Voice and Accountability - Governance score 54.93 0-100 (2024)
- Political Stability - Governance score 59.4 0-100 (2024)
- Political Stability - Governance estimate -0.3802 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of child deaths per woman in Malawi?
- Number of child deaths per woman in Malawi was 0.1976 under-five deaths per woman in 2024, according to Gapminder (2015); UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of child deaths per woman recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 2.53 under-five deaths per woman in 1961.
- What is the lowest number of child deaths per woman recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1957 under-five deaths per woman in 2021.
- How does Malawi rank for number of child deaths per woman?
- Malawi ranks 29th out of 200 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of child deaths per woman rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 28.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from Gapminder (2015); UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of child deaths per woman. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The fertility rate (average number of children per woman) multiplied by the under-five mortality rate (probability of dying before age five).