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Health > Death rates > Children under 5: Countries Compared

chris.lockyer781

Author: chris.lockyer781

The under-five mortality rate is the risk of a child dying before reaching five years of age. It is calculated as the number of children below five years in a given calendar year divided by the number of live births in the same year which is then multiplied by 1,000. It is the most important indicator of child health in a country.

Description:

In developed countries, the under-five mortality is at 7 per 1000 while in the least developed countries, it is as high as 63 per 1000. The mortality rate of children below five is increased in children who are poor, those who live in rural areas, and those whose mothers have not received basic education.

The risk of dying is highest during the neonatal period or the first month of life. Neonatal deaths account for about 40% of under-five deaths. These are caused by preterm birth, complications during birth such as asphyxia, and severe infection.

After the neonatal period, the top causes of under-five deaths are pneumonia, diarrhea and malaria. Five million children under five years of age die annually of pneumonia. Diarrhea causes 17% of under five deaths. Measles, malaria and AIDS account for 15%. Malnutrition makes children susceptible to severe disease and is an underlying factor in 45% of under-five deaths.

Children in the African region have the highest under-five death rates worldwide. These children are 16 times more likely to die compared to children in developed nations. The high under-five mortality rate in poorer nations is due to lack of access to basic health care and poor or delayed care-seeking. Poor nutrition and sanitation are also major underlying factors. It is estimated that improvement of health services can prevent up to 60% of under-five deaths.

Citations:

1) WHO: Under five mortality. http://www.who.int/gho/childhealth/mortality/mortalityunderfivetext/en/

2) WHO: Children: reducing mortality. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs178/en/

3) Under five mortality rate. http://mdgs.un.org/unsd/mi/wiki/4-1-Under-five-mortality-rate.ashx

4) The under five mortality rate. http://www.unicef.org/sowc08/docs/sowc08_panels.pdf

DEFINITION: Under-five mortality rate is the probability per 1,000 that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five, if subject to current age-specific mortality rates.".

CONTENTS

# COUNTRY AMOUNT DATE GRAPH HISTORY
1 Chad 209 2009
2 Democratic Republic of the Congo 198.6 2009
3 Guinea-Bissau 192.6 2009
4 Sierra Leone 192.3 2009
5 Mali 191.1 2009
6 Somalia 180 2009
7 Central African Republic 170.8 2009
8 Burkina Faso 166.4 2009
9 Burundi 166.3 2009
10 Angola 160.5 2009
11 Niger 160.3 2009
12 Cameroon 154.3 2009
13 Equatorial Guinea 145.1 2009
14 Mozambique 141.9 2009
15 Guinea 141.5 2009
16 Zambia 141.3 2009
17 Nigeria 137.9 2009
failed states average (profile) 135.68 2009
18 Congo, Republic of the 128.2 2009
19 Uganda 127.5 2009
20 Cote d'Ivoire 118.5 2009
21 Benin 118 2009
22 Mauritania 117.1 2009
Sub-Saharan Africa average (profile) 113.96 2009
23 Liberia 112 2009
24 Rwanda 110.8 2009
25 Malawi 110 2009
26 Sudan 108.2 2009
27 Tanzania 107.9 2009
28 Ethiopia 104.4 2009
29 Comoros 104 2009
30 The Gambia 102.8 2009
Former French colonies average (profile) 98.99 2009
31 Togo 97.5 2009
32 Djibouti 93.5 2009
33 Senegal 92.8 2009
34 Zimbabwe 89.5 2009
35 Cambodia 87.5 2009
36 Pakistan 87 2009
37 Haiti 86.7 2009
38 Kenya 84 2009
39 Lesotho 83.5 2009
40 Bhutan 78.6 2009
41 Sao Tome and Principe 77.8 2009
42 Swaziland 73 2009
43 Burma 71.2 2009
South Asia average (profile) 70.8 2009
44 Gabon 68.9 2009
45 Ghana 68.5 2009
46 Papua New Guinea 68.3 2009
Landlocked countries average (profile) 66.04 2009
Muslim countries average (profile) 65.64 2009
47 India 65.6 2009
Hot countries average (profile) 62.99 2009
48 South Africa 61.9 2009
49 Tajikistan 61.2 2009
50 Laos 58.6 2009
51 Madagascar 57.7 2009
52 Botswana 56.9 2009
53 East Timor 56.4 2009
54 Eritrea 55.2 2009
55 Bangladesh 52 2009
56 Bolivia 51.2 2009
Former British colonies average (profile) 50.4 2009
57 Nepal 48.2 2009
58 Namibia 47.5 2009
South and Central Asia average (profile) 47.23 2009
59 Kiribati 46.2 2009
OPEC countries average (profile) 45.93 2009
60 Turkmenistan 45.3 2009
Religious countries average (profile) 44.45 2009
61 Iraq 43.5 2009
62 Guatemala 39.8 2009
63 Indonesia 38.9 2009
Christian countries average (profile) 38.09 2009
64 Morocco 37.5 2009
65 Kyrgyzstan 36.6 2009
66 Uzbekistan 36.1 2009
67 Solomon Islands 35.8 2009
68 Marshall Islands 35.4 2009
=69 Guyana 35.3 2009
=69 Trinidad and Tobago 35.3 2009
71 Tuvalu 35.1 2009
72 Azerbaijan 33.5 2009
73 Philippines 33.1 2009
74 Algeria 32.3 2009
75 Dominican Republic 31.9 2009
76 Jamaica 30.9 2009
East Asia and Pacific average (profile) 29.8 2009
77 Honduras 29.7 2009
78 Georgia 29.1 2009
79 Mongolia 28.8 2009
80 Kazakhstan 28.7 2009
Former Spanish colonies average (profile) 28.48 2009
Catholic countries average (profile) 27.69 2009
81 Cape Verde 27.5 2009
82 Suriname 26.3 2009
83 Nicaragua 25.6 2009
=84 Samoa 25.3 2009
=84 Jordan 25.3 2009
Former Soviet republics average (profile) 24.54 2009
86 Ecuador 24.2 2009
87 Vietnam 23.6 2009
88 Panama 22.9 2009
Latin America and Caribbean average (profile) 22.76 2009
89 Paraguay 22.6 2009
Emerging markets average (profile) 21.81 2009
90 Armenia 21.6 2009
91 Peru 21.3 2009
92 Saudi Arabia 21 2009
93 Tunisia 20.7 2009
94 Brazil 20.6 2009
95 Turkey 20.3 2009
Heavily indebted countries average (profile) 20.09 2009
96 Saint Lucia 19.8 2009
=97 Tonga 19.1 2009
=97 China 19.1 2009
Middle Eastern and North Africa average (profile) 18.93 2009
99 Colombia 18.9 2009
100 Libya 18.5 2009
101 Belize 18 2009
102 Fiji 17.6 2009
103 Venezuela 17.5 2009
104 Mauritius 17 2009
105 Mexico 16.8 2009
106 Moldova 16.7 2009
107 El Salvador 16.6 2009
108 Vanuatu 16.3 2009
109 Syria 16.2 2009
110 Albania 15.3 2009
111 Ukraine 15.1 2009
=112 Saint Kitts and Nevis 14.9 2009
=112 Palau 14.9 2009
114 Sri Lanka 14.7 2009
115 Grenada 14.5 2009
116 Bosnia and Herzegovina 14.4 2009
117 Argentina 14.1 2009
Cold countries average (profile) 13.79 2009
118 Thailand 13.5 2009
119 Uruguay 13.4 2009
Eastern Europe average (profile) 13.17 2009
120 Maldives 12.7 2009
=121 Seychelles 12.4 2009
=121 Russia 12.4 2009
=121 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 12.4 2009
=121 The Bahamas 12.4 2009
=121 Lebanon 12.4 2009
=126 Belarus 12.1 2009
=126 Bahrain 12.1 2009
128 Oman 12 2009
129 Romania 11.9 2009
130 Antigua and Barbuda 11.7 2009
131 Barbados 11 2009
Non-religious countries average (profile) 10.81 2009
132 Qatar 10.8 2009
133 Costa Rica 10.6 2009
134 Bulgaria 10 2009
135 Kuwait 9.9 2009
136 Dominica 9.8 2009
137 Chile 8.5 2009
138 Latvia 8 2009
Europe average (profile) 7.88 2009
139 United States 7.8 2009
140 United Arab Emirates 7.4 2009
141 Serbia and Montenegro 7.1 2009
142 Slovakia 6.9 2009
=143 Poland 6.7 2009
=143 Malta 6.7 2009
=143 Brunei 6.7 2009
146 Hungary 6.3 2009
=147 New Zealand 6.2 2009
=147 Lithuania 6.2 2009
NATO countries average (profile) 6.14 2009
=149 Malaysia 6.1 2009
=149 Canada 6.1 2009
151 Cuba 5.8 2009
=152 United Kingdom 5.5 2009
=152 Estonia 5.5 2009
154 Croatia 5.4 2009
155 Australia 5.1 2009
European Union average (profile) 5.08 2009
Group of 7 countries (G7) average (profile) 4.97 2009
156 European Union 4.93 2009
157 Belgium 4.6 2009
High income OECD countries average (profile) 4.55 2009
Eurozone average (profile) 4.44 2009
=158 Switzerland 4.4 2009
=158 Israel 4.4 2009
=158 Netherlands 4.4 2009
=161 Germany 4.2 2009
=161 Ireland 4.2 2009
=163 Austria 4.1 2009
=163 Spain 4.1 2009
=165 Italy 4 2009
=165 Denmark 4 2009
=165 Monaco 4 2009
168 France 3.9 2009
169 Portugal 3.7 2009
=170 Cyprus 3.5 2009
=170 Czech Republic 3.5 2009
=170 Andorra 3.5 2009
173 Greece 3.4 2009
=174 Japan 3.3 2009
=174 Norway 3.3 2009
176 Finland 3.2 2009
=177 Iceland 3 2009
=177 Slovenia 3 2009
=179 Singapore 2.8 2009
=179 Sweden 2.8 2009
181 Luxembourg 2.6 2009
182 Liechtenstein 2.1 2009
183 San Marino 1.7 2009

Citation

Health > Death rates > Children under 5: Countries Compared Map

NationMaster

Interesting observations about Health > Death rates > Children under 5

  • Chad ranked first for death rates > children under 5 amongst Hot countries in 2009.
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo ranked first for death rates > children under 5 amongst Christian countries in 2009.
  • Azerbaijan ranked first for death rates > children under 5 amongst Europe in 2009.
  • Sierra Leone ranked first for death rates > children under 5 amongst Former British colonies in 2009.
  • Romania ranked first for death rates > children under 5 amongst European Union in 2009.
  • Chile ranked first for death rates > children under 5 amongst High income OECD countries in 2009.
  • Pakistan ranked first for death rates > children under 5 amongst Emerging markets in 2009.
  • Turkey ranked first for death rates > children under 5 amongst NATO countries in 2009.
  • Burundi ranked first for death rates > children under 5 amongst Catholic countries in 2009.
  • Malawi ranked first for death rates > children under 5 amongst Heavily indebted countries in 2009.

6

The under-five mortality rate is the risk of a child dying before reaching five years of age. It is calculated as the number of children below five years in a given calendar year divided by the number of live births in the same year which is then multiplied by 1,000. It is the most important indicator of child health in a country.

Description:

In developed countries, the under-five mortality is at 7 per 1000 while in the least developed countries, it is as high as 63 per 1000. The mortality rate of children below five is increased in children who are poor, those who live in rural areas, and those whose mothers have not received basic education.

The risk of dying is highest during the neonatal period or the first month of life. Neonatal deaths account for about 40% of under-five deaths. These are caused by preterm birth, complications during birth such as asphyxia, and severe infection.

After the neonatal period, the top causes of under-five deaths are pneumonia, diarrhea and malaria. Five million children under five years of age die annually of pneumonia. Diarrhea causes 17% of under five deaths. Measles, malaria and AIDS account for 15%. Malnutrition makes children susceptible to severe disease and is an underlying factor in 45% of under-five deaths.

Children in the African region have the highest under-five death rates worldwide. These children are 16 times more likely to die compared to children in developed nations. The high under-five mortality rate in poorer nations is due to lack of access to basic health care and poor or delayed care-seeking. Poor nutrition and sanitation are also major underlying factors. It is estimated that improvement of health services can prevent up to 60% of under-five deaths.

Citations:

1) WHO: Under five mortality. http://www.who.int/gho/childhealth/mortality/mortalityunderfivetext/en/

2) WHO: Children: reducing mortality. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs178/en/

3) Under five mortality rate. http://mdgs.un.org/unsd/mi/wiki/4-1-Under-five-mortality-rate.ashx

4) The under five mortality rate. http://www.unicef.org/sowc08/docs/sowc08_panels.pdf

Posted on 09 Apr 2014

chris.lockyer781

chris.lockyer781

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