Mortality rate, infant (per 1,000 live births) (UNESCO Institute) in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Mortality rate, infant (per 1,000 live births) (UNESCO Institute) was 56.2 per 1,000 live births in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
56.2 per 1,000 live births
Change on year
down 3.1%
World rank
9th
of 195 countries
All-time high
152.2 per 1,000 live births
in 1970
All-time low
56.2 per 1,000 live births
in 2023
Years of data
54
1970–2023
Mortality rate, infant in Sierra Leone, 1970–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in per 1,000 live births.
Analysis
Sierra Leone recorded 56.2 per 1,000 live births for mortality rate, infant in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 54 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.1% on the previous year and down 29.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mortality rate, infant in Sierra Leone peaked at 152.2 per 1,000 live births in 1970 and was at its lowest, 56.2 per 1,000 live births, in 2023.
That places Sierra Leone 9th out of 195 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 54 years of available data.
Mortality rate, infant (per 1,000 live births) (UNESCO Institute) in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | per 1,000 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 152.2 per 1,000 live births | — |
| 1971 | 150.9 per 1,000 live births | -0.9% |
| 1972 | 149.7 per 1,000 live births | -0.8% |
| 1973 | 148.4 per 1,000 live births | -0.9% |
| 1974 | 147.3 per 1,000 live births | -0.7% |
| 1975 | 146.1 per 1,000 live births | -0.8% |
| 1976 | 145 per 1,000 live births | -0.8% |
| 1977 | 144 per 1,000 live births | -0.7% |
| 1978 | 143 per 1,000 live births | -0.7% |
| 1979 | 142 per 1,000 live births | -0.7% |
| 1980 | 141.2 per 1,000 live births | -0.6% |
| 1981 | 140.2 per 1,000 live births | -0.7% |
| 1982 | 139.4 per 1,000 live births | -0.6% |
| 1983 | 138.8 per 1,000 live births | -0.4% |
| 1984 | 138.1 per 1,000 live births | -0.5% |
| 1985 | 137.5 per 1,000 live births | -0.4% |
| 1986 | 137 per 1,000 live births | -0.4% |
| 1987 | 136.5 per 1,000 live births | -0.4% |
| 1988 | 136.1 per 1,000 live births | -0.3% |
| 1989 | 135.7 per 1,000 live births | -0.3% |
| 1990 | 135.5 per 1,000 live births | -0.1% |
| 1991 | 135.2 per 1,000 live births | -0.2% |
| 1992 | 134.8 per 1,000 live births | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 134.4 per 1,000 live births | -0.3% |
| 1994 | 133.7 per 1,000 live births | -0.5% |
| 1995 | 132.7 per 1,000 live births | -0.7% |
| 1996 | 131.4 per 1,000 live births | -1.0% |
| 1997 | 129.7 per 1,000 live births | -1.3% |
| 1998 | 127.8 per 1,000 live births | -1.5% |
| 1999 | 125.7 per 1,000 live births | -1.6% |
| 2000 | 123.4 per 1,000 live births | -1.8% |
| 2001 | 120.8 per 1,000 live births | -2.1% |
| 2002 | 118.2 per 1,000 live births | -2.2% |
| 2003 | 115.4 per 1,000 live births | -2.4% |
| 2004 | 112.4 per 1,000 live births | -2.6% |
| 2005 | 109.3 per 1,000 live births | -2.8% |
| 2006 | 106 per 1,000 live births | -3.0% |
| 2007 | 102.4 per 1,000 live births | -3.4% |
| 2008 | 98.5 per 1,000 live births | -3.8% |
| 2009 | 94.7 per 1,000 live births | -3.9% |
| 2010 | 90.8 per 1,000 live births | -4.1% |
| 2011 | 87 per 1,000 live births | -4.2% |
| 2012 | 83.4 per 1,000 live births | -4.1% |
| 2013 | 80 per 1,000 live births | -4.1% |
| 2014 | 77.7 per 1,000 live births | -2.9% |
| 2015 | 76.9 per 1,000 live births | -1.0% |
| 2016 | 71.3 per 1,000 live births | -7.3% |
| 2017 | 68.8 per 1,000 live births | -3.5% |
| 2018 | 66.3 per 1,000 live births | -3.6% |
| 2019 | 64.1 per 1,000 live births | -3.3% |
| 2020 | 61.9 per 1,000 live births | -3.4% |
| 2021 | 60 per 1,000 live births | -3.1% |
| 2022 | 58 per 1,000 live births | -3.3% |
| 2023 | 56.2 per 1,000 live births | -3.1% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 56.2 per 1,000 live births is above the median for low income countries, which is 44.2 per 1,000 live births, 1.3× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 56.2 per 1,000 live births is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 38.35 per 1,000 live births, 1.5× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 146.86 per 1,000 live births | 142 per 1,000 live births | 152.2 per 1,000 live births | 10 |
| 1980s | 138.05 per 1,000 live births | 135.7 per 1,000 live births | 141.2 per 1,000 live births | 10 |
| 1990s | 132.09 per 1,000 live births | 125.7 per 1,000 live births | 135.5 per 1,000 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 110.11 per 1,000 live births | 94.7 per 1,000 live births | 123.4 per 1,000 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 76.63 per 1,000 live births | 64.1 per 1,000 live births | 90.8 per 1,000 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 59.02 per 1,000 live births | 56.2 per 1,000 live births | 61.9 per 1,000 live births | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
More population data for Sierra Leone
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.1141 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -1.21 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.1141 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.076 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 13,595 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 1.9 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.6516 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate -0.137 (2100)
- Population density 220.76 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 983,692 (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mortality rate, infant in Sierra Leone?
- Mortality rate, infant in Sierra Leone was 56.2 per 1,000 live births in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest mortality rate, infant recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 152.2 per 1,000 live births in 1970.
- What is the lowest mortality rate, infant recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 56.2 per 1,000 live births in 2023.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for mortality rate, infant?
- Sierra Leone ranks 9th out of 195 countries with data for 2023.
- Is mortality rate, infant rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is down 29.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sierra Leone data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Mortality rate, infant (per 1,000 live births). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release