Infant Mortality in Developing Countries While infectious diseases continue to be major contributors to infant mortality in developing countries, birth defects account for a significant percentage of infant deaths when the infant mortality rate falls below 50/1000 live births. The table below lists developing countries in which the infant mortality rate had dropped below 50/1000 live births by 1999. It also includes data from the United States and United Kingdom for comparative purposes.
Country
Infant Mortality
Under 5 Mortality
1960
1999
1960
1999
Algeria
152
36
255
41
Antigua/Barbuda
--
17
--
20
Argentina
60
19
72
22
Armenia
38
25
48
30
Azerbaijan
55
35
74
45
Bahamas
51
18
68
21
Bahrain
110
13
160
16
Barbados
74
14
90
16
Belize
74
35
104
43
Botswana*
118
46(39)
173
59(49)
Brazil
115
34
177
40
Brunei
63
8
87
9
Chile
107
11
138
12
China
150
33
225
41
Columbia
82
26
122
31
Cook Is.
--
26
--
30
Costa Rica
80
13
112
14
Cuba
39
6
54
8
Cyprus
30
7
36
8
Dominica
--
16
--
18
Dominican Rep.
102
43
149
49
Ecuador
107
27
178
35
Egypt
189
41
282
52
El Salvador
130
35
191
42
Fiji
71
18
97
22
Georgia
52
19
70
23
Grenada
--
22
--
27
Guatemala
136
45
202
60
Honduras
137
33
204
42
Indonesia
128
38
216
52
Iran
164
37
281
46
Jamaica
58
10
76
11
Jordan
97
29
139
35
Kazakhstan
55
35
74
42
Korea DPR
85
23
120
30
Korea Rep.
90
5
127
5
Kuwait
89
11
128
12
Lebanon
65
28
85
32
Libya
159
19
270
22
Malaysia
73
8
105
9
Mauritius
67
19
92
23
Mexico
94
27
134
33
Micronesia
--
20
--
24
Morocco
132
45
211
53
Nauru
--
25
--
30
Nicaragua
130
38
193
47
Oman
164
14
280
16
Palau
--
28
--
34
Panama
58
21
88
27
Paraguay
66
27
90
32
Peru
142
42
234
52
Philippines
80
31
110
42
Qatar
94
12
140
16
St. Kitts/Nevis
--
24
--
29
St. Lucia
--
17
--
19
St. Vincent/Grenadines
--
21
--
25
Samoa
134
21
210
26
Saudi Arabia
170
20
250
25
Seychelles
--
13
--
17
Singapore
31
4
40
4
Solomon Is.
120
22
185
26
South Africa*
89
54(49)
130
69(65)
Sri Lanka
83
17
133
19
Suriname
70
27
98
34
Syria
136
25
201
30
Thailand
103
26
148
30
Tonga
--
18
--
22
Trinidad/Tobago
61
17
73
20
Tunisia
170
24
254
30
Turkey
163
40
219
48
Tuvalu
--
40
--
56
United Arab Emirates
149
8
223
9
Uruguay
48
15
56
17
Uzbekistan
84
45
120
58
Vanuatu
141
37
225
46
Venezuela
56
20
75
23
Vietnam
147
31
219
40
United Kingdom**
23
6
27
6
United States**
26
7
30
8
Source: UNICEF State of the World's Children, 2001 and 1999 editions.
* Country in which the HIV/AIDS pandemic has reversed the positive trend. Data in parentheses from 1997.
** Industrialized countries listed for comparative purposes.
