This Country Has the Highest Infant Mortality Rate in the Developed World

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Published: March 19, 2025 7:00 am

24/7 Wall St. Insights

Healthcare outcomes tend to improve with wealth and healthcare spending.
In one advanced economy, however, the infant mortality rate is closer to figures found in the developing world.
With an infant mortality rate of 1.3 deaths per 1,000 live births, San Marino has the lowest infant mortality rate of any country.
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One of the hallmarks of a developed nation is advanced public health. As incomes rise, access to quality healthcare typically increases, leading to better health outcomes for all. But in some advanced countries, widespread inequality and inconsistent healthcare access can inhibit overall progress and lead to poor healthcare outcomes more common in emerging and developing economies.

Worldwide, the average infant mortality rate is 27.9 deaths per 1,000 live births. In the small European country of San Marino, there are just 1.3 infant deaths per 1,000 live births, the lowest infant mortality rate of any nation. Other countries with low infant mortality rates – like Norway, Finland, and Sweden – have strong social safety nets that help give mothers and newborns access to quality healthcare. In countries like Japan, Singapore, and South Korea, low infant mortality rates are accompanied by world-leading life expectancies and other positive health outcomes.

In the country with the highest infant mortality rate in the developed world, however, there are 5.4 infant deaths per 1,000 live births. Life expectancy at birth is just 77.4 years, despite a GNI per capita four times the global average. The country also has the highest healthcare spending of any nation worldwide, despite relatively poor health outcomes. A closer look at the countries with the highest infant mortality rate in the developed world uncovers which countries have disproportionately bad health outcomes, and reveals a wealthy superpower with a fundamentally broken healthcare system.

To determine the country with the highest infant mortality rate in the developed world, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data on infant mortality from the World Bank. Countries classified as advanced economies by the International Monetary Fund were ranked based on the number of infants dying before reaching the age of one per 1,000 live births. Supplemental data on the percentage of births attended by skilled health staff, physicians per capita, life expectancy at birth, gross national income per capita, and population are also from the World Bank. All data are for the most recent period available.

37. San Marino

Cathedral San Marino - Exterior by Newbio623

Cathedral San Marino - Exterior (BY-SA 4.0) by Newbio623

Infant mortality rate: 1.3 deaths per 1,000 live births
Births attended by skilled health staff: N/A
Physician count: 6.0 per 1,000 people
Life expectancy at birth: N/A
GNI per capita: $69,360
Population: 33,860

36. Estonia

Infant mortality rate: 1.5 deaths per 1,000 live births
Births attended by skilled health staff: 99.6% of total
Physician count: 3.9 per 1,000 people
Life expectancy at birth: 77.9 years
GNI per capita: $45,270
Population: 1.4 million

35. Japan

Infant mortality rate: 1.7 deaths per 1,000 live births
Births attended by skilled health staff: 99.8% of total
Physician count: 2.6 per 1,000 people
Life expectancy at birth: 84.0 years
GNI per capita: $52,840
Population: 124.5 million

34. Norway

Infant mortality rate: 1.8 deaths per 1,000 live births
Births attended by skilled health staff: 99.2% of total
Physician count: 5.2 per 1,000 people
Life expectancy at birth: 82.6 years
GNI per capita: $105,340
Population: 5.5 million

33. Singapore

Infant mortality rate: 1.8 deaths per 1,000 live births
Births attended by skilled health staff: 99.6% of total
Physician count: 2.4 per 1,000 people
Life expectancy at birth: 82.9 years
GNI per capita: $118,760
Population: 5.9 million

32. Finland

Infant mortality rate: 1.9 deaths per 1,000 live births
Births attended by skilled health staff: 99.5% of total
Physician count: 4.3 per 1,000 people
Life expectancy at birth: 81.2 years
GNI per capita: $61,910
Population: 5.6 million

31. Slovenia

Infant mortality rate: 1.9 deaths per 1,000 live births
Births attended by skilled health staff: N/A
Physician count: 3.3 per 1,000 people
Life expectancy at birth: 81.3 years
GNI per capita: $53,080
Population: 2.1 million

30. Iceland

Infant mortality rate: 2.0 deaths per 1,000 live births
Births attended by skilled health staff: 97.4% of total
Physician count: 3.9 per 1,000 people
Life expectancy at birth: 82.2 years
GNI per capita: $77,490
Population: 393,349

29. Sweden

Infant mortality rate: 2.0 deaths per 1,000 live births
Births attended by skilled health staff: N/A
Physician count: 7.1 per 1,000 people
Life expectancy at birth: 83.1 years
GNI per capita: $69,500
Population: 10.5 million

28. Czechia

Infant mortality rate: 2.1 deaths per 1,000 live births
Births attended by skilled health staff: 99.8% of total
Physician count: 5.5 per 1,000 people
Life expectancy at birth: 79.0 years
GNI per capita: $49,160
Population: 10.9 million

27. Italy

Infant mortality rate: 2.2 deaths per 1,000 live births
Births attended by skilled health staff: 99.8% of total
Physician count: 4.1 per 1,000 people
Life expectancy at birth: 82.9 years
GNI per capita: $56,400
Population: 59.0 million

26. Luxembourg

Infant mortality rate: 2.2 deaths per 1,000 live births
Births attended by skilled health staff: N/A
Physician count: 3.0 per 1,000 people
Life expectancy at birth: 83.0 years
GNI per capita: $90,540
Population: 666,430

25. South Korea

Infant mortality rate: 2.4 deaths per 1,000 live births
Births attended by skilled health staff: 100.0% of total
Physician count: 2.5 per 1,000 people
Life expectancy at birth: 82.7 years
GNI per capita: $52,680
Population: 51.7 million

24. Spain

Infant mortality rate: 2.5 deaths per 1,000 live births
Births attended by skilled health staff: 99.9% of total
Physician count: 4.6 per 1,000 people
Life expectancy at birth: 83.1 years
GNI per capita: $52,660
Population: 48.3 million

23. Austria

Infant mortality rate: 2.6 deaths per 1,000 live births
Births attended by skilled health staff: 98.1% of total
Physician count: 5.5 per 1,000 people
Life expectancy at birth: 81.1 years
GNI per capita: $70,080
Population: 9.1 million

22. Portugal

Infant mortality rate: 2.6 deaths per 1,000 live births
Births attended by skilled health staff: 98.6% of total
Physician count: 5.6 per 1,000 people
Life expectancy at birth: 81.6 years
GNI per capita: $46,010
Population: 10.6 million

21. Andorra

Renfe 319.240 + 319.212 Andorra (Teruel). by Luis Zamora (eldelinux)

Renfe 319.240 + 319.212 Andorra (Teruel). (BY 2.0) by Luis Zamora (eldelinux)

Infant mortality rate: 2.6 deaths per 1,000 live births
Births attended by skilled health staff: 100.0% of total
Physician count: 3.6 per 1,000 people
Life expectancy at birth: N/A
GNI per capita: $75,250
Population: 80,856

20. Cyprus

Infant mortality rate: 2.7 deaths per 1,000 live births
Births attended by skilled health staff: 99.3% of total
Physician count: 5.4 per 1,000 people
Life expectancy at birth: 81.9 years
GNI per capita: $51,610
Population: 1.3 million

19. Israel

Infant mortality rate: 2.7 deaths per 1,000 live births
Births attended by skilled health staff: N/A
Physician count: 3.7 per 1,000 people
Life expectancy at birth: 82.7 years
GNI per capita: $53,400
Population: 9.8 million

18. Ireland

Infant mortality rate: 2.7 deaths per 1,000 live births
Births attended by skilled health staff: 99.7% of total
Physician count: 4.1 per 1,000 people
Life expectancy at birth: 83.1 years
GNI per capita: $94,860
Population: 5.3 million

17. Latvia

Infant mortality rate: 2.8 deaths per 1,000 live births
Births attended by skilled health staff: 99.9% of total
Physician count: 3.3 per 1,000 people
Life expectancy at birth: 74.6 years
GNI per capita: $42,830
Population: 1.9 million

16. Lithuania

Infant mortality rate: 2.9 deaths per 1,000 live births
Births attended by skilled health staff: 100.0% of total
Physician count: 5.0 per 1,000 people
Life expectancy at birth: 75.8 years
GNI per capita: $48,850
Population: 2.9 million

15. Germany

Infant mortality rate: 3.0 deaths per 1,000 live births
Births attended by skilled health staff: 96.2% of total
Physician count: 4.5 per 1,000 people
Life expectancy at birth: 80.7 years
GNI per capita: $70,710
Population: 83.3 million

14. Denmark

Waste energy plant, Amager bakke, Copenhill in Copenhagen, Denmark, makes environmentally friendly energy and electricity from garbage by Dabuch

Waste energy plant, Amager bakke, Copenhill in Copenhagen, Denmark, makes environmentally friendly energy and electricity from garbage (Shutterstock.com) by Dabuch

Infant mortality rate: 3.1 deaths per 1,000 live births
Births attended by skilled health staff: 95.3% of total
Physician count: 4.3 per 1,000 people
Life expectancy at birth: 81.3 years
GNI per capita: $75,640
Population: 5.9 million

13. Belgium

Infant mortality rate: 3.1 deaths per 1,000 live births
Births attended by skilled health staff: N/A
Physician count: 6.3 per 1,000 people
Life expectancy at birth: 81.7 years
GNI per capita: $69,270
Population: 11.8 million

12. Australia

Infant mortality rate: 3.2 deaths per 1,000 live births
Births attended by skilled health staff: 96.0% of total
Physician count: 4.1 per 1,000 people
Life expectancy at birth: 83.2 years
GNI per capita: $67,310
Population: 26.7 million

11. Greece

Lady sitting in front of Parthenon on Acropolis, Athens, Greece by Kristoffer Trolle

Lady sitting in front of Parthenon on Acropolis, Athens, Greece (BY 2.0) by Kristoffer Trolle

Infant mortality rate: 3.3 deaths per 1,000 live births
Births attended by skilled health staff: 99.9% of total
Physician count: 6.3 per 1,000 people
Life expectancy at birth: 80.6 years
GNI per capita: $40,260
Population: 10.4 million

10. France

Infant mortality rate: 3.3 deaths per 1,000 live births
Births attended by skilled health staff: 98.2% of total
Physician count: 3.3 per 1,000 people
Life expectancy at birth: 82.2 years
GNI per capita: $58,920
Population: 68.3 million

9. Netherlands

Infant mortality rate: 3.4 deaths per 1,000 live births
Births attended by skilled health staff: N/A
Physician count: 3.8 per 1,000 people
Life expectancy at birth: 81.7 years
GNI per capita: $77,450
Population: 17.9 million

8. Switzerland

Infant mortality rate: 3.5 deaths per 1,000 live births
Births attended by skilled health staff: N/A
Physician count: 4.4 per 1,000 people
Life expectancy at birth: 83.5 years
GNI per capita: $86,820
Population: 8.9 million

7. United Kingdom

Infant mortality rate: 3.6 deaths per 1,000 live births
Births attended by skilled health staff: N/A
Physician count: 3.2 per 1,000 people
Life expectancy at birth: 82.1 years
GNI per capita: $56,820
Population: 68.4 million

6. Croatia

Infant mortality rate: 3.9 deaths per 1,000 live births
Births attended by skilled health staff: 99.9% of total
Physician count: 3.5 per 1,000 people
Life expectancy at birth: 77.6 years
GNI per capita: $45,330
Population: 3.9 million

5. New Zealand

Infant mortality rate: 3.9 deaths per 1,000 live births
Births attended by skilled health staff: 96.5% of total
Physician count: 3.5 per 1,000 people
Life expectancy at birth: 82.8 years
GNI per capita: $51,780
Population: 5.2 million

4. Canada

Infant mortality rate: 4.3 deaths per 1,000 live births
Births attended by skilled health staff: 98.0% of total
Physician count: 2.5 per 1,000 people
Life expectancy at birth: 81.3 years
GNI per capita: $62,540
Population: 40.1 million

3. Slovakia

Infant mortality rate: 4.9 deaths per 1,000 live births
Births attended by skilled health staff: 98.0% of total
Physician count: 4.6 per 1,000 people
Life expectancy at birth: 77.1 years
GNI per capita: $42,350
Population: 5.4 million

2. Malta

MGARR HABOUR - GOZO (3586231894) by KNOW MALTA by Peter Grima from MALTA

MGARR HABOUR - GOZO (3586231894) (BY-SA 2.0) by KNOW MALTA by Peter Grima from MALTA

Infant mortality rate: 4.9 deaths per 1,000 live births
Births attended by skilled health staff: 99.8% of total
Physician count: 5.5 per 1,000 people
Life expectancy at birth: 82.7 years
GNI per capita: $54,820
Population: 552,747

1. United States

Infant mortality rate: 5.4 deaths per 1,000 live births
Births attended by skilled health staff: 99.1% of total
Physician count: 3.6 per 1,000 people
Life expectancy at birth: 77.4 years
GNI per capita: $82,340
Population: 334.9 million

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