Countries With the Fastest Growth in Maternal mortality ratio (5-Year Change)
Change in Maternal mortality ratio over the five years to each country's latest year, in points (a share or rate is not shown as a % of itself). Only countries that rose are listed. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
Gabon rose the most: by 57, from 176 deaths per 100,000 live births to 233 deaths per 100,000 live births in the five years to 2023. Botswana is second (+56), followed by Venezuela, RB (+22). 19 countries rose over that period; the median change among them was +4.
- #1
- Gabon · +57
- Median
- +4
- Coverage
- 19 countries
- Data year
- 2023
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | From | To | 5-year change (deaths per 100,000 live births) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gabon | 176 | 233 | +57 |
| 2 | Botswana | 99 | 155 | +56 |
| 3 | Venezuela, RB | 205 | 227 | +22 |
| 4 | Jamaica | 112 | 130 | +18 |
| 5 | Dominican Republic | 107 | 124 | +17 |
| 6 | Tuvalu | 153 | 170 | +17 |
| 7 | Belize | 60 | 67 | +7 |
| 8 | Palau | 82 | 89 | +7 |
| 9 | Brazil | 62 | 67 | +5 |
| 10 | Antigua and Barbuda | 31 | 35 | +4 |
| 11 | Naoero | 269 | 273 | +4 |
| 12 | St. Lucia | 41 | 44 | +3 |
| 13 | Grenada | 46 | 48 | +2 |
| 14 | Luxembourg | 9 | 11 | +2 |
| 15 | Bahrain | 16 | 17 | +1 |
| 16 | Cyprus | 13 | 14 | +1 |
| 17 | Portugal | 14 | 15 | +1 |
| 18 | San Marino | 7 | 8 | +1 |
| 19 | Trinidad and Tobago | 53 | 54 | +1 |
About the top 10
#1 Gabon
Gabon ranks #1 on this list with +57.
- Capital
- Libreville
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 2.59 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$21.43 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$8,263 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 68.5 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 92.1% of population (2025)
Also ranks #3 in forest area share · #4 in renewable energy share · #6 in unemployment rate.
#2 Botswana
Botswana ranks #2 on this list with +56.
- Capital
- Gaborone
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 2.56 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$19.93 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$7,778 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 69.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 68% of population (2025)
Also ranks #4 in unemployment rate · #4 in hiv prevalence · #5 in youth unemployment rate.
#3 Venezuela, RB
Venezuela, RB ranks #3 on this list with +22.
- Capital
- Caracas
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 28.52 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$99.66 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$3,495 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 72.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 89.3% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Caracas, Maracaibo, Valencia.
Also ranks #1 in time to start a business (days) · #3 in protected terrestrial area share · #11 in refugee population by origin.
#4 Jamaica
Jamaica ranks #4 on this list with +18.
- Capital
- Kingston
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 2.84 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$22.71 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$8,003 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 71.6 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 59.4% of population (2025)
Also ranks #3 in debt service share of exports · #4 in homicide rate · #6 in immunisation (dpt) rate.
#5 Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic ranks #5 on this list with +17.
- Capital
- Santo Domingo
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 11.52 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$127.41 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$11,059 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 73.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 72.5% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Santo Domingo.
Also ranks #4 in crop production index · #14 in deposit interest rate · #19 in remittances received.
#6 Tuvalu
Tuvalu ranks #6 on this list with +17.
- Capital
- Funafuti
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 9,492 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$57.35 million (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$6,041 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 67.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 65.4% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in agricultural land share · #1 in health expenditure share of gdp · #1 in literacy rate.
#7 Belize
Belize ranks #7 on this list with +7.
- Capital
- Belmopan
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 422,920 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$3.33 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$7,866 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 73.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 41.6% of population (2025)
Also ranks #2 in secure internet servers per million · #12 in homicide rate · #14 in time to start a business (days).
#8 Palau
Palau ranks #8 on this list with +7.
- Capital
- Ngerulmud
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 17,663 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$345 million (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$19,532 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 69.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 79.3% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in co2 emissions per capita · #2 in protected marine area share · #4 in forest area share.
#9 Brazil
Brazil ranks #9 on this list with +5.
- Capital
- Brasília
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 212.81 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$2.28 trillion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$10,713 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 76 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 88.2% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Greater Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro.
Also ranks #1 in new businesses registered · #2 in forest area · #3 in external debt stocks.
#10 Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua and Barbuda ranks #10 on this list with +4.
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 94,209 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$2.34 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$24,819 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 77.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 24.3% of population (2025)
- International tourist arrivals
- 384,500 arrivals (2020)
Also ranks #1 in immunisation (dpt) rate · #4 in completion rate (primary) · #6 in electricity access rate.
Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.
Source and method
Change in Maternal mortality ratio over the five years to each country's latest year, in points (a share or rate is not shown as a % of itself). Only countries that rose are listed.
Source: The World Bank, indicator SH.STA.MMRT. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.
The World Bank: Maternal mortality ratio (modeled estimate, per 100,000 live births): Trends in Maternal Mortality, World Health Organization (WHO) (via World Development Indicators)
Original data provider, as recorded by the World Bank: Trends in Maternal Mortality, World Health Organization (WHO); UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), note: Trends in Maternal Mortality; UN Population Fund (UNFPA), note: Trends in Maternal Mortality.
Values are shown as published (changes are computed from the published values). Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.