Countries With the Fastest Growth in Under-5 mortality rate (5-Year Change)
Change in Under-5 mortality rate 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
West Bank and Gaza rose the most: by 22.2, from 15.7 deaths per 1,000 live births to 37.9 deaths per 1,000 live births in the five years to 2024. Zimbabwe is second (+6.1), followed by Sudan (+5.5). 24 countries rose over that period; the median change among them was +0.85.
- #1
- West Bank and Gaza · +22.2
- Median
- +0.85
- Coverage
- 24 countries
- Data year
- 2024
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | From | To | 5-year change (deaths per 1,000 live births) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Bank and Gaza | 15.7 | 37.9 | +22.2 |
| 2 | Zimbabwe | 58.6 | 64.7 | +6.1 |
| 3 | Sudan | 56.1 | 61.6 | +5.5 |
| 4 | Fiji | 25.7 | 29.1 | +3.4 |
| 5 | Lebanon | 14.5 | 17.6 | +3.1 |
| 6 | Dominica | 33 | 35.7 | +2.7 |
| 7 | Cyprus | 3 | 5 | +2 |
| 8 | Cuba | 6.9 | 8.6 | +1.7 |
| 9 | Costa Rica | 9.1 | 10.4 | +1.3 |
| 10 | Bahrain | 7.8 | 8.8 | +1 |
| 11 | Moldova | 15.5 | 16.5 | +1 |
| 12 | Croatia | 4.7 | 5.6 | +0.9 |
| 13 | South Africa | 34.3 | 35.1 | +0.8 |
| 14 | Ireland | 3.4 | 3.9 | +0.5 |
| 15 | Romania | 6.8 | 7.3 | +0.5 |
| 16 | Slovak Republic | 5.9 | 6.3 | +0.4 |
| 17 | United Kingdom | 4.4 | 4.7 | +0.3 |
| 18 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 6.7 | 6.9 | +0.2 |
| 19 | Canada | 5.2 | 5.4 | +0.2 |
| 20 | Denmark | 3.8 | 4 | +0.2 |
| 21 | Singapore | 2.5 | 2.7 | +0.2 |
| 22 | Malaysia | 8.2 | 8.3 | +0.1 |
| 23 | Norway | 2.4 | 2.5 | +0.1 |
| 24 | France | 4.2 | 4.3 | +0.1 |
About the top 10
#1 West Bank and Gaza
West Bank and Gaza ranks #1 on this list with +22.2.
- Capital
- Ramallah, East Jerusalem
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 5.41 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$17.17 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$3,171 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 69.2 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 87.4% of population (2025)
Also ranks #5 in unemployment rate · #10 in crop production index · #12 in population density.
#2 Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe ranks #2 on this list with +6.1.
- Capital
- Harare
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 16.95 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$51.22 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$3,021 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 63.1 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 40.5% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Harare, Masvingo.
Also ranks #2 in lending interest rate · #3 in inflation rate · #4 in income share of richest 10%.
#3 Sudan
Sudan ranks #3 on this list with +5.5.
- Capital
- Khartoum
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 51.66 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$60.16 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,165 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 66.5 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 34.9% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Khartoum, Omdurman.
Also ranks #2 in inflation rate · #4 in children out of school (primary) · #5 in refugee population by origin.
#4 Fiji
Fiji ranks #4 on this list with +3.4.
- Capital
- Suva
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 933,150 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$6.2 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$6,642 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 67.5 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 59.5% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in mobile subscriptions per 100 · #5 in completion rate (primary) · #6 in livestock production index.
#5 Lebanon
Lebanon ranks #5 on this list with +3.1.
- Capital
- Beirut
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 5.85 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$25.97 billion (2024)
- GDP per person
- US$4,473 (2024)
- Life expectancy
- 77.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 91% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Beirut.
Also ranks #1 in official exchange rate · #2 in smoking prevalence · #7 in refugee population by asylum.
#6 Dominica
Dominica ranks #6 on this list with +2.7.
- Capital
- Roseau
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 65,871 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$723.86 million (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$10,989 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 71.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 74% of population (2025)
Also ranks #9 in forest area share · #9 in political stability score · #13 in homicide rate.
#7 Cyprus
Cyprus ranks #7 on this list with +2.
- Capital
- Nicosia
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 1.37 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$41.23 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$41,783 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 81.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 66.7% of population (2025)
Also ranks #3 in school enrolment (tertiary) · #4 in secure internet servers per million · #4 in immunisation (measles) rate.
#8 Cuba
Cuba ranks #8 on this list with +1.7.
- Capital
- Havana
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 10.94 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$107.35 billion (2020)
- GDP per person
- US$9,605 (2020)
- Life expectancy
- 78.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 77.2% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Havana.
Also ranks #1 in physicians per 1,000 · #2 in women in parliament share · #3 in immunisation (measles) rate.
#9 Costa Rica
Costa Rica ranks #9 on this list with +1.3.
- Capital
- San José
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 5.15 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$102.9 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$19,970 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 81 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 79.7% of population (2025)
Also ranks #3 in immunisation (dpt) rate · #4 in fertiliser consumption · #8 in women in parliament share.
#10 Bahrain
Bahrain ranks #10 on this list with +1.
- Capital
- Manama
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 1.6 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$48.97 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$30,597 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 81.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 100% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in urban population share · #1 in immunisation (measles) rate · #2 in internet users share.
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 Under-5 mortality rate 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.DYN.MORT. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.
The World Bank: Mortality rate, under-5 (per 1,000 live births): UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) (via World Development Indicators)
Original data provider, as recorded by the World Bank: UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF); World Health Organization (WHO); World Bank (WB).
Values are shown as published (changes are computed from the published values). Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.