http://ucatlas.ucsc.edu/life/infant.html

Infant mortality: Narrowing gaps in infant mortality

The infant mortality rate is the number of infants, per thousand live births, who die before reaching one year of age. The World Bank notes that it is one of the best general indicators of a community’s current health status. This is one indicator where global inequality has been reduced over the last 40 years. Infant mortality has been falling globally and has been falling faster in the non-industrialized South than in the industrial North. So the gap between North and South in infant mortality rates has been narrowing.

Maps below show changing national levels of infant mortality between 1960 and 1999. In this period there has been great improvement. In 1960, more than 140 children per thousand died in most of Africa, much of Asia and some of Latin America. By 1999, few countries (notably Afghanistan) have such high levels of infant mortality. Levels of infant mortality remain above 40 for most of Africa and South Asia, but have fallen below 40 in China and most of Latin America.

In 1960, infant mortality in most industrialized countries of Europe and North America was in the range 11-40. Average levels of infant mortality in these countries had been reduced by 1999 to 0-10.

 

USA Central America Caribbean South America Africa Europe Central Asia East Asia Russia Australia USA Canada

 

USA Central America Caribbean South America Africa Europe Central Asia East Asia Russia Australia USA Canada

 

USA Central America Caribbean South America Africa Europe Central Asia East Asia Russia Australia USA Canada

 

USA Central America Caribbean South America Africa Europe Central Asia East Asia Russia Australia USA Canada

USA Central America Caribbean South America Africa Europe Central Asia Russia East Asia Australia USA Canada USA Central America Caribbean South America Africa Europe Central Asia East Asia Russia Australia USA Canada