Shared Growth in East Asia

Infant Mortality



DataData and source

Countries around the world have experienced significant declines in infant mortality. In 1970, the average infant mortality across all countries was 81 deaths per 1000 live births, while in 1993 this figure had fallen to 48 deaths per 1000 live births. World experience indicates that as countries' per capita income increases, health indicators also tend to improve.

Infant mortality has fallen significantly in East Asia over the past two decades. The changes in Indonesia and Thailand have been particularly dramatic. In Indonesia deaths per 1000 live births fell from 118 in 1970 to 56 in 1970, and in Thailand the drop was from 73 deaths per 1000 live births to 36. These improvements, and the less dramatic ones in other East Asian economies, reflect a combination of factors: higher income, better infrastructure, and improved parental education.

Topic Economic Growth in East Asia