Infant mortality in Central Asia: Uzbekistan ranks second  

In 2024, Uzbekistan ranked second in Central Asia in terms of infant mortality after Kazakhstan, according to "Ranking," based on data from the CIA World Factbook.  

Globally, the infant mortality rate is 28.3 deaths per 1,000 live births. The lowest rates were recorded in Singapore and Slovenia, with 1.5 deaths per 1,000 live births, followed by Iceland (1.6), Monaco (1.7), and Norway (1.8).  

In Uzbekistan, the infant mortality rate stands at 18.2 deaths per 1,000 live births, making it the second-highest in Central Asia. Kazakhstan leads with a higher rate, while Tajikistan (21.7), Kyrgyzstan (24.5), and Turkmenistan (35.9) report worse indicators.  

The highest infant mortality rate globally is in Afghanistan, with 101.3 deaths per 1,000 live births. Many African countries also report high rates, including Somalia (83.6), the Central African Republic (80.5), and Equatorial Guinea (77.4).  

Research by "Our World in Data" shows that by the end of 2022, the worst mortality rates for children under five were recorded in African countries. However, child mortality in the region significantly improved between 2000 and 2022.  

Additionally, projections for 2025 estimate 63.1 million global deaths, including 219.4 thousand in Uzbekistan.