Urban Population vs. Infant Deaths per 1,000 Births by Country
Countries with higher Infant Deaths per 1,000 Births tend to have lower Urban Population.
Strong link: a correlation of −0.55 across 195 countries.CorrelationHow closely two metrics move together, from −1 to +1. Near +1: both rise together. Near −1: one rises as the other falls. Near 0: no clear link.More in the glossary →
Each dot in the chart is one of 195 countries. The correlation between Infant Deaths per 1,000 Births and Urban Population is -0.55, a strong relationship: about 30% of the differences in Urban Population from place to place line up with Infant Deaths per 1,000 Births. Ranked instead of measured, the link is -0.61.
The highest Urban Population is in Singapore (100.0%), Kuwait (100.0%) and Bahrain (100.0%); the lowest is in Papua New Guinea (15.8%), Samoa (17.5%) and Malawi (17.6%). The median place has 63.4% for Urban Population and 12.5 for Infant Deaths per 1,000 Births.
The biggest exceptions sit furthest from the trend line. Nigeria, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea have a much higher Urban Population than their Infant Deaths per 1,000 Births would predict, while Sri Lanka, Samoa and Tonga have a much lower one.
This is a comparison across places, not proof that one causes the other: both can follow from something else, such as income, age or how urban a place is. Infant Deaths per 1,000 Births is from 2024 and Urban Population from 2025.
Highest Urban Population
| Place | Urban Population | Infant Deaths per 1,000 Births |
|---|---|---|
| Singapore | 100.0% | 2.2 |
| Kuwait | 100.0% | 7.0 |
| Bahrain | 100.0% | 7.3 |
| Monaco | 100.0% | 2.2 |
| Nauru | 100.0% | 7.7 |
Lowest Urban Population
| Place | Urban Population | Infant Deaths per 1,000 Births |
|---|---|---|
| Papua New Guinea | 15.8% | 31.3 |
| Samoa | 17.5% | 12.3 |
| Malawi | 17.6% | 38.0 |
| Niger | 18.4% | 65.6 |
| Sri Lanka | 20.5% | 5.2 |
Explore it yourself
- Open this comparison in the interactive chart to highlight places, change the metrics or colour by party.
- Full ranking and sources for Infant Deaths per 1,000 Births
- Full ranking and sources for Urban Population