Infant mortality by income group, 2026.
Infant survival improves sharply as income rises. Infant mortality is substantially lower, on average, in wealthier countries. The gap is large: Low-income countries average about 47 infant deaths per 1,000 live births, compared with about four in high-income countries.
But income does not tell the whole story. Rwanda’s infant mortality rate is closer to that of middle-income countries than to the average for low-income countries. Lebanon stands out even more: Despite being a lower-middle-income country, its infant mortality rate is similar to that of high-income countries.
Other countries have higher infant mortality than their income might predict. Equatorial Guinea has higher infant mortality than is typical for upper-middle-income countries. This finding underscores that economic resources do not automatically translate into better health outcomes and that countries at similar income levels can see very different rates of infant survival. How governments invest their resources—including public spending on health—and the strength and reach of health systems can shape infant survival at any income level.