China vs Vietnam
China vs Vietnam: Infant mortality
Infant mortality in 2023: 5.1 per 1,000 live births in China and 15.1 per 1,000 live births in Vietnam, by UN estimates. In 2023 the value was higher in Vietnam, by 10 per 1,000 live births, or 2.95 times that in China.
deaths per 1,000 live births · UN
What the numbers say
- Vietnam has been higher since 2006, when it overtook China.
- In 2023, China ranked 169 and Vietnam ranked 84 of 229 countries, counting from the highest.
- The UN projection (medium variant) puts China at 1.5 per 1,000 live births and Vietnam at 4 per 1,000 live births in 2100.
- The world as a whole: 27.3 per 1,000 live births in 2023.
Every year
deaths per 1,000 live births · UN
| Year | China | Vietnam | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 5.1 | 15.1 | 27.3 |
| 2022 | 5.3 | 15.3 | 28.2 |
| 2021 | 5.7 | 15.4 | 28.4 |
| 2020 | 6.1 | 15.6 | 28.7 |
| 2019 | 6.5 | 15.8 | 29.2 |
| 2018 | 7 | 16 | 29.7 |
| 2017 | 7.5 | 16.1 | 30.3 |
| 2016 | 8 | 16.3 | 31.1 |
| 2015 | 8.7 | 16.4 | 32.1 |
| 2014 | 9.3 | 16.6 | 32.9 |
| 2013 | 10.1 | 16.8 | 33.9 |
| 2012 | 10.9 | 16.9 | 35 |
| 2011 | 11.8 | 17.1 | 36.8 |
| 2010 | 12.7 | 17.3 | 37.7 |
| 2009 | 13.8 | 17.5 | 39.1 |
| 2008 | 15.1 | 17.8 | 40.4 |
| 2007 | 16.2 | 18.1 | 42 |
| 2006 | 17.6 | 18.4 | 43.7 |
| 2005 | 19.2 | 18.8 | 45.4 |
| 2004 | 20.8 | 19.3 | 47.2 |
| 2003 | 22.5 | 19.8 | 48.8 |
| 2002 | 24.3 | 20.5 | 50.6 |
| 2001 | 26.1 | 21.4 | 52.2 |
| 2000 | 27.9 | 22.2 | 53.7 |
| 1999 | 29.7 | 23.3 | 55.5 |
| 1998 | 31.4 | 24.3 | 57.1 |
| 1997 | 33 | 25.7 | 58.3 |
| 1996 | 34.5 | 26.9 | 59.6 |
| 1995 | 35.8 | 28.3 | 60.8 |
| 1994 | 37 | 29.9 | 62 |
| 1993 | 38 | 31.4 | 62.9 |
| 1992 | 38.9 | 33.1 | 64.1 |
| 1991 | 39.6 | 34.7 | 64.9 |
| 1990 | 40.1 | 36.2 | 64.9 |
| 1989 | 40.6 | 37.8 | 66.2 |
| 1988 | 40.9 | 39.2 | 68 |
| 1987 | 41.2 | 40.5 | 68.6 |
| 1986 | 41.5 | 41.7 | 70.8 |
| 1985 | 42 | 42.8 | 72.9 |
| 1984 | 42.7 | 43.8 | 74.6 |
| 1983 | 43.6 | 44.7 | 76.1 |
| 1982 | 44.7 | 45.6 | 76.6 |
| 1981 | 46.2 | 46.5 | 78.7 |
| 1980 | 48.1 | 47.5 | 80.6 |
| 1979 | 50.1 | 48.4 | 82.5 |
| 1978 | 52.5 | 49.4 | 84.7 |
| 1977 | 55.2 | 50.3 | 86.4 |
| 1976 | 58.8 | 51.2 | 88.1 |
| 1975 | 61.5 | 53.6 | 89.6 |
| 1974 | 64.5 | 63.1 | 90.9 |
| 1973 | 67.7 | 62.2 | 92.1 |
| 1972 | 71 | 67.9 | 93.6 |
| 1971 | 74.3 | 62.9 | 96.1 |
| 1970 | 77.5 | 64.1 | 96.9 |
| 1969 | 80.5 | 64.5 | 98.3 |
| 1968 | 83.4 | 67.7 | 100.2 |
| 1967 | 86.1 | 62.3 | 103.1 |
| 1966 | 88.8 | 62.5 | 104.9 |
| 1965 | 91.3 | 62.9 | 106.4 |
| 1964 | 93.8 | 63.2 | 106.1 |
| 1963 | 96.2 | 64.6 | 107.7 |
| 1962 | 98.6 | 64.1 | 110.2 |
| 1961 | 154.3 | 65.1 | 121.5 |
| 1960 | 196.1 | 67.1 | 131.8 |
| 1959 | 153.5 | 69.4 | 125.7 |
| 1958 | 107.9 | 71.8 | 117.7 |
| 1957 | 110.2 | 74.3 | 120 |
| 1956 | 112.6 | 76.8 | 121.9 |
| 1955 | 114.9 | 79.4 | 124.8 |
| 1954 | 117.8 | 85 | 127.7 |
| 1953 | 119.7 | 85.9 | 130.1 |
| 1952 | 122.2 | 88.4 | 132.7 |
| 1951 | 124.7 | 91.1 | 136 |
| 1950 | 127.1 | 93.8 | 138.1 |
UN projection (medium variant) · 2024–2100
| Year | China | Vietnam | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 6.44.9–8.5 | 14.712.1–18 | 26.9 |
| 2025 | 64.4–8.6 | 14.310.8–19.4 | 26.4 |
| 2026 | 5.43.8–8.1 | 1410.1–20.1 | 25.9 |
| 2027 | 5.23.5–8.4 | 13.69.4–20.9 | 25.4 |
| 2028 | 5.13.3–8.3 | 13.28.8–21.4 | 24.9 |
| 2029 | 4.93.1–8.5 | 12.98.3–21.6 | 24.5 |
| 2030 | 4.82.9–8.5 | 12.67.8–22.1 | 24 |
| 2031 | 4.62.8–8.6 | 12.47.6–22.4 | 23.6 |
| 2032 | 4.52.6–8.4 | 12.17.3–22.1 | 23.2 |
| 2033 | 4.32.4–8.6 | 11.87–22.8 | 22.8 |
| 2034 | 4.22.3–8.3 | 11.56.6–23.2 | 22.3 |
| 2035 | 4.12.2–8.3 | 11.36.3–22.9 | 21.9 |
| 2036 | 42.1–8.2 | 116.1–23.3 | 21.5 |
| 2037 | 3.92–8.3 | 10.75.8–22.6 | 21.1 |
| 2038 | 3.71.9–8.2 | 10.55.5–23 | 20.8 |
| 2039 | 3.61.8–8.1 | 10.25.3–22.7 | 20.4 |
| 2040 | 3.51.8–7.9 | 105.1–22.6 | 20 |
| 2041 | 3.51.7–8.2 | 9.74.9–22.5 | 19.7 |
| 2042 | 3.41.7–8.1 | 9.54.8–22 | 19.4 |
| 2043 | 3.31.6–7.9 | 9.34.6–22.1 | 19 |
| 2044 | 3.21.5–7.7 | 9.14.5–22.3 | 18.7 |
| 2045 | 3.11.5–7.6 | 8.94.3–21.6 | 18.4 |
| 2046 | 3.11.5–7.6 | 8.74.2–21.7 | 18.2 |
| 2047 | 31.4–7.3 | 8.54.1–22.3 | 17.9 |
| 2048 | 2.91.4–7.6 | 8.34–21.9 | 17.7 |
| 2049 | 2.91.3–7.6 | 8.13.9–21.8 | 17.5 |
| 2050 | 2.81.3–7.4 | 83.7–21.3 | 17.3 |
| 2051 | 2.81.3–7.5 | 7.83.6–21.4 | 17.1 |
| 2052 | 2.71.3–7.2 | 7.73.6–21.5 | 16.9 |
| 2053 | 2.71.2–7.2 | 7.53.4–21 | 16.7 |
| 2054 | 2.61.2–7 | 7.43.5–21.9 | 16.5 |
| 2055 | 2.61.1–7.2 | 7.33.4–21.5 | 16.3 |
| 2056 | 2.51.1–6.6 | 7.23.3–22 | 16.1 |
| 2057 | 2.51–6.6 | 73.2–22 | 15.9 |
| 2058 | 2.41–6.4 | 6.93.1–21.5 | 15.7 |
| 2059 | 2.41–6.3 | 6.83.1–20.8 | 15.5 |
| 2060 | 2.41–6.3 | 6.73–21 | 15.3 |
| 2061 | 2.31–6.1 | 6.62.9–20.6 | 15.1 |
| 2062 | 2.30.9–6.1 | 6.52.9–19.5 | 14.9 |
| 2063 | 2.30.9–6.1 | 6.42.9–20.3 | 14.7 |
| 2064 | 2.20.9–5.8 | 6.32.9–19.6 | 14.5 |
| 2065 | 2.20.8–5.6 | 6.22.8–19.6 | 14.3 |
| 2066 | 2.20.8–5.7 | 6.12.8–20.5 | 14.1 |
| 2067 | 2.10.8–5.5 | 62.7–19.9 | 13.9 |
| 2068 | 2.10.8–5.6 | 5.92.7–19.4 | 13.8 |
| 2069 | 2.10.8–5.4 | 5.82.7–19.4 | 13.6 |
| 2070 | 20.8–5.3 | 5.72.6–18.7 | 13.4 |
| 2071 | 20.8–5.3 | 5.72.6–18.9 | 13.2 |
| 2072 | 20.7–5.2 | 5.62.5–18.5 | 13 |
| 2073 | 20.7–5.1 | 5.52.4–18.1 | 12.9 |
| 2074 | 1.90.7–4.8 | 5.42.3–18.1 | 12.7 |
| 2075 | 1.90.7–4.8 | 5.42.3–17.8 | 12.6 |
| 2076 | 1.90.7–4.9 | 5.32.2–17.7 | 12.4 |
| 2077 | 1.90.6–5 | 5.22.2–17.7 | 12.3 |
| 2078 | 1.90.6–4.8 | 5.22.1–17.7 | 12.1 |
| 2079 | 1.80.6–4.8 | 5.12–17 | 12 |
| 2080 | 1.80.6–4.6 | 52–16.9 | 11.8 |
| 2081 | 1.80.6–4.6 | 52–16.3 | 11.7 |
| 2082 | 1.80.6–4.5 | 4.91.9–16 | 11.6 |
| 2083 | 1.80.6–4.4 | 4.81.8–15.7 | 11.5 |
| 2084 | 1.70.6–4.3 | 4.81.7–15.1 | 11.4 |
| 2085 | 1.70.6–4.4 | 4.71.7–14.6 | 11.3 |
| 2086 | 1.70.5–4.2 | 4.71.7–15.2 | 11.1 |
| 2087 | 1.70.5–4.1 | 4.61.6–15 | 11 |
| 2088 | 1.70.5–4.2 | 4.61.7–14.8 | 10.9 |
| 2089 | 1.70.5–4.1 | 4.51.6–14.5 | 10.8 |
| 2090 | 1.60.5–4 | 4.51.6–14.3 | 10.7 |
| 2091 | 1.60.5–4 | 4.41.6–14.2 | 10.6 |
| 2092 | 1.60.5–4 | 4.41.6–14 | 10.5 |
| 2093 | 1.60.5–4 | 4.31.5–14 | 10.4 |
| 2094 | 1.60.5–4 | 4.31.5–13.4 | 10.3 |
| 2095 | 1.60.4–4 | 4.21.5–13.5 | 10.1 |
| 2096 | 1.60.4–4 | 4.21.4–13.2 | 10 |
| 2097 | 1.50.4–4 | 4.11.4–13 | 9.9 |
| 2098 | 1.50.4–4.1 | 4.11.4–13 | 9.8 |
| 2099 | 1.50.4–4 | 41.4–13 | 9.7 |
| 2100 | 1.50.4–4 | 41.3–12.4 | 9.6 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- Babies who die before their first birthday, per 1,000 born alive.
- Source: UN DESA, World Population Prospects 2024.
- The dashed line is the UN projection (medium variant), a scenario rather than a forecast; the band is its 95% prediction interval.
- Ranks count the 229 countries with a value in 2023, highest first.
- The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
China vs Vietnam
Health
People
- PopulationChina: 1.42 billion people in 2023Vietnam: 100 million people in 2023
- Population growthChina: -0.24% a year in 2023Vietnam: 0.64% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateChina: 1 births per woman in 2023Vietnam: 1.91 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationChina: 66.3% in 2025Vietnam: 38.8% in 2025
- Median ageChina: 39.1 years in 2023Vietnam: 32.4 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overChina: 14.3% in 2023Vietnam: 8.6% in 2023
- Net migration rateChina: -0.4 per 1,000 people in 2023Vietnam: -0.8 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingChina: 1.73% of GDP in 2025Vietnam: 2.15% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsChina: $335B in 2025Vietnam: $10.9B in 2025
- Military spending per personChina: $237 in 2025Vietnam: $104 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingChina: 5.1% of government spending in 2025Vietnam: 9.9% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelChina: 2.54 million people in 2020Vietnam: 522,000 people in 2020
- National powerChina: 23.41% of world capability in 2022Vietnam: 1.11% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersChina: 0.33% of the labour force in 2020Vietnam: 0.95% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsChina: 207 million TIV in 2025Vietnam: 177 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsChina: 880 million TIV in 2025Vietnam: 10 million TIV in 2018