Abstract

Infant mortality in International respective. The table below provides infant mortality rate for the world, for development and developing countries and by continent with some selected countries that high light the range of levels; the world's infant mortality rate has never been lower; however' differences across the world are substantial. Africa's rate (88) is ten times higher than average rate (8) for the developed countries. Within Africa the highest level of infant mortality rate in the world are experienced with rate as high as 157 in Sierra-Leone. On average the rate of Asia (56) is some what lower than for Africa but some Asian countries such as Afghanistan have rates (150) as high as any where in the world. On the other hand Hong Kong's rate (3.2) is very low, illustrating that the most variation in infant level occurs in Asia. Both Europe and North America (the U.S.A, Canada) have low levels of infant mortality rate, with average rates well under ten. However European variation is not inconsequential; rates in at least some parts of Eastern Europe are nearly ten times higher than in Northern European countries such as Iceland and Sweden. Infant mortality rates by region and selected countries; 2001 Area Rate World 57 Developed countries 8 Less developed 63 Africa 88 Sierra-Leone 157 Western Sahara 150 Liberia 139 Asia 256 1 Afghanistan 150 East tirnor 143 Hong Kong 3.2 Europe 9 Iceland 2.6 Sweden 3.5 Albania 22 Romania 20.5 Latin America and Carribian 35 North America 7 In 1760, maternal mortality and infant mortality rate was very high though the world and this has been due to pregnancy and child related causes measured against every 100,000 live birth.