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Published: 14 April 2016

Infant mortality record low

In 2015, a total of 97 children died during their first year. The number is lowest in the history of independent Finland. Compared with 2014, the number of children dying at the age of under one year, that is, infant mortality, went down by 27. Infant mortality per 1,000 live births was 1.7. Before 2015, the lowest infant mortality figure was 1.8 per mil in 2013, when 102 children died at the age of under one year.

Children having died during their first year of life in 1990–2015

In 2011 to 2013, Finland's average infant mortality was second smallest compared with Nordic and Western European countries (Appendix figure 3). Iceland had a lower infant mortality rate than Finland, where it was 1.3 per mil.

The number of deaths in 2015 was 52,492, which is 310 more than in 2014. The number of deaths among women grew by 60 and among men by 240 persons. The number of deaths has been higher only in the war years and in the 1920s.

Average life expectancy at birth was 78.5 years for boys and 84.1 years for girls in 2015. The average life expectancy at birth grew by 0.3 years for men and by 0.2 years for women. Life expectancy at birth indicates the number of years a person aged 0 would live provided the rate of mortality remains unchanged. The increased life expectancy at birth proves that despite the growing number of aged persons and the ageing of the population, mortality has decreased.

Annual number of deaths by sex and deaths of 0-year-olds in 2002–2015

Year	Total	Men	Women	0-year-olds total
2002	49 418	23 992	25 426	168
2003	48 996	23 922	25 074	176
2004	47 600	23 802	23 798	191
2005	47 928	24 057	23 871	174
2006	48 065	24 315	23 750	167
2007	49 077	24 809	24 268	161
2008	49 094	24 457	24 637	157
2009	49 883	25 150	24 733	158
2010	50 887	25 539	25 348	140
2011	50 585	25 335	25 250	143
2012	51 707	25 623	26 084	141
2013	51 472	25 631	25 841	102
2014	52 186	25 748	26 438	124
2015	52 492	25 992	26 500	97

Source: Deaths 2015. Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Eevi Lappalainen 029 551 3367, info@stat.fi

Director in charge: Jari Tarkoma

Publication in pdf-format (259.5 kB)

Tables

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• Database tables and their variables
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Appendix tables

• Appendix table 1. Deaths by month in 2005 - 2015 (14.4.2016)

Figures

• Appendix figure 1. Deaths by age group and sex 2015 (14.4.2016)
• Appendix figure 2. Life expectancy at birth by sex in 1980 - 2015* (14.4.2016)
• Appendix figure 3. Infant mortality in Nordic countries on average in 2011 - 2013 (14.4.2016)

Quality descriptions

• Quality description, deaths 2015 (14.4.2016)

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Updated 14.4.2016