Number of children under 5 in Somalia
Somalia: Number of children under 5 was 3.41 million people in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
3.41 million people
Change on year
up 2.1%
World rank
42nd
of 236 countries
All-time high
3.41 million people
in 2023
All-time low
380,958 people
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Number of children under 5 in Somalia, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of children under 5 in Somalia is 3.41 million people, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.1% on the previous year and up 41.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of children under 5 in Somalia peaked at 3.41 million people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 380,958 people, in 1950.
That places Somalia 42nd out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of children under 5 in Somalia, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 380,958 people | — |
| 1951 | 404,060 people | +6.1% |
| 1952 | 425,143 people | +5.2% |
| 1953 | 444,859 people | +4.6% |
| 1954 | 462,642 people | +4.0% |
| 1955 | 475,298 people | +2.7% |
| 1956 | 484,571 people | +2.0% |
| 1957 | 494,200 people | +2.0% |
| 1958 | 504,041 people | +2.0% |
| 1959 | 514,399 people | +2.1% |
| 1960 | 525,566 people | +2.2% |
| 1961 | 537,289 people | +2.2% |
| 1962 | 549,586 people | +2.3% |
| 1963 | 562,482 people | +2.3% |
| 1964 | 575,909 people | +2.4% |
| 1965 | 589,979 people | +2.4% |
| 1966 | 604,620 people | +2.5% |
| 1967 | 619,811 people | +2.5% |
| 1968 | 635,643 people | +2.6% |
| 1969 | 652,106 people | +2.6% |
| 1970 | 669,332 people | +2.6% |
| 1971 | 687,124 people | +2.7% |
| 1972 | 705,655 people | +2.7% |
| 1973 | 725,312 people | +2.8% |
| 1974 | 743,979 people | +2.6% |
| 1975 | 761,733 people | +2.4% |
| 1976 | 780,763 people | +2.5% |
| 1977 | 804,011 people | +3.0% |
| 1978 | 869,651 people | +8.2% |
| 1979 | 993,832 people | +14.3% |
| 1980 | 1.09 million people | +10.1% |
| 1981 | 1.11 million people | +1.9% |
| 1982 | 1.13 million people | +1.4% |
| 1983 | 1.18 million people | +4.1% |
| 1984 | 1.23 million people | +4.4% |
| 1985 | 1.29 million people | +4.7% |
| 1986 | 1.35 million people | +4.7% |
| 1987 | 1.40 million people | +4.1% |
| 1988 | 1.41 million people | +0.6% |
| 1989 | 1.39 million people | -1.2% |
| 1990 | 1.39 million people | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 1.31 million people | -6.0% |
| 1992 | 1.19 million people | -9.4% |
| 1993 | 1.20 million people | +1.3% |
| 1994 | 1.29 million people | +7.3% |
| 1995 | 1.38 million people | +6.8% |
| 1996 | 1.48 million people | +7.5% |
| 1997 | 1.58 million people | +6.5% |
| 1998 | 1.66 million people | +5.1% |
| 1999 | 1.73 million people | +4.1% |
| 2000 | 1.80 million people | +4.0% |
| 2001 | 1.87 million people | +4.0% |
| 2002 | 1.94 million people | +3.7% |
| 2003 | 2.01 million people | +3.5% |
| 2004 | 2.08 million people | +3.5% |
| 2005 | 2.14 million people | +3.2% |
| 2006 | 2.20 million people | +2.7% |
| 2007 | 2.26 million people | +2.7% |
| 2008 | 2.32 million people | +2.5% |
| 2009 | 2.37 million people | +2.1% |
| 2010 | 2.41 million people | +1.8% |
| 2011 | 2.36 million people | -1.8% |
| 2012 | 2.33 million people | -1.4% |
| 2013 | 2.41 million people | +3.4% |
| 2014 | 2.52 million people | +4.5% |
| 2015 | 2.64 million people | +4.9% |
| 2016 | 2.78 million people | +5.4% |
| 2017 | 2.90 million people | +4.2% |
| 2018 | 2.98 million people | +2.8% |
| 2019 | 3.07 million people | +3.1% |
| 2020 | 3.17 million people | +3.3% |
| 2021 | 3.27 million people | +3.2% |
| 2022 | 3.34 million people | +2.2% |
| 2023 | 3.41 million people | +2.1% |
Somalia compared with similar countries
- Somalia's 3.41 million people is above the median for low income countries, which is 3.35 million people, 1.0× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Somalia's 3.41 million people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.19 million people, 1.6× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 459,017 people | 380,958 people | 514,399 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 585,299 people | 525,566 people | 652,106 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 774,139 people | 669,332 people | 993,832 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.26 million people | 1.09 million people | 1.41 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.42 million people | 1.19 million people | 1.73 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.10 million people | 1.80 million people | 2.37 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.64 million people | 2.33 million people | 3.07 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.30 million people | 3.17 million people | 3.41 million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Somalia
More reference data data for Somalia
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.2637 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 10.39 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 10.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0493 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 10.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.8842 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.3652 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 41.78 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 43.31 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.2685 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of children under 5 in Somalia?
- Number of children under 5 in Somalia was 3.41 million people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of children under 5 recorded in Somalia?
- The highest recorded value was 3.41 million people in 2023.
- What is the lowest number of children under 5 recorded in Somalia?
- The lowest recorded value was 380,958 people in 1950.
- How does Somalia rank for number of children under 5?
- Somalia ranks 42nd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of children under 5 rising or falling in Somalia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 41.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Somalia data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of children under 5. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total population, measured on 1 July of the year shown. This only includes people aged 0-4.