Exclusive breastfeeding rate in Central African Republic

Central African Republic: Exclusive breastfeeding rate was 36.2% in 2019. ▲ Rising

Latest (2019)
36.2%
Change on year
down 6.9%
World rank
53rd
of 72 countries
All-time high
38.8%
in 2018
All-time low
3.0%
in 1995
Years of data
8
1995–2019

Exclusive breastfeeding rate in Central African Republic, 1995–2019

0102030401995200720191995: 3 % of children under 6 months2000: 16.5 % of children under 6 months2006: 22.8 % of children under 6 months2010: 34.3 % of children under 6 months2011: 33 % of children under 6 months2014: 28.8 % of children under 6 months2018: 38.8 % of children under 6 months2019: 36.2 % of children under 6 months

Source: Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and UNICEF, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of children under 6 months.

Analysis

Central African Republic recorded 36.2% for exclusive breastfeeding rate in 2019.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 6.9% on the previous year and up 5.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, exclusive breastfeeding rate in Central African Republic peaked at 38.8% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 3.0%, in 1995.

Central African Republic ranks 53rd of 72 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 3.0% 3.0% 3.0% 1
2000s 19.6% 16.5% 22.8% 2
2010s 34.2% 28.8% 38.8% 5

Countries ranked near Central African Republic

  1. 50 Kazakhstan 37.8% compare
  2. 51 Colombia 36.7% compare
  3. 52 Albania 36.5% compare
  4. 54 Tajikistan 35.8% compare
  5. 55 Morocco 35.0% compare
  6. 56 Somalia 33.7% compare

See the full ranking of 72 places →

More reference data data for Central African Republic

All data for Central African Republic →

Frequently asked questions

What is exclusive breastfeeding rate in Central African Republic?
Exclusive breastfeeding rate in Central African Republic was 36.2% in 2019, according to Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and UNICEF, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest exclusive breastfeeding rate recorded in Central African Republic?
The highest recorded value was 38.8% in 2018.
What is the lowest exclusive breastfeeding rate recorded in Central African Republic?
The lowest recorded value was 3.0% in 1995.
How does Central African Republic rank for exclusive breastfeeding rate?
Central African Republic ranks 53rd out of 72 countries with data for 2019.
Is exclusive breastfeeding rate rising or falling in Central African Republic?
Over the last ten years it is up 5.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Central African Republic data come from?
The figures come from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and UNICEF, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Exclusive breastfeeding rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 8 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator
Exclusive breastfeeding rate
Unit
% of children under 6 months
Source
Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and UNICEF, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
72 places, 509 data points, 1986–2020
Last refreshed

The share of infants less than six months old who were fed only with breast milk in the past 24 hours. WHO and UNICEF recommend that children be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of life – meaning no other foods or liquids are provided, including water.