Exclusive breastfeeding rate in North Macedonia

North Macedonia: Exclusive breastfeeding rate was 27.5% in 2019. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2019)
27.5%
World rank
60th
of 72 countries
All-time high
99.0%
in 2003
All-time low
16.2%
in 2005
Years of data
6
1999–2019

Exclusive breastfeeding rate in North Macedonia, 1999–2019

204060801001999200920191999: 36.6 % of children under 6 months2003: 99 % of children under 6 months2005: 16.2 % of children under 6 months2006: 16.2 % of children under 6 months2011: 23 % of children under 6 months2019: 27.5 % 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

The most recent figure for exclusive breastfeeding rate in North Macedonia is 27.5%, measured in 2019.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 19.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, exclusive breastfeeding rate in North Macedonia peaked at 99.0% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 16.2%, in 2005.

That places North Macedonia 60th out of 72 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the bottom quarter.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 36.6% 36.6% 36.6% 1
2000s 43.8% 16.2% 99.0% 3
2010s 25.3% 23.0% 27.5% 2

Countries ranked near North Macedonia

  1. 57 Guinea 33.4% compare
  2. 58 Paraguay 29.6% compare
  3. 59 Nigeria 28.7% compare
  4. 61 Mexico 27.1% compare
  5. 62 United States 25.8% compare
  6. 63 Jordan 25.4% compare

See the full ranking of 72 places →

More reference data data for North Macedonia

All data for North Macedonia →

Frequently asked questions

What is exclusive breastfeeding rate in North Macedonia?
Exclusive breastfeeding rate in North Macedonia was 27.5% 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 North Macedonia?
The highest recorded value was 99.0% in 2003.
What is the lowest exclusive breastfeeding rate recorded in North Macedonia?
The lowest recorded value was 16.2% in 2005.
How does North Macedonia rank for exclusive breastfeeding rate?
North Macedonia ranks 60th out of 72 countries with data for 2019.
Is exclusive breastfeeding rate rising or falling in North Macedonia?
Over the last ten years it is up 19.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this North Macedonia 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 — 6 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.