Exclusive breastfeeding rate in Somalia

Somalia: Exclusive breastfeeding rate was 33.7% in 2019. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2019)
33.7%
World rank
56th
of 72 countries
All-time high
33.7%
in 2019
All-time low
5.3%
in 2009
Years of data
5
1999–2019

Exclusive breastfeeding rate in Somalia, 1999–2019

1020301999200920191999: 9 % of children under 6 months2000: 9 % of children under 6 months2006: 9.1 % of children under 6 months2009: 5.3 % of children under 6 months2019: 33.7 % 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 Somalia is 33.7%, measured in 2019. That is the highest value across all 5 years on record.

That represents a change of up 535.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, exclusive breastfeeding rate in Somalia peaked at 33.7% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 5.3%, in 2009.

That places Somalia 56th out of 72 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the bottom quarter.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 9.0% 9.0% 9.0% 1
2000s 7.8% 5.3% 9.1% 3
2010s 33.7% 33.7% 33.7% 1

Countries ranked near Somalia

  1. 53 Central African Republic 36.2% compare
  2. 54 Tajikistan 35.8% compare
  3. 55 Morocco 35.0% compare
  4. 57 Guinea 33.4% compare
  5. 58 Paraguay 29.6% compare
  6. 59 Nigeria 28.7% compare

See the full ranking of 72 places →

More reference data data for Somalia

All data for Somalia →

Frequently asked questions

What is exclusive breastfeeding rate in Somalia?
Exclusive breastfeeding rate in Somalia was 33.7% 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 Somalia?
The highest recorded value was 33.7% in 2019.
What is the lowest exclusive breastfeeding rate recorded in Somalia?
The lowest recorded value was 5.3% in 2009.
How does Somalia rank for exclusive breastfeeding rate?
Somalia ranks 56th out of 72 countries with data for 2019.
Is exclusive breastfeeding rate rising or falling in Somalia?
Over the last ten years it is up 535.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Somalia 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 — 5 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.