Africa's child mortality rate is the highest of any world region, and the gap is huge

world cultures & travelanalysisOur World in Data2023 · Africa

Africa's child mortality rate is the highest of any world region, and the gap is huge

the gist

In 2023, about 2.84 million children in Africa died before their fifth birthday, giving the continent the highest child mortality rate of any region at about 5.9 percent. Most of these deaths come from preventable causes such as pneumonia, diarrhoea, malaria, preterm birth and malnutrition. Rates in Africa are several times higher than in Europe or North America. Comparing what would happen with other regions' rates shows that most of these deaths are avoidable with the health care that already exists elsewhere.

how it works

Child deaths are usually caused by diseases that are treatable or preventable, such as infections, dehydration and malaria. Access to vaccines, antibiotics, clean water and trained staff greatly reduces these risks. Where these services are thin or hard to reach, the same illnesses kill far more children.

so what

The comparison turns an abstract inequality into a concrete count of lives. It highlights how much child survival depends on where a child is born, and why vaccination, clean water and basic clinics matter so much.

the bigger pattern

Child mortality fell across the world over the twentieth century as vaccines, oral rehydration and better nutrition spread. Regions that started with the highest rates have seen the largest absolute gains, though gaps persist.

Our World in Data · CC BY 4.0

Image: Our World in Data

source: Our World in Data ↗

historyWikipediaclassic1336–1565 · Karnataka, India

Hampi was once one of the world's largest cities, until its Vijayanagara capital was destroyed in 1565

the gist

Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Karnataka, India, with more than 1,600 surviving remains spread over 4,100 hectares. It was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565. Travellers from Persia and Portugal described it as a prosperous, wealthy and grand city with temples, markets and farms along the Tungabhadra River. By 1500 it was estimated to be the world's second-largest city after Beijing, and probably India's richest at the time. In 1565 a coalition of Muslim sultanates defeated the Vijayanagara Empire, its capital was conquered and destroyed, and the city was left in ruins. Hampi remains a religious centre, with the active Virupaksha Temple at its heart.

how it works

The city was built around a fortified core with temples, markets and water structures along the river, supplied by an extensive network of roads and waterworks. When the empire fell, the city was not rebuilt, so its stone monuments were left standing.

so what

Hampi shows how quickly a great city can vanish after a military defeat, and how a ruined capital can remain sacred. Its ruins give historians a view of medieval South Asia that few other sites can match.

fun fact

The name Hampi comes from Pampa, an old name for the Tungabhadra River.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · text CC BY-SA 4.0

Image: Wikimedia Commons

source: Wikipedia ↗

2 min

politicsshortCNA2:01

False allegations about Singapore’s hand in Indonesia’s markets and a made-up meeting

from CNA

CNA Verify has found close to 400 posts pushing falsehoods tying Singapore to Indonesia’s stock market rout and to a secret meeting that never took place. Together, they drew nearly 12 million views, and some were circulated by accounts that appeared to be working in concert, across multiple social media platforms.

Here’s how the disinformation campaign targeting Singapore was uncovered.

on YouTube: CNA ↗