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Topic 05 of 18 · Country Index 2026

Kosovo: Health & Wellbeing

How long, and how well fed, do people live?

Kosovo is placed 61st of 200 countries on health & wellbeing in the Country Index 2026, from 2 of its 4 key statistics. Readings behind it: Life Expectancy at Birth 78.03 (2023); Under-Five Mortality Rate 8.723 (2024).

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Health & Wellbeing

61st

of 200 countries placed

Placed from 2 of 4 key statistics

Not placed in the Country Index 2026 overall: measured on too few topics.

01The evidence

The 4 key statistics that decide it

Only these place Kosovo on health & wellbeing — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used — or, for a survey-based key, each country’s latest reading; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.

Why these keys
  1. Key 1 of 4

    Life Expectancy at Birth

    UN DESA Population Division

    Why it is a key

    2023 edition · data for 2023 · CC BY 3.0 IGO

    78.03

    Years a newborn would live at current death rates

    Higher is better

    Kosovo: 78.03. Across the 222 countries in this edition, values run from 54.46 (Nigeria) to 86.37 (Monaco); the world median is 74.63.

    World median
    74.63
    Best in Southern Europe
    85.71 San Marino
    Land neighbours
    Albania 79.6 · North Macedonia 77.39 · Montenegro 77.09 · Serbia 76.77
  2. Key 2 of 4

    Under-Five Mortality Rate

    UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME)

    Why it is a key

    2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC BY 3.0 IGO

    8.723

    Deaths before age five (per 1,000 live births)

    Lower is better

    Kosovo: 8.723. Across the 200 countries in this edition, values run from 1.26 (San Marino) to 115.65 (Nigeria); the world median is 14.54.

    World median
    14.54
    Best in Southern Europe
    1.26 San Marino
    Land neighbours
    Albania 9.227 · North Macedonia 2.803 · Montenegro 2.383 · Serbia 5.408
  3. Key 3 of 4

    Stunting Prevalence in Children Under Five

    UNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates)

    Why it is a key

    Latest reading per country, 2014–2024 · CC BY 3.0 IGO

    No reading

    Children under 5 who are stunted (%)

    Lower is better

    UNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates) publishes no reading from 2014–2024 for Kosovo, so the standing rests on the other keys.

    Across the 162 countries at their latest reading, values run from 0.518 (Latvia) to 52.8 (Burundi); the world median is 13.8.

    World median
    13.8
    Best in Southern Europe
    1.458 Greece
    Land neighbours
    Albania 11.32 · North Macedonia 4.307 · Montenegro 7.162 · Serbia 5.423
  4. Key 4 of 4

    Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity

    Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

    Why it is a key

    2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC BY 4.0

    No reading

    Population in severe food insecurity (%)

    Lower is better

    FAO publishes no 2024 figure for Kosovo, so the standing rests on the other keys.

    Across the 125 countries in this edition, values run from 0.6 (Brazil) to 62.9 (South Sudan); the world median is 4.9.

    World median
    4.9
    Best in Southern Europe
    0.6 Croatia and Slovenia
    Land neighbours
    Albania 8.3 · North Macedonia 1.6 · Montenegro 1.4 · Serbia 0.7

03In context

Kosovo beside its neighbours

A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 200 countries on health & wellbeing, never a place within the region.

Southern Europe
1st200thNot placed · 24 countries with too few key statisticsNo data

The whole world on health & wellbeing

Kosovo and the countries it borders

Standing among all 200; the key columns are the publishers’ own values.

CountryStandingLife Expectancy at BirthYears a newborn would live at current death ratesUnder-Five Mortality RateDeaths before age five (per 1,000 live births)Stunting Prevalence in Children Under FiveChildren under 5 who are stunted (%)Prevalence of Severe Food InsecurityPopulation in severe food insecurity (%)
North Macedonia=30th77.392.8034.3071.6
Montenegro37th77.092.3837.1621.4
Serbia41st76.775.4085.4230.7
Kosovo61st78.038.723——
Albania81st79.69.22711.328.3

“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is

04Context, no vote

Where Kosovo is ahead of the world, and behind

24 more statistics filed under health & wellbeing, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.

Every country

Ahead of the world median13

Statistics on which Kosovo does better than the middle country measured.

  • Antenatal Care Coverage, At Least Four VisitsUNICEF · 2025 · world median 8194.4No earlier reading

    Kosovo: 94.4 · world median 81 · Women with a live birth who had 4+ antenatal visits (%). UNICEF, 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 22.6 to 100; higher is better.

    Position 23rd of 153 · derived.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Postnatal Care for Newborns Within Two DaysUNICEF · 2025 · world median 82.997.7No earlier reading

    Kosovo: 97.7 · world median 82.9 · Newborns with a health check within 2 days of birth (%). UNICEF, 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 7.3 to 99.9; higher is better.

    Position 19th of 109 · derived.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Adult Mortality (Probability of Dying Between 15 and 60)UN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 133.769.54No real change since 2013

    Kosovo: 69.54 · world median 133.7 · Deaths before age 60 per 1,000 people alive at 15, at that year's death rates. UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.

    Published values in that edition run from 25.15 to 415.44; lower is better.

    Position 176th of 222 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2023 dataset

  • Adolescent Birth Rate (Ages 15–19)UN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 27.467.834▼ Worsened since 2013

    Kosovo: 7.834 · world median 27.46 · Live births per 1,000 women aged 15–19. UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.465 to 163.09; lower is better.

    Position 171st of 222 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2023 dataset

  • Institutional DeliveriesUNICEF · 2025 · world median 96.999No earlier reading

    Kosovo: 99 · world median 96.9 · Live births delivered in a health facility (%). UNICEF, 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 11.5 to 100; higher is better.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Stillbirth RateUN IGME · 2023 · world median 8.1634.592▲ Improved since 2013

    Kosovo: 4.592 · world median 8.163 · Stillbirths (per 1,000 total births). UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), 2023 edition, data for 2023.

    Published values in that edition run from 1.18 to 34.9; lower is better.

    Position 139th of 200 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2023 dataset

  • Infant Mortality RateUN IGME · 2024 · world median 12.268▲ Improved since 2014

    Kosovo: 8 · world median 12.26 · Deaths before age one (per 1,000 live births). UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 1.214 to 71.87; lower is better.

    Position 129th of 200 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Care-Seeking for Children with Symptoms of PneumoniaUNICEF · 2024 · world median 67.773.1No earlier reading

    Kosovo: 73.1 · world median 67.7 · Children under 5 with pneumonia symptoms taken to a health provider (%). UNICEF, 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 14 to 99.1; higher is better.

    Position 46th of 127 · derived.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Mortality Rate, Ages 5–14UN IGME · 2024 · world median 2.8581.956▲ Improved since 2014

    Kosovo: 1.956 · world median 2.858 · Deaths between ages 5 and 14 (per 1,000 children aged 5). UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.392 to 59.04; lower is better.

    Position 128th of 200 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Violent Discipline of ChildrenUNICEF · 2025 · world median 75.871.6No earlier reading

    Kosovo: 71.6 · world median 75.8 · Children aged 1-14 experiencing violent discipline (%). UNICEF, 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 37.6 to 94; lower is better.

    Position 53rd of 90 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Neonatal Mortality RateUN IGME · 2024 · world median 8.1346.561▲ Improved since 2014

    Kosovo: 6.561 · world median 8.134 · Deaths in the first 28 days (per 1,000 live births). UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.544 to 39.47; lower is better.

    Position 116th of 200 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Life Expectancy at Age 65UN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 16.3916.94▲ Improved since 2013

    Kosovo: 16.94 · world median 16.39 · Further years a 65-year-old would live at current death rates. UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.

    Published values in that edition run from 12.13 to 23.21; higher is better.

    Position 96th of 222 · derived.

    Chart and every countryThe 2023 dataset

  • Excess Mortality During the COVID-19 PandemicAriel Karlinsky and Dmitry Kobak (World Mortality Dataset) · 2026 · world median 272.35237.8No earlier reading

    Kosovo: 237.8 · world median 272.35 · Excess deaths per 100,000 people, March 2020 to the end of each country's data (at most December 2023). Ariel Karlinsky and Dmitry Kobak (World Mortality Dataset), 2026 edition, data for 2026.

    Published values in that edition run from -264.9 to 1,013; lower is better.

    Chart and every countryThe 2026 dataset

Behind the world median5

Statistics on which Kosovo does worse than the middle country measured.

  • PM2.5 Air Pollution ExposureAtmospheric Composition Analysis Group, Washington University in St. Louis · 2023 · world median 14.4514.8▲ Improved since 2013

    Kosovo: 14.8 · world median 14.45 · Population-weighted PM2.5 concentration (µg/m³). Atmospheric Composition Analysis Group, Washington University in St. Louis, 2023 edition, data for 2023.

    Published values in that edition run from 2.5 to 68.2; lower is better.

    Position 105th of 220 · derived, 1st = worst.

    Chart and every countryThe 2023 dataset

  • Oral Rehydration Salts for Children with DiarrhoeaUNICEF · 2024 · world median 41.538.6No earlier reading

    Kosovo: 38.6 · world median 41.5 · Children under 5 with diarrhoea given oral rehydration salts (%). UNICEF, 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 9.9 to 95.4; higher is better.

    Position 75th of 127 · derived.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Days Above 35°CECMWF · 2025 · world median 3.4813.22▼ Worsened since 2015

    Kosovo: 13.22 · world median 3.48 · Days a year with a maximum temperature above 35°C, averaged over the country’s land. World Bank Group (Climate Change Knowledge Portal), from Copernicus ERA5 (ECMWF), 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 222.89; lower is better.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Agreement That Vaccines Are SafeWellcome Trust · 2018 · world median 77.6571.27No earlier reading

    Kosovo: 71.27 · world median 77.65 · People aged 15+ who agree that vaccines are safe (% of those who had heard of vaccines). Wellcome Trust, 2018 edition, data for 2018.

    Published values in that edition run from 29.29 to 97.91; higher is better.

    Position 99th of 144 · derived.

    Chart and every countryThe 2018 dataset

  • Demand for Family Planning Satisfied by Modern MethodsUN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 71.2523.5No real change since 2013

    Kosovo: 23.5 · world median 71.25 · Share of women aged 15–49 wanting to avoid pregnancy who use a modern method (%). UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.

    Published values in that edition run from 8.4 to 92.4; higher is better.

    Position 194th of 196 · derived.

    Chart and every countryThe 2023 dataset

No better end6

These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.

  • Caesarean Section RateUNICEF · 2025 · world median 20.6531.4No earlier reading

    Kosovo: 31.4 · world median 20.65 · Live births delivered by caesarean section (%). UNICEF, 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.6 to 72.2.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Catastrophic Out-of-Pocket Health SpendingWorld Bank Group · 2019 · world median 6.886.956No earlier reading

    Kosovo: 6.956 · world median 6.88 · Population in households spending more than 10% of their budget on health out of pocket (%). World Bank Group, 2019 edition, data for 2019.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.133 to 31.21.

    Chart and every countryThe 2019 dataset

  • Contraceptive Prevalence (Any Method)UN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 41.2539.8Moved since 2013

    Kosovo: 39.8 · world median 41.25 · Share of all women aged 15–49 using any contraceptive method (%). UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.

    Published values in that edition run from 6.6 to 78.7.

    Chart and every countryThe 2023 dataset

  • Children with Functional DifficultiesUNICEF · 2024 · world median 138.7No earlier reading

    Kosovo: 8.7 · world median 13 · Children aged 5-17 with a functional difficulty (%). UNICEF, 2024 edition, data for 2024.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.9 to 35.2.

    Chart and every countryThe 2024 dataset

  • Adults Who Have Been Too Anxious or Depressed to Carry OnWellcome Trust · 2020 · world median 20.0510.97No earlier reading

    Kosovo: 10.97 · world median 20.05 · People aged 15+ who have ever been too anxious or depressed to continue their usual activities for two weeks or more (%). Wellcome Trust, 2020 edition, data for 2020.

    Published values in that edition run from 2.934 to 49.35.

    Chart and every countryThe 2020 dataset

  • Modern Contraceptive PrevalenceUN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 35.410.9No real change since 2013

    Kosovo: 10.9 · world median 35.4 · Share of all women aged 15–49 using a modern contraceptive method (%). UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.

    Published values in that edition run from 2 to 73.8.

    Chart and every countryThe 2023 dataset

“Position · derived” is this site’s ordering of the published values, 1st = best unless the row says otherwise; the publisher ranks no country on it. Rank, position and standing

05Country Index 2026

Health & Wellbeing among Kosovo’s 8 topics

Health & Wellbeing is Kosovo’s best-placed topic of 8. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.

On the profile
  1. Health & Wellbeing61st of 200
  2. Economy & Innovation60th of 176
  3. Democracy & Civil Liberties75th of 198
  4. Governance & Institutions93rd of 194
  5. Gender & Equalityjoint 95th of 183
  6. Peace & Security93rd of 177
  7. Digital & Technology112th of 198
  8. Poverty & Inequality121st of 159

No standing on Work & Labour, Education & Knowledge, Development & Human Capital, Environment & Sustainability, Risk & Resilience, Mobility & Trade, Food & Agriculture, Energy: too few of those topics’ key statistics are published for this country.

06The top of the list

Who leads on health & wellbeing

The three countries placed highest of 200, and the leaders Kosovo can most readily be measured against.

All 200 countries
  1. 1

    San Marino

    Southern Europe

    1st of 200 · 2 of 4 keys

    Photo: Matl derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale

  2. 2

    Monaco

    Western Europe

    2nd of 200 · 2 of 4 keys

    Photo: Martin Weber derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale

  3. 3

    Andorra

    Southern Europe

    3rd of 200 · 2 of 4 keys

    Photo: Tiia Monto derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale

Placed highest nearby

  1. Highest placed on all 4 keys

    South Korea5th4/4 keys
  2. Highest in Europe

    San Marino1st2/4 keys
  3. This page

    Kosovo61st2/4 keys

Positions out of 200 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.

08Questions

Kosovo on health & wellbeing: questions answered

Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.

How does Kosovo rank on health & wellbeing?

Kosovo is placed 61st of 200 countries on Health & Wellbeing in the Country Index 2026, from 2 of its 4 key statistics (Life Expectancy at Birth and Under-Five Mortality Rate). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.

What is the latest Life Expectancy at Birth figure for Kosovo?

78.03 in 2023 (years a newborn would live at current death rates), according to UN DESA Population Division. The world median in the same edition was 74.63.

What is the latest Under-Five Mortality Rate figure for Kosovo?

8.723 in 2024 (deaths before age five (per 1,000 live births)), according to UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME). The world median in the same edition was 14.54.

How does Kosovo compare with Serbia on health & wellbeing?

Serbia is placed 41st of 200, and Kosovo 61st. Life Expectancy at Birth: Serbia 76.77, Kosovo 78.03; Under-Five Mortality Rate: Serbia 5.408, Kosovo 8.723.

How have Kosovo’s health & wellbeing figures changed?

Life Expectancy at Birth rose from 71.32 in 2000 to 78.03 in 2023; Under-Five Mortality Rate fell from 48.36 in 2000 to 8.723 in 2024.

Which health & wellbeing statistics are missing for Kosovo?

No current reading is published for Kosovo on Average Weekly Hours Worked, Births Attended by Skilled Health Staff, Coefficient of Variation of Habitual Caloric Consumption, Cost of a Healthy Diet, Dietary Energy Supply, Early Initiation of Breastfeeding, Exclusive Breastfeeding Under Six Months, Fatal Occupational Injuries, Female Genital Mutilation Prevalence, Fish and Seafood Supply per Person, Fruit Supply per Person, Gender Inequality Index, Global Multidimensional Poverty Index, Global Report on Food Crises, HPV Vaccination Coverage, Girls, Human Capital Index, Human Development Index, Immunisation Coverage, DTP3, Immunisation Coverage, Measles First Dose (MCV1), INFORM Severity Index, Insecticide-Treated Net Use, Low Birthweight Prevalence, Malaria Incidence (P. falciparum), Malaria Incidence (P. vivax), Malaria Mortality (P. falciparum), Maternal Mortality Ratio, Meat Supply per Person, Minimum Dietary Diversity, Children Aged 6–23 Months, Overweight Prevalence in Children Under Five, Pesticide Use per Hectare, Prevalence of Moderate or Severe Food Insecurity, Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity, Prevalence of Undernourishment, Severe Child Food Poverty, Children Aged 6–23 Months, Share of Dietary Energy Supply from Cereals, Roots and Tubers, Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet, Stunting Prevalence in Children Under Five, Vegetable Supply per Person and Wasting Prevalence in Children Under Five. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.

09Method

Method, sources and how to cite

What this topic does not measure

Health spending, hospital beds and doctors per person are not measured, because more of any of them does not guarantee better outcomes. Mental health and self-reported happiness are not part of this topic. Food supply per person is measured under Food & Agriculture. Maternal mortality and many other indicators are published here as context; maternal mortality is a key in Development & Human Capital instead.

About health & wellbeing, in full

How the Health & Wellbeing standing is decided

A standing is this site’s ordering, named with its edition — never a publisher’s rank. 4 key statistics vote, one vote each; every country’s published value becomes a place within that key’s own field, the places are averaged, and the average is never published. A country needs 2 of the 4 keys to be placed.

The health & wellbeing method, step by stepHow every standing on this site is built

The key statistics and their licences

The other 24 statistics on this page come from 8 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.

The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Photographs

Kosovo’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.

Cite this page

Nations Inquiry (2026). Kosovo: Health & Wellbeing — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/kosovo/health

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