Breastfeeding The challenge Overview of breastfeeding patterns Infant feeding patterns by country Country data Home Back

Email this page Printer friendly Last update: Jun 2008                         UNICEF Global Database on Breastfeeding (2000-2006) Download File Country Year Exclusive Breastfeeding Rate Timely Complementary Feeding Rate Continued Breastfeeding Rate Source < 4 months < 6 months 6-9 months 12-15 months 20-23 months Afghanistan 2003 - - 29 91.5 54 MICS 2003. Albania 2005 3.8 2.3 38.4 57.8 20.0 MICS 2005, Re-analyzed by UNICEF HQ, May 2007 Algeria 2006 10.4 6.9 39.0 46.5 22.2 MICS 2006, Re-analyzed by UNICEF HQ, May 2007 Andorra - - - - - Angola 2001 13.6 11.3 77.2 89.1 37 MICS 2001, Reanalyzed by UNICEF HQ, February 2003. Antigua and Barbuda - - - - - Argentina - - - - - Armenia 2005 36.5 32.5 56.5 40.4 14.9 DHS 2005, Final Report, Table 12.3, p. 146 Australia - - - - - Austria - - - - - Azerbaijan 2000 9.4 7.3 39 38.3 15.6 MICS 2000, Reanalyzed by UNICEF HQ, February 2003. Bahamas - - - - - Bahrain 1995 33.8 x 33.8 x,k 65.2 x 64 x 41.2 x Gulf Family Health Survey 1995, Table 15.3, p.202. Bangladesh 2006 49.7 37.4 51.7 95.4 89.2 MICS 2006, Re-analyzed by UNICEF HQ, May 2007 Barbados - - - - - Belarus 2005 12.2 9.0 38.3 18.0 3.6 MICS 2005, Re-analyzed by UNICEF HQ, May 2007 Belgium - - - - - Belize 1999 24.2 24.2 k 53.6 - 23.3 Belize Family Health Survey 1999. Benin 2006 76.9 70.1 50.4 95.9 57.3 DHS 2006, Preliminary Report, Table 10, p. 24 Bhutan - - - - - Bolivia 2003 62.3 53.6 73.8 81.5 45.8 DHS 2003, Final report, Table 10.2, p. 201. Bosnia Herzegovina 2005 23.6 17.6 29.0 25.6 9.6 MICS 2005, Re-analyzed by UNICEF HQ, May 2007 Botswana 2000 42.8 33.7 56.9 53.6 10.5 MICS 2000, Reanalyzed by UNICEF HQ, February 2003. Brazil 1996 - - 30 32.8 16.9 DHS 1996, Table 9.2, p.127 Brunei Darussalam - - - - - Bulgaria - - - - - Burkina Faso 2006 8.2 6.8 49.6 96.1 85.4 MICS 2006, Re-analyzed by UNICEF HQ, May 2007 Burundi 2005 44.7 87.5 ISTEEBU, Rapport de l'Enquête Nationale de Nutrition de la Population 2005, Table 8, p. 26 Cambodia 2005 67.7 60.0 81.7 89.9 54.2 DHS 2005, Final Report, Table 15.3, p. 172 Cameroon 2006 29.3 21.2 63.7 78.7 21.2 MICS 2006, Re-analyzed by UNICEF HQ, May 2007 Canada - - - - - Cape Verde 1998 57.3 57.3 k 64.4 60.1 13.3 Inquerito Demografico e de Saude Reproductive1998, Table 11.6, p. 170. Central African 2006 30.5 23.1 55.2 85.9 47.1 MICS 2006, Re-analyzed by UNICEF HQ, May 2007 Chad 2004 1.9 2.1 76.9 91.5 64.9 DHS 2004, Final report, Table 12.2, pp. 196-197. Chile 2002 70 63.2 47.3 48.8 - Comisión Nacional de Lactancia Materna 2004, Ministry of Health. China 2003 76.7 50.8 31.7 42.7 15.4 Third National Health Services Survey, Ministry of Health, 2003. Colombia 2005 59.3 46.8 65.2 57.3 32.2 DHS 2005, Final report, Table 11.2, p. 251. Comoros 2000 24.3 20.8 34.3 65.3 45.1 MICS 2000, Reanalyzed by UNICEF HQ, February 2003. Congo 2005 24.2 19.1 78.1 81.6 21.3 DHS 2005, Final Report, Table 11.2, p. 160 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 2001 29.3 24.2 78.9 92.4 51.5 MICS 2000, Reanalyzed by UNICEF HQ, February 2003. Cook Islands 1998 18.9 18.9 k - - - Raratonga Infant Feeding Survey 1999, South Pacific Comission Report. Costa Rica 1993 35 x 35 x,k 47 x 21 x 12 x Encuesta Nacional de Salud Reproductiva 1993, p. 8-19, Cuadro 8.10. Cote d'Ivoire 2006 5.0 4.3 53.8 87.3 37.4 MICS 2006, Re-analyzed by UNICEF HQ, May 2007 Croatia 1996 23.5 23.3 - - - MICS 1996, p. 22. Cuba 2000 46 41.2 42.4 29.2 8.8 MICS 2000, Reanalyzed by UNICEF HQ, February 2003. Cyprus - - - - - Czech Republic - - - - - Denmark - - - - - Djibouti 2006 2.0 1.3 23.1 53.5 18.4 MICS 2006, Re-analyzed by UNICEF HQ, May 2007 Dominica - - - - - Dominican Republic 2006 5.5 4.1 35.7 37.9 14.9 ONE, ENHOGAR 2006, Table 4, p. 22 Ecuador 2004 48.5 39.5 76.5 62.0 22.7 CEPAR, ENDEMAIN 2004, Table 12.8 Egypt 2005 52.4 38.3 67.3 78.2 37.0 DHS 2005, Final report, Table 13.2, p. 159. El Salvador 2002 - 2003 29.5 24 75.9 67.4 43.2 FESAL 2002/03, Final Report, Tables 13.13 and 13.14, pp. 348-349 Equatorial Guinea 2000 - 23.5 - - - MICS 2000, Reanalyzed by UNICEF HQ. Eritrea 2002 65 52 42.5 91.9 61.7 DHS 2002, Final report, Table 10.2, p.164. Estonia - - - - - Ethiopia 2005 56.8 49.0 54.4 DHS 2005, Final Report, Table 11.2, p.145 Fiji 1995 47 x 47 x,k - - - Country Health Information Profile 1999, World Health Organization. Finland - - - - - France - - - - - Gabon 2000 6.9 6.2 61.8 43 8.6 DHS 2000, Final report, Table 9.2, p. 165. Gambia 2006 52.5 40.8 43.8 92.3 53.2 MICS 2006, Re-analyzed by UNICEF HQ, May 2007 Georgia 1999 17.9 17.9 k 12.2 30 12 MICS 1999, Final report, Table 20, p. 33. Germany - - - - - Ghana 2006 65.0 54.4 57.9 94.5 56.1 MICS 2006, Re-analyzed by UNICEF HQ, May 2007 Greece - - - - - Grenada 1998 39 39 k - - - Health Information Unit. Guatemala 2002 56.3 50.6 67.3 81.1 47.4 ENSMI 2002, Final report, Table 9.6, p. 191. Guinea 2005 32.4 27.0 41.4 96.4 70.6 DHS 2005, Final Report, Table 10.2, p. 155 Guinea Bissau 2006 21.4 16.1 35.2 92.8 61.4 MICS 2006, Re-analyzed by UNICEF HQ, May 2007 Guyana 2000 15.3 10.6 42.3 49.6 30.5 MICS 2000, Reanalyzed by UNICEF HQ, February 2003. Haiti 2006 49.2 40.7 87.4 82.9 34.9 DHS 2006, Preliminary Report, Table 9, p. 22 Holy See - - - - - Honduras 2006 34.0 29.7 69.4 72.4 47.5 DHS 2006, Final Report, Table 11.2, p. 181 Hungary - - - - - Iceland - - - - - India 2005 - 2006 46.3 55.8 NFHS 2005 - 2006, Fact Sheet Indonesia 2002 - 2003 55.1 39.5 75 84.6 58.7 DHS 2002-03, Final report, Table 14.2, p. 162. Iran (Islamic Republic of) 2000 53.3 44.1 - 0.9 0.4 DHS 2000 (national report). Iraq 2006 33.9 25.1 51.0 67.6 35.7 MICS 2006, Re-analyzed by UNICEF HQ, May 2007 Ireland - - - - - Israel - - - - - Italy - - - - - Jamaica 2005 21.4 15.2 35.6 49.1 24.0 MICS 2005, Re-analyzed by UNICEF HQ, May 2007 Japan - - - - - Jordan 2002 39.5 26.7 70.3 51.1 12.4 DHS 2002, Final report, Table 10.2, p. 126. Kazakstan 2006 24.9 16.8 39.1 57.1 16.2 MICS 2006, Re-analyzed by UNICEF HQ, May 2007 Kenya 2003 17.7 12.7 84.2 92.1 57.3 DHS 2003, Final report, Table 10.2, p. 155. Kiribati 1993 80 x 80 x,k - - - UNICEF, 2000, "Pacific Island Country Profile". Korea, Democratic People's Republic of 2004 67.3 65.1 31.4 66.5 36.5 Nutrition Assessment 2004, Table 21, p. 59. Korea, Republic of - - - - - Kuwait 1996 11.9 11.9 k 25.6 21.4 8.8 Gulf Family Health Survey 1996, Final report, Table 15.3, p. 203. Kyrgystan 2006 40.7 31.5 49.3 67.8 26.2 MICS 2006, Re-analyzed by UNICEF HQ, May 2007 Lao People's Democratic Republic 2000 26 22.6 10.3 82.1 47.4 MICS 2000, Reanalyzed by UNICEF HQ, February 2003. Latvia - - - - - Lebanon 2000 26.6 26.6 k 35.2 34.7 10.6 MICS 2000, Preliminary report, Table 10. Lesotho 2004 46.8 36.4 78.9 90.2 59.5 DHS 2004, Final report, Table 10.2, p.159 Liberia 1999-2000 40.6 35.4 69.8 89.3 45.3 National Nutrition Survey 1999-2000. Libyan Arab Jamahiriya 1995 - - - 39.3 x 23.1 x PAPCHILD, MCH Survey 1995, Table 8.4, p. 87. Liechtenstein - - - - - Lithuania - - - - - Luxembourg - - - - - Madagascar 2003-2004 77.1 67.2 77.8 90.9 64.1 DHS 2003-04, Final report, Table 9.2, p. 164. Malawi 2006 71.0 56.4 89.0 97.4 73.4 MICS 2006, Re-analyzed by UNICEF HQ, May 2007 Malaysia 1996 29 29 k - - 11.7 National Health and Morbidity Survey 1996, Public Health Department, Ministry of Health. Maldives 2001 27.3 10.4 85.3 - - MICS 2001, Final report, Table 5.3. Mali 2001 28.3 25.1 32.4 95.4 69.3 DHS 2001, Final report, Table 9.2, p. 140. Malta - - - - - Marshall Islands 1991 63 x 63 x,k - - - UNICEF, 2000, "Pacific Island Country Profile". Mauritania 2000-2001 27.7 20.4 77.9 89 56.5 DHS 2001, Final report, Table 8.2, p. 136. Mauritius 2002 21 21 k - - - Contraceptive Prevalence Survey 2002, Executive Summary, p. 15 Mexico 1987 37.5 x 37.5 x,k 35.7 x 32.1 x 20.5 x DHS 1987, Reanalyzed by ORC Macro International. Micronesia (Federated States of) 1999 60 60 k - - - UNICEF, 2000, "Pacific Island Country Profile". Moldova 2005 57.2 45.5 17.8 40.8 2.4 DHS 2005, Final Report, Table 11.2, p. 141 Monaco - - - - - Mongolia 2005 68.7 57.2 57.4 82.3 64.9 MICS 2005, Re-analyzed by UNICEF HQ, May 2007 Montenegro 2005 25.8 19.3 35.3 24.6 12.8 MICS 2005, Re-analyzed by UNICEF HQ, May 2007 Morocco 2003-2004 43.3 31.0 65.6 56.5 14.7 DHS 2003-04, Final report, Table 10.2, p. 133. Mozambique 2003 38.3 30 79.7 94 64.5 DHS 2003, Final report (national report), Table 10.2, p. 167. Myanmar 2003 14.7 14.7 k 66.4 85 67.1 MICS 2003, Table 14, pp. 40-41. Namibia 2000 25.9 18.6 57 74.5 36.9 DHS 2000, Final report, Table 10.2, p.145. Nauru - - - - - Nepal 2006 69.8 53.0 75.0 97.5 95.0 DHS 2006, Final Report, Table 12.2, p. 176 Netherlands - - - - - New Zealand - - - - - Nicaragua 2001 39.3 31.1 68.3 63.5 39.4 DHS 2001, Final report, Table 10.2, p. 223. Niger 2006 15.9 13.5 62.1 95.6 62.3 DHS 2006, Final Report, Table 11.2, p. 177 Nigeria 2003 22.4 17.2 63.7 89.9 34.1 DHS 2003, Final report, Table 11.2, p. 154. Niue - - - - - Norway - - - - - Oman 2000 - - 91.9 95 72.7 National Health Survey 2000, Ministry of Health, p. 55. OPT 2006 26.5 Palestinian Family Health Survey 2006. Preliminary Report. Table 17, p49 Pakistan 1995 16 x 16 x,k 31 x 88 x 56 x MICS 1995, pp. 37 - 39. Palau 1995 59 x 59 x,k - - - Ministry of Health 1996. Panama 1995 - 1996 32 x 25 x 38 x 34.2 x 21.2 x MICS 1995/1996, Table 14, p. 34. Papua New Guinea 1996 75.2 58.8 73.9 92.2 65.7 DHS 1996 (national report). Paraguay 2004 11.8 21.9 59.8 - - Encuesta Nacional de Demografía y Salud Reproductiva 2004, Informe Resumido, p. 73. Peru 2004 69.3 63.9 80.9 71.6 40.6 DHS 2004, Final report, Table 9.2, p. 132. Philippines 2003 42.2 33.5 57.9 56.0 32.3 DHS 2003, Final report, Table 10.2, p. 152. Poland - - - - - Portugal - - - - - Qatar 1998 11.7 11.7 k 48.2 32.1 21.3 Gulf Family Health Survey 1998, Final report, Table 14.3, p. 191. Romania 2004 - 15.8 41.0 - - Reproductive Health Survey, Summary report, Table 6.4.1, pp. 45 and 55. Russian Federation - - - - - Rwanda 2005 94.4 88.4 69.1 96.4 77.1 DHS 2005, Final Report, Table 10.2, p. 134. Saint Kitts and Nevis 1998 55.6 55.6 k - 23.8 - Department of Health, 1998. Saint Lucia - - - - - Saint Vincent and Grenadines - - - - - Samoa - - - - - San Marino - - - - - Sao Tome and Principe 2006 70.2 60.4 60.0 88.2 18.4 MICS 2006, Re-analyzed by UNICEF HQ, May 2007 Saudi Arabia 1996 31 31 k 60 59 30 Gulf Family Health Survey 1996, p. 60. Senegal 2005 46.2 34.1 60.8 93.1 41.7 DHS 2005, Final Report, Table 10.2, p. 185 Serbia 2005 23.4 15.1 39.0 22.4 8.2 MICS 2005, Re-analyzed by UNICEF HQ, May 2007 Seychelles - - - - - Sierra Leone 2005 10.5 7.9 52.3 87.4 56.8 MICS 2005, Re-analyzed by UNICEF HQ, May 2007 Singapore - - - - - Slovakia - - - - - Slovenia - - - - - Solomon Islands 2000 65 65 k - - - UNICEF, 2000, "Pacific Island Country Profile". Somalia 2006 12.7 9.1 15.1 50.2 35.4 MICS 2006, Re-analyzed by UNICEF HQ, May 2007 South Africa 2003 11.9 7.2 45.8 - - DHS 2003, Preliminary report, Table 15, p. 19. Spain - - - - - Sri Lanka 2000 75.0 52.6 - 88.7 73.0 DHS 2000, Final report, Table 9.2, p. 187. Sudan 2000 20.3 15.6 46.6 83.5 40.4 MICS 2000, Reanalyzed by UNICEF HQ, December 2002. Suriname 2000 12.8 8.7 24.5 42.9 11.1 MICS 2000, Reanalyzed by UNICEF HQ, February 2003. Swaziland 2000 31.2 23.9 60.2 76.6 24.8 MICS 2000, Reanalyzed by UNICEF HQ, February 2003. Sweden - - - - - Switzerland - - - - - Syria 2006 35.3 28.7 36.5 63.9 16.3 MICS 2006, Re-analyzed by UNICEF HQ, May 2007 Tajikistan 2004-2005 35.9 25.4 15.3 74.9 34.2 MICS 2004-2005, Re-analyzed by UNICEF HQ, May 2007 Tanzania 2003-2004 55.0 41.3 90.9 91.0 55.4 DHS 2004, Final Report, Table 11.2, p. 180 Thailand 2005 7.6 5.4 42.6 31.6 18.7 MICS 2005, Re-analyzed by UNICEF HQ, May 2007 The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 1999 45.3 36.6 7.6 33.4 10.3 MICS 1999. Timor-Leste 2003 38.8 30.7 82.1