LEADING FACTORS AND RECENT TRENDS IN UNDER FIVE-YEAR-OLD MORTALITY.

One of the most important demographic rates is the under five-year-old mortality rate, which correlates very strongly with the socio-economic and cultural status of a country and is among the best predictors of state failure. It is, therefore, a useful indicator of a country's level of health or development, and is a component of the physical quality of life index. The present paper illustrates the situation of infant mortality rates in the world, emphasizing its decrease in the recent years, especially in the developed countries. This tendency is also felt at the level of the developing countries, yet, there are countries that register high levels. The paper also focuses on the factors leading to the situation of infant mortality rate in Romania, which still remains high. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]