Among the leading causes of death were pneumonia, malaria and diarrhoea, as well as malnutrition and complications during birth. Around half of all child deaths occurred in the first month of life.
According to the report, around 6.3 million children died in 2013, compared to 12.7 million in 1990. Last year, 200,000 fewer children died than in 2012.
With 2.8 million newborns dying each year, accounting for 44% of under-five deaths, progress has been insufficient and is now impeding improvement in child survival worldwide," said the report.