Final answer:
The infant mortality rate measures the annual number of infant deaths per 1,000 live births within the first year of life, reflecting the quality of healthcare and general health conditions in a region.
Step-by-step explanation:
The infant mortality rate is a crucial indicator of a country's health status, and it refers to the annual number of infant deaths per 1,000 live births during the first year of life. It serves as a reliable metric to assess the general level of health within a population. Factors contributing to infant mortality rates can include healthcare quality, economic conditions, and access to clean water and medicine.
Countries with higher wealth typically have lower rates of infant mortality, signifying better overall health, while developing countries often contend with higher figures. Healthcare improvements globally have gradually reduced the infant mortality rate, but significant disparities persist between high-income and low-income countries as well as different regions across the world.