Sierra Leone vs South Africa: Stunting prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%)

Sierra Leone
25.2%
in 2024
South Africa
24.4%
in 2024
Sierra Leone rank
37th
South Africa rank
40th

Stunting prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) over time

  • Sierra Leone
  • South Africa
010203040200020122024

How they compare

Sierra Leone currently reports 25.2% against 24.4% in South Africa, a difference of 0.8%.

Across all 25 years both countries report, Sierra Leone has been ahead every year.

Sierra Leone ranks 37th and South Africa ranks 40th of 161 countries.

Sierra Leone has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Sierra Leone South Africa Difference Ahead
2000s 37.9% 25.7% 12.2% Sierra Leone
2010s 31.3% 22.3% 9.0% Sierra Leone
2020s 25.6% 23.4% 2.1% Sierra Leone

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher stunting prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%), Sierra Leone or South Africa?
Sierra Leone, at 25.2% against 24.4% in South Africa as of 2024.
What is the difference in stunting prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) between Sierra Leone and South Africa?
0.8%, with Sierra Leone ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Sierra Leone and South Africa?
25 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2024.
How do Sierra Leone and South Africa rank globally for stunting prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%)?
Sierra Leone ranks 37th and South Africa ranks 40th of 161 countries.
Where does this data come from?
World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as Stunting prevalence among children under 5 years of age (% height-for-age <-2 SD), model-based estimates. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Sierra Leone vs South Africa: Stunting prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%). Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. Retrieved 17 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/compare/stunting-prevalence-among-children-under-5-years-of-age-percent-height-for-age-2-sd-model/sierra-leone/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Stunting prevalence among children under 5 years of age (% height-for-age <-2 SD), model-based estimates
Source
World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory
Licence
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO)
Coverage
182 places, 4,740 data points, 1990–2024
Last refreshed