Number of people who are undernourished in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)

Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries): Number of people who are undernourished was 28.80 million in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)
28.80 million
Change on year
down 21.7%
Rank
26th
of 42 groups
All-time high
54.10 million
in 2001
All-time low
26.00 million
in 2013
Years of data
23
2001–2023

Number of people who are undernourished in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries), 2001–2023

020.0M40.0M60.0M2001201220232001: 54.1M2002: 53.6M2003: 53.0M2004: 49.9M2005: 47.2M2006: 43.7M2007: 40.9M2008: 38.8M2009: 36.5M2010: 34.6M2011: 32.8M2012: 26.9M2013: 26.0M2014: 26.6M2015: 28.3M2016: 30.5M2017: 32.8M2018: 32.6M2019: 33.1M2020: 37.8M2021: 37.8M2022: 36.8M2023: 28.8M

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization (http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#home).

Analysis

The most recent figure for number of people who are undernourished in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) is 28.80 million, measured in 2023.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 21.7% on the previous year and up 10.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, number of people who are undernourished in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 54.10 million in 2001 and was at its lowest, 26.00 million, in 2013.

That places Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) 26th out of 42 groups with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 23 years of available data.

Number of people who are undernourished in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries), year by year

Annual values for Number of people who are undernourished in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries), 2001 to 2023.
Year Value Change
2001 54.10 million
2002 53.60 million -0.9%
2003 53.00 million -1.1%
2004 49.90 million -5.8%
2005 47.20 million -5.4%
2006 43.70 million -7.4%
2007 40.90 million -6.4%
2008 38.80 million -5.1%
2009 36.50 million -5.9%
2010 34.60 million -5.2%
2011 32.80 million -5.2%
2012 26.90 million -18.0%
2013 26.00 million -3.3%
2014 26.60 million +2.3%
2015 28.30 million +6.4%
2016 30.50 million +7.8%
2017 32.80 million +7.5%
2018 32.60 million -0.6%
2019 33.10 million +1.5%
2020 37.80 million +14.2%
2021 37.80 million +0.0%
2022 36.80 million -2.6%
2023 28.80 million -21.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 46.41 million 36.50 million 54.10 million 9
2010s 30.42 million 26.00 million 34.60 million 10
2020s 35.30 million 28.80 million 37.80 million 4

Countries ranked near Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)

  1. 23 Haiti 6.30 million compare
  2. 23 South Africa 6.30 million compare
  3. 25 Chad 6.20 million compare
  4. 25 Iran, Islamic Republic of 6.20 million compare
  5. 27 Sudan 5.30 million compare
  6. 27 Viet Nam 5.30 million compare
  7. 29 Malawi 4.50 million compare

See the full ranking of 172 places →

More health data for Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)

All data for Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) →

Frequently asked questions

What is number of people who are undernourished in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)?
Number of people who are undernourished in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) was 28.80 million in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization (http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#home).
What is the highest number of people who are undernourished recorded in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)?
The highest recorded value was 54.10 million in 2001.
What is the lowest number of people who are undernourished recorded in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)?
The lowest recorded value was 26.00 million in 2013.
How does Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for number of people who are undernourished?
Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 26th out of 42 groups with data for 2023.
Is number of people who are undernourished rising or falling in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)?
Over the last ten years it is up 10.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) data come from?
The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization (http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#home), published as part of Number of people who are undernourished. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Number of people who are undernourished in Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries). Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization (http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#home). Retrieved 17 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/number-of-people-who-are-undernourished/latin-america-and-the-caribbean-ida-and-ibrd-countries/

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About this data

Indicator
Number of people who are undernourished
Source
Food and Agriculture Organization (http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#home)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
172 places, 3,649 data points, 2001–2023
Last refreshed

Number of people who are undernourished shows the number of people whose habitual food consumption is insufficient to provide the dietary energy levels that are required to maintain a normal active and healthy life.