Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population (%) by country
The percentage of people in the population who live in households classified as moderately or severely food insecure. A household is classified as moderately or severely food insecure when at least one adult in the household has reported to have been exposed, at times during the year, to low quality diets and might...
Countries reporting
126
Highest
89.8%
Sierra Leone
Lowest
1.1%
Belarus
Median
20.6%
Years covered
11
2014–2024
Data points
1,304
What the numbers show
Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population (%) is currently reported for 126 countries. The highest value is 89.8% in Sierra Leone; the lowest is 1.1% in Belarus.
The median across all reporting countries is 20.6%, and the mean is 29.4%.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 82.
Over the past decade 77 countries rose and 40 fell. The largest increase was in Singapore (up 227.6%), and the largest decrease in Russian Federation (down 65.9%).
Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sierra Leone | 89.8% | 2023 | up 18.5% | rising |
| 2 | South Sudan | 88.1% | 2023 | up 3.5% | flat |
| 3 | Haiti | 83.2% | 2023 | — | flat |
| 4 | Malawi | 81.7% | 2023 | up 4.6% | flat |
| 5 | Congo, Democratic Republic of the | 81.5% | 2023 | — | rising |
| 6 | Afghanistan | 80.8% | 2023 | up 79.2% | rising |
| 6 | Liberia | 80.8% | 2023 | up 1.4% | flat |
| 8 | Nigeria | 74.8% | 2023 | up 115.6% | rising |
| 9 | Kenya | 73.9% | 2023 | up 45.8% | rising |
| 10 | Yemen | 73.0% | 2023 | up 59.7% | rising |
| 11 | Madagascar | 72.6% | 2023 | up 25.2% | rising |
| 12 | Zimbabwe | 68.8% | 2023 | up 6.3% | rising |
| 13 | Mauritania | 66.3% | 2023 | up 152.1% | rising |
| 13 | Chad | 66.3% | 2023 | down 2.4% | falling |
| 15 | Benin | 65.6% | 2023 | up 19.3% | rising |
| 16 | Guinea-Bissau | 62.5% | 2022 | up 1.3% | flat |
| 17 | Ethiopia | 61.4% | 2023 | up 9.3% | flat |
| 18 | Cameroon | 61.2% | 2023 | up 22.6% | rising |
| 19 | Lesotho | 59.9% | 2023 | up 20.5% | rising |
| 20 | Togo | 58.5% | 2023 | down 3.1% | falling |
| 21 | Tanzania, United Republic of | 58.0% | 2023 | up 18.9% | rising |
| 22 | Jamaica | 56.4% | 2023 | up 16.8% | rising |
| 23 | Namibia | 55.9% | 2023 | up 5.1% | rising |
| 24 | Gambia | 54.8% | 2023 | up 4.0% | rising |
| 25 | Uganda | 54.6% | 2023 | down 17.6% | falling |
| 26 | Botswana | 53.9% | 2023 | up 16.2% | rising |
| 27 | Niger | 50.9% | 2023 | up 1.8% | flat |
| 28 | Guatemala | 48.8% | 2023 | up 14.3% | rising |
| 29 | El Salvador | 45.5% | 2023 | up 7.8% | rising |
| 30 | Zambia | 45.3% | 2023 | down 11.5% | falling |
| 31 | Ghana | 44.5% | 2023 | up 16.2% | rising |
| 32 | Dominican Republic | 43.8% | 2023 | down 19.2% | falling |
| 33 | Kiribati | 42.9% | 2023 | up 4.6% | flat |
| 34 | Lebanon | 42.4% | 2023 | up 188.4% | rising |
| 35 | Pakistan | 42.1% | 2023 | up 198.6% | rising |
| 36 | Burkina Faso | 41.4% | 2023 | up 6.4% | rising |
| 37 | Honduras | 41.3% | 2023 | down 0.7% | rising |
| 38 | Peru | 41.0% | 2023 | up 34.9% | rising |
| 39 | Cambodia | 40.0% | 2023 | up 1.0% | rising |
| 40 | Iran, Islamic Republic of | 38.8% | 2023 | down 19.2% | falling |
| 41 | Côte d'Ivoire | 38.4% | 2023 | up 12.6% | rising |
| 42 | Nepal | 36.6% | 2023 | up 24.1% | rising |
| 43 | Lao People's Democratic Republic | 35.6% | 2023 | — | rising |
| 44 | Libya | 35.1% | 2023 | up 20.6% | rising |
| 45 | Argentina | 33.8% | 2023 | up 76.0% | rising |
| 46 | Ecuador | 33.3% | 2023 | up 60.9% | rising |
| 47 | Albania | 33.0% | 2023 | down 14.9% | falling |
| 48 | Philippines | 32.9% | 2023 | down 20.1% | falling |
| 49 | Myanmar | 32.7% | 2023 | — | rising |
| 50 | Ukraine | 32.5% | 2023 | up 64.1% | rising |
| 51 | Cape Verde | 32.1% | 2023 | down 14.9% | falling |
| 52 | Mauritius | 31.1% | 2023 | up 139.2% | rising |
| 53 | Egypt | 30.8% | 2023 | up 10.8% | flat |
| 54 | Senegal | 29.1% | 2023 | down 25.4% | falling |
| 55 | Colombia | 27.8% | 2023 | up 39.7% | rising |
| 56 | Palestine, State of | 27.0% | 2023 | up 2.7% | flat |
| 57 | Georgia | 26.6% | 2023 | down 16.4% | falling |
| 58 | Paraguay | 26.2% | 2022 | up 215.7% | rising |
| 59 | Tunisia | 25.4% | 2023 | up 39.6% | rising |
| 60 | Republic of Moldova | 25.1% | 2023 | up 30.1% | rising |
| 60 | Tajikistan | 25.1% | 2023 | up 31.4% | rising |
| 62 | Uzbekistan | 24.4% | 2023 | up 117.9% | rising |
| 63 | South Africa | 20.7% | 2023 | up 19.0% | rising |
| 64 | Mali | 20.6% | 2023 | down 20.5% | falling |
| 65 | Mexico | 19.3% | 2023 | down 22.5% | falling |
| 66 | Chile | 19.2% | 2023 | up 77.8% | rising |
| 67 | Romania | 18.6% | 2023 | down 3.6% | rising |
| 67 | Samoa | 18.6% | 2023 | down 21.2% | falling |
| 69 | Algeria | 17.6% | 2023 | down 23.1% | falling |
| 70 | Grenada | 17.3% | 2023 | down 26.7% | falling |
| 70 | New Zealand | 17.3% | 2023 | up 73.0% | rising |
| 72 | Malaysia | 16.7% | 2023 | down 4.0% | flat |
| 73 | Uruguay | 16.2% | 2023 | up 21.8% | rising |
| 74 | Hungary | 15.6% | 2023 | up 38.1% | rising |
| 75 | Costa Rica | 15.4% | 2023 | up 26.2% | rising |
| 76 | North Macedonia | 15.2% | 2023 | unchanged | rising |
| 77 | Azerbaijan | 14.0% | 2023 | up 137.3% | rising |
| 78 | Australia | 13.8% | 2023 | up 27.8% | rising |
| 79 | Brazil | 13.5% | 2023 | up 1.5% | rising |
| 80 | Finland | 13.4% | 2023 | up 44.1% | rising |
| 81 | Portugal | 11.9% | 2023 | down 19.0% | falling |
| 82 | Bulgaria | 11.6% | 2023 | down 22.1% | flat |
| 83 | Sri Lanka | 11.2% | 2023 | up 89.8% | rising |
| 83 | Latvia | 11.2% | 2023 | up 13.1% | rising |
| 85 | Estonia | 10.8% | 2023 | up 13.7% | rising |
| 86 | Viet Nam | 10.7% | 2023 | up 72.6% | rising |
| 87 | Montenegro | 10.4% | 2023 | down 17.5% | flat |
| 88 | United States of America | 10.3% | 2023 | down 1.9% | flat |
| 89 | Canada | 10.2% | 2023 | up 104.0% | rising |
| 90 | Czechia | 10.0% | 2023 | up 72.4% | rising |
| 91 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 9.9% | 2023 | up 3.1% | rising |
| 92 | Singapore | 9.5% | 2023 | up 227.6% | rising |
| 92 | Serbia | 9.5% | 2023 | down 16.7% | flat |
| 94 | Israel | 9.2% | 2023 | down 20.7% | falling |
| 94 | Malta | 9.2% | 2023 | up 58.6% | rising |
| 96 | France | 8.4% | 2023 | up 23.5% | rising |
| 96 | Kuwait | 8.4% | 2023 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 98 | Slovenia | 8.2% | 2023 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 99 | Belgium | 8.1% | 2023 | — | rising |
| 100 | Armenia | 7.8% | 2023 | down 54.4% | falling |
| 100 | Iceland | 7.8% | 2023 | up 21.9% | rising |
| 100 | Norway | 7.8% | 2023 | up 62.5% | rising |
| 103 | Netherlands | 7.5% | 2023 | up 31.6% | rising |
| 103 | Slovakia | 7.5% | 2023 | up 21.0% | rising |
| 105 | Kyrgyzstan | 7.0% | 2022 | up 11.1% | rising |
| 106 | Denmark | 6.9% | 2023 | up 16.9% | rising |
| 106 | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | 6.9% | 2023 | up 9.5% | falling |
| 106 | Sweden | 6.9% | 2023 | up 53.3% | rising |
| 109 | Greece | 6.6% | 2023 | down 58.2% | falling |
| 110 | Spain | 6.5% | 2023 | down 8.5% | falling |
| 110 | Lithuania | 6.5% | 2023 | down 57.5% | falling |
| 112 | Croatia | 6.0% | 2023 | down 7.7% | rising |
| 113 | Japan | 5.8% | 2023 | up 123.1% | rising |
| 114 | Republic of Korea | 5.4% | 2023 | up 12.5% | rising |
| 114 | Thailand | 5.4% | 2023 | up 14.9% | rising |
| 116 | Ireland | 4.8% | 2023 | down 46.1% | falling |
| 116 | Mongolia | 4.8% | 2023 | — | falling |
| 118 | Austria | 4.7% | 2023 | down 14.5% | falling |
| 119 | Indonesia | 4.5% | 2023 | down 25.0% | falling |
| 120 | Germany | 4.1% | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 121 | Poland | 3.4% | 2023 | down 61.8% | falling |
| 122 | Russian Federation | 2.8% | 2023 | down 65.9% | falling |
| 123 | Luxembourg | 2.6% | 2023 | down 44.7% | falling |
| 124 | Switzerland | 2.0% | 2023 | down 58.3% | falling |
| 124 | Kazakhstan | 2.0% | 2023 | down 4.8% | falling |
| 126 | Belarus | 1.1% | 2023 | — | falling |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- Low income 65.4%
- Africa Eastern and Southern 64.0%
- Africa Western and Central 63.8%
- Least developed countries 57.8%
- IDA total 56.3%
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) 42.8%
- Lower middle income 41.8%
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 40.1%
- South Asia 36.7%
- South Asia (IDA & IBRD) 36.7%
- Small states 32.3%
- IDA & IBRD total 31.4%
- World 28.0%
- Latin America & Caribbean 25.2%
- Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) 24.8%
- IBRD only 21.6%
- Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) 14.5%
- Upper middle income 12.6%
- North America 10.7%
- Europe & Central Asia 10.4%
- East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) 9.1%
- East Asia & Pacific 8.8%
- High income 7.9%
About this data
The percentage of people in the population who live in households classified as moderately or severely food insecure. A household is classified as moderately or severely food insecure when at least one adult in the household has reported to have been exposed, at times during the year, to low quality diets and might have been forced to also reduce the quantity of food they would normally eat because of a lack of money or other resources.