Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population in Mauritania

Mauritania: Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population was 66.3% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
66.3%
Change on year
up 8.3%
World rank
13th
of 126 countries
All-time high
66.3%
in 2023
All-time low
26.3%
in 2015
Years of data
9
2015–2023

Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population in Mauritania, 2015–2023

02040602015201920232015: 26.3 %2016: 29.2 %2017: 32.3 %2018: 35.9 %2019: 41.2 %2020: 45.3 %2021: 53.7 %2022: 61.2 %2023: 66.3 %

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population in Mauritania is 66.3%, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 9 years on record.

That represents a change of up 8.3% on the previous year and up 152.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population in Mauritania peaked at 66.3% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 26.3%, in 2015.

That places Mauritania 13th out of 126 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.

Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population in Mauritania, year by year

Annual values for Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population (%) in Mauritania, 2015 to 2023.
Year % Change
2015 26.3%
2016 29.2% +11.0%
2017 32.3% +10.6%
2018 35.9% +11.1%
2019 41.2% +14.8%
2020 45.3% +10.0%
2021 53.7% +18.5%
2022 61.2% +14.0%
2023 66.3% +8.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 33.0% 26.3% 41.2% 5
2020s 56.6% 45.3% 66.3% 4

Countries ranked near Mauritania

  1. 10 Yemen 73.0% compare
  2. 11 Madagascar 72.6% compare
  3. 12 Zimbabwe 68.8% compare
  4. 13 Chad 66.3% compare
  5. 15 Benin 65.6% compare
  6. 16 Guinea-Bissau 62.5% compare

See the full ranking of 149 places →

More health data for Mauritania

All data for Mauritania →

Frequently asked questions

What is prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population in Mauritania?
Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population in Mauritania was 66.3% in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
What is the highest prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population recorded in Mauritania?
The highest recorded value was 66.3% in 2023.
What is the lowest prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population recorded in Mauritania?
The lowest recorded value was 26.3% in 2015.
How does Mauritania rank for prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population?
Mauritania ranks 13th out of 126 countries with data for 2023.
Is prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population rising or falling in Mauritania?
Over the last ten years it is up 152.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Mauritania data come from?
The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population in Mauritania. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Retrieved 12 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/prevalence-of-moderate-or-severe-food-insecurity-in-the-population-percent/mauritania/

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About this data

Indicator
Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population (%)
Unit
%
Source
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
149 places, 1,304 data points, 2014–2024
Last refreshed

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.