Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population (%) by country
The percentage of people in the population who live in households classified as severely food insecure. A household is classified as severely food insecure when at least one adult in the household has reported to have been exposed, at times during the year, to several of the most severe experiences described in the...
Countries reporting
127
Highest
62.9%
South Sudan
Lowest
0.0%
Russia
Median
4.8%
Years covered
11
2014–2024
Data points
1,433
What the numbers show
Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population (%) is currently reported for 127 countries. The highest value is 62.9% in South Sudan; the lowest is 0.0% in Russia.
The median across all reporting countries is 4.8%, and the mean is 9.1%.
Over the past decade 65 countries rose and 51 fell. The largest increase was in Pakistan (up 511.1%), and the largest decrease in Armenia (down 100.0%).
Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population (%): full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Sudan | 62.9% | 2024 | down 3.8% | flat |
| 2 | Malawi | 58.1% | 2024 | up 21.8% | rising |
| 3 | Haiti | 45.4% | 2024 | down 7.0% | falling |
| 4 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 43.9% | 2024 | up 14.0% | rising |
| 5 | Liberia | 35.5% | 2024 | down 8.0% | falling |
| 6 | Sierra Leone | 31.9% | 2024 | up 19.5% | rising |
| 7 | Afghanistan | 30.2% | 2024 | up 104.1% | rising |
| 8 | Namibia | 28.1% | 2024 | down 2.8% | flat |
| 9 | Jamaica | 27.4% | 2024 | up 8.3% | rising |
| 10 | Kenya | 26.5% | 2024 | up 76.7% | rising |
| 11 | Nigeria | 26.4% | 2024 | up 140.0% | rising |
| 12 | Zimbabwe | 25.3% | 2024 | down 28.7% | falling |
| 13 | Chad | 25.2% | 2024 | down 22.2% | falling |
| 14 | Eswatini | 25.0% | 2024 | — | rising |
| 15 | Lesotho | 24.3% | 2024 | down 10.0% | falling |
| 16 | Cameroon | 23.9% | 2024 | up 7.2% | flat |
| 17 | Tanzania | 22.9% | 2024 | up 11.2% | rising |
| 18 | Guatemala | 22.4% | 2024 | up 39.1% | rising |
| 19 | Botswana | 20.4% | 2024 | up 10.9% | rising |
| 20 | Gambia | 17.6% | 2024 | down 25.4% | falling |
| 21 | Zambia | 17.2% | 2024 | down 23.2% | falling |
| 22 | Madagascar | 16.9% | 2024 | up 77.9% | rising |
| 23 | Ethiopia | 16.6% | 2024 | up 14.5% | rising |
| 24 | Dominican Republic | 16.4% | 2024 | down 32.5% | falling |
| 25 | Angola | 16.2% | 2024 | down 36.5% | falling |
| 26 | Libya | 15.1% | 2024 | up 34.8% | rising |
| 27 | Honduras | 14.3% | 2024 | up 0.7% | rising |
| 28 | Benin | 13.1% | 2024 | up 26.0% | rising |
| 29 | Uganda | 12.7% | 2024 | down 40.9% | falling |
| 30 | Mauritania | 12.5% | 2024 | up 171.7% | rising |
| 31 | Nepal | 12.3% | 2024 | up 18.3% | rising |
| 31 | El Salvador | 12.3% | 2024 | down 10.9% | flat |
| 33 | Mauritius | 12.2% | 2024 | up 134.6% | rising |
| 34 | Egypt | 11.7% | 2024 | up 39.3% | rising |
| 35 | Argentina | 11.0% | 2024 | up 89.7% | rising |
| 35 | Ecuador | 11.0% | 2024 | up 83.3% | rising |
| 37 | Lebanon | 10.2% | 2024 | up 142.9% | rising |
| 38 | Togo | 9.2% | 2024 | down 42.9% | falling |
| 39 | Guinea-Bissau | 9.0% | 2022 | up 8.4% | rising |
| 40 | Ghana | 8.8% | 2024 | up 72.5% | rising |
| 41 | South Africa | 8.4% | 2024 | up 21.7% | rising |
| 42 | Albania | 8.3% | 2024 | down 17.0% | falling |
| 43 | Cote d'Ivoire | 7.9% | 2024 | up 27.4% | rising |
| 43 | Myanmar | 7.9% | 2024 | up 315.8% | rising |
| 45 | Tunisia | 7.7% | 2024 | down 15.4% | rising |
| 46 | Niger | 7.4% | 2024 | down 26.0% | falling |
| 47 | Burkina Faso | 7.3% | 2024 | up 23.7% | rising |
| 48 | Paraguay | 7.0% | 2024 | up 483.3% | rising |
| 49 | Cape Verde | 6.4% | 2024 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 50 | Moldova | 6.0% | 2024 | up 275.0% | rising |
| 51 | Laos | 5.5% | 2024 | down 38.2% | falling |
| 51 | Pakistan | 5.5% | 2024 | up 511.1% | volatile |
| 53 | Ukraine | 5.4% | 2024 | up 170.0% | rising |
| 54 | Romania | 5.3% | 2024 | down 5.4% | rising |
| 55 | Colombia | 5.2% | 2024 | up 6.1% | rising |
| 55 | Malaysia | 5.2% | 2024 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 55 | Uzbekistan | 5.2% | 2023 | up 173.7% | rising |
| 58 | Georgia | 5.1% | 2024 | down 27.1% | falling |
| 59 | Algeria | 4.9% | 2024 | down 62.3% | falling |
| 59 | Hungary | 4.9% | 2024 | up 250.0% | volatile |
| 59 | New Zealand | 4.9% | 2024 | up 75.0% | rising |
| 59 | Tajikistan | 4.9% | 2024 | unchanged | falling |
| 63 | Iran | 4.8% | 2024 | down 49.5% | falling |
| 63 | Kiribati | 4.8% | 2024 | down 40.0% | falling |
| 65 | Palestine | 4.5% | 2022 | up 2.3% | flat |
| 65 | Samoa | 4.5% | 2024 | up 32.4% | rising |
| 67 | Australia | 4.4% | 2024 | up 57.1% | rising |
| 67 | Grenada | 4.4% | 2024 | down 47.0% | falling |
| 69 | United Kingdom | 4.0% | 2024 | up 110.5% | rising |
| 70 | Kuwait | 3.8% | 2024 | down 22.4% | falling |
| 71 | Peru | 3.7% | 2024 | up 23.3% | rising |
| 71 | Singapore | 3.7% | 2024 | up 270.0% | volatile |
| 73 | Senegal | 3.5% | 2024 | down 53.3% | falling |
| 74 | Chile | 3.3% | 2024 | up 13.8% | rising |
| 74 | France | 3.3% | 2024 | up 106.2% | volatile |
| 74 | Netherlands | 3.3% | 2024 | up 120.0% | rising |
| 77 | Sweden | 3.2% | 2024 | up 300.0% | rising |
| 78 | Ireland | 3.1% | 2024 | down 8.8% | falling |
| 78 | Philippines | 3.1% | 2024 | down 3.1% | falling |
| 80 | Belgium | 3.0% | 2024 | up 172.7% | rising |
| 81 | Finland | 2.9% | 2024 | up 20.8% | rising |
| 81 | Cambodia | 2.9% | 2024 | down 37.0% | falling |
| 83 | Belize | 2.7% | 2024 | down 38.6% | falling |
| 83 | Mexico | 2.7% | 2024 | down 20.6% | falling |
| 85 | Mali | 2.4% | 2024 | down 25.0% | falling |
| 85 | Uruguay | 2.4% | 2024 | up 41.2% | rising |
| 87 | Costa Rica | 2.3% | 2024 | up 27.8% | rising |
| 87 | Portugal | 2.3% | 2024 | down 43.9% | falling |
| 89 | Malta | 2.1% | 2024 | up 40.0% | rising |
| 90 | Canada | 1.9% | 2024 | up 216.7% | rising |
| 90 | Denmark | 1.9% | 2024 | up 90.0% | rising |
| 90 | Spain | 1.9% | 2024 | up 72.7% | rising |
| 90 | Estonia | 1.9% | 2024 | up 111.1% | rising |
| 94 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1.8% | 2024 | up 20.0% | rising |
| 94 | Iceland | 1.8% | 2024 | up 5.9% | rising |
| 94 | Latvia | 1.8% | 2024 | up 200.0% | volatile |
| 94 | Vietnam | 1.8% | 2024 | — | volatile |
| 98 | Austria | 1.7% | 2024 | up 54.5% | rising |
| 98 | Bulgaria | 1.7% | 2024 | down 10.5% | rising |
| 98 | Czechia | 1.7% | 2024 | up 142.9% | volatile |
| 101 | Greece | 1.6% | 2024 | down 38.5% | falling |
| 101 | North Macedonia | 1.6% | 2024 | down 55.6% | rising |
| 103 | Azerbaijan | 1.5% | 2024 | — | volatile |
| 103 | Switzerland | 1.5% | 2024 | unchanged | volatile |
| 103 | Norway | 1.5% | 2024 | up 36.4% | rising |
| 106 | Japan | 1.4% | 2024 | — | volatile |
| 106 | Montenegro | 1.4% | 2024 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 108 | South Korea | 1.3% | 2024 | — | volatile |
| 108 | Slovakia | 1.3% | 2024 | up 18.2% | rising |
| 110 | Lithuania | 1.2% | 2024 | down 52.0% | falling |
| 111 | Germany | 1.1% | 2024 | up 10.0% | rising |
| 111 | Sri Lanka | 1.1% | 2024 | up 57.1% | rising |
| 111 | United States | 1.1% | 2024 | unchanged | falling |
| 114 | Israel | 0.7% | 2024 | down 46.2% | falling |
| 114 | Serbia | 0.7% | 2024 | down 58.8% | flat |
| 116 | Brazil | 0.6% | 2024 | down 14.3% | volatile |
| 116 | Croatia | 0.6% | 2024 | unchanged | rising |
| 116 | Kyrgyzstan | 0.6% | 2024 | down 25.0% | falling |
| 116 | Luxembourg | 0.6% | 2024 | down 66.7% | falling |
| 116 | Mongolia | 0.6% | 2024 | — | volatile |
| 116 | Slovenia | 0.6% | 2024 | down 33.3% | volatile |
| 116 | Thailand | 0.6% | 2024 | down 14.3% | falling |
| 123 | Armenia | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 123 | Indonesia | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 123 | Kazakhstan | 0.0% | 2024 | — | volatile |
| 123 | Poland | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 123 | Russia | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- Low income 26.8%
- Africa Eastern and Southern 26.1%
- Least developed countries 21.9%
- Africa Western and Central 21.5%
- IDA total 20.3%
- South Asia 18.0%
- South Asia (IDA & IBRD) 18.0%
- Lower middle income 16.7%
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) 13.1%
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 12.3%
- IDA & IBRD total 11.6%
- World 10.1%
- Small states 9.6%
- IBRD only 8.2%
- Latin America & Caribbean 7.8%
- Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) 7.6%
- Upper middle income 2.8%
- Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) 2.7%
- Europe & Central Asia 2.4%
- High income 1.8%
- East Asia & Pacific 1.4%
- East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) 1.4%
- North America 1.1%
About this data
The percentage of people in the population who live in households classified as severely food insecure. A household is classified as severely food insecure when at least one adult in the household has reported to have been exposed, at times during the year, to several of the most severe experiences described in the FIES questions, such as to have been forced to reduce the quantity of the food, to have skipped meals, having gone hungry, or having to go for a whole day without eating because of a lack of money or other resources.