Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in El Salvador

El Salvador: Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population was 15.4% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
15.4%
Change on year
down 2.5%
World rank
25th
of 125 countries
All-time high
16.2%
in 2021
All-time low
13.7%
in 2016
Years of data
9
2015–2023

Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in El Salvador, 2015–2023

0510152015201920232015: 13.8 %2016: 13.7 %2017: 14 %2018: 14.6 %2019: 15.1 %2020: 14.7 %2021: 16.2 %2022: 15.8 %2023: 15.4 %

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

Analysis

In 2023, prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in El Salvador stood at 15.4%.

The figure is down 2.5% on the previous year and up 11.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in El Salvador peaked at 16.2% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 13.7%, in 2016.

That places El Salvador 25th out of 125 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.

Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in El Salvador, year by year

Annual values for Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population (%) in El Salvador, 2015 to 2023.
Year % Change
2015 13.8%
2016 13.7% -0.7%
2017 14.0% +2.2%
2018 14.6% +4.3%
2019 15.1% +3.4%
2020 14.7% -2.6%
2021 16.2% +10.2%
2022 15.8% -2.5%
2023 15.4% -2.5%

El Salvador compared with similar countries

  • El Salvador's 15.4% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 5.0%, 3.1× the median. (39 countries reporting)
  • El Salvador's 15.4% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 11.9%, 1.3× the median. (17 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 14.2% 13.7% 15.1% 5
2020s 15.5% 14.7% 16.2% 4

Countries ranked near El Salvador

  1. 22 Madagascar 17.8% compare
  2. 23 Libya 17.2% compare
  3. 23 Zambia 17.2% compare
  4. 25 Honduras 15.4% compare
  5. 27 Benin 15.0% compare
  6. 28 Uganda 14.9% compare

See the full ranking of 148 places →

More health data for El Salvador

All data for El Salvador →

Frequently asked questions

What is prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in El Salvador?
Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in El Salvador was 15.4% in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
What is the highest prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population recorded in El Salvador?
The highest recorded value was 16.2% in 2021.
What is the lowest prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population recorded in El Salvador?
The lowest recorded value was 13.7% in 2016.
How does El Salvador rank for prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population?
El Salvador ranks 25th out of 125 countries with data for 2023.
Is prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population rising or falling in El Salvador?
Over the last ten years it is up 11.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this El Salvador data come from?
The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the population in El Salvador. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Retrieved 14 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/prevalence-of-severe-food-insecurity-in-the-population-percent/el-salvador/

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About this data

Indicator
Prevalence of 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
148 places, 1,295 data points, 2014–2024
Last refreshed

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.