Prevalence of stunting, height for age, female (modeled estimate, % of children under 5) by country
Prevalence of stunting, female, is the percentage of girls under age 5 whose height for age is more than two standard deviations below the median for the international reference population ages 0-59 months. For children up to two years old height is measured by recumbent length. For older children height is...
Countries reporting
162
Highest
52.0%
Burundi
Lowest
0.9%
Poland
Median
10.8%
Years covered
25
2000–2024
Data points
5,161
What the numbers show
Prevalence of stunting, height for age, female (modeled estimate, % of children under 5) is currently reported for 162 countries. The highest value is 52.0% in Burundi; the lowest is 0.9% in Poland.
The median across all reporting countries is 10.8%, and the mean is 15.0%.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 58.
Over the past decade 26 countries rose and 132 fell. The largest increase was in United States of America (up 60.9%), and the largest decrease in Tonga (down 71.2%).
Prevalence of stunting, height for age, female: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burundi | 52.0% | 2024 | up 1.2% | falling |
| 2 | Yemen | 46.3% | 2024 | down 0.2% | falling |
| 3 | Papua New Guinea | 46.2% | 2024 | down 0.2% | rising |
| 4 | Niger | 45.7% | 2024 | up 8.6% | falling |
| 5 | Angola | 44.8% | 2024 | up 44.5% | rising |
| 6 | Eritrea | 44.7% | 2024 | down 8.2% | rising |
| 7 | Timor-Leste | 43.8% | 2024 | down 11.3% | falling |
| 8 | Guatemala | 41.9% | 2024 | down 4.8% | falling |
| 9 | Afghanistan | 41.4% | 2024 | down 1.4% | falling |
| 10 | Congo, Democratic Republic of the | 41.1% | 2024 | up 3.5% | falling |
| 11 | Central African Republic | 36.3% | 2024 | down 2.2% | falling |
| 12 | Madagascar | 35.7% | 2024 | down 18.5% | falling |
| 13 | Sudan | 34.1% | 2024 | down 1.4% | falling |
| 14 | Mozambique | 34.0% | 2024 | down 12.8% | falling |
| 15 | Ethiopia | 33.0% | 2024 | down 12.7% | falling |
| 16 | Pakistan | 32.6% | 2024 | down 22.2% | falling |
| 17 | India | 31.8% | 2024 | down 17.6% | falling |
| 18 | Lesotho | 31.7% | 2024 | down 3.1% | falling |
| 19 | Nigeria | 31.4% | 2024 | down 7.1% | falling |
| 20 | Benin | 30.4% | 2024 | down 2.3% | falling |
| 21 | Malawi | 30.2% | 2024 | down 19.0% | falling |
| 22 | Vanuatu | 29.5% | 2024 | up 12.2% | rising |
| 23 | Zambia | 29.4% | 2024 | down 17.4% | falling |
| 24 | Chad | 29.3% | 2024 | down 13.1% | falling |
| 25 | Lao People's Democratic Republic | 28.4% | 2024 | down 23.2% | falling |
| 26 | Marshall Islands | 28.2% | 2024 | down 17.8% | falling |
| 27 | Solomon Islands | 28.1% | 2024 | down 4.7% | falling |
| 28 | South Sudan | 27.8% | 2024 | down 2.1% | falling |
| 29 | Tanzania, United Republic of | 27.2% | 2024 | down 17.3% | falling |
| 30 | Rwanda | 27.0% | 2024 | down 23.3% | falling |
| 31 | Philippines | 26.0% | 2024 | down 11.9% | falling |
| 32 | Guinea-Bissau | 25.9% | 2024 | up 1.6% | falling |
| 33 | Nepal | 25.1% | 2024 | down 30.7% | falling |
| 34 | Cameroon | 24.7% | 2024 | down 13.6% | falling |
| 35 | Guinea | 24.5% | 2024 | down 18.6% | falling |
| 36 | Bangladesh | 24.4% | 2024 | down 30.3% | falling |
| 37 | Liberia | 24.3% | 2024 | down 19.3% | falling |
| 38 | Myanmar | 23.0% | 2024 | down 19.3% | falling |
| 39 | Malaysia | 22.9% | 2024 | up 29.4% | rising |
| 40 | Sierra Leone | 22.7% | 2024 | down 21.5% | falling |
| 41 | Syrian Arab Republic | 22.5% | 2024 | down 13.5% | falling |
| 42 | Somalia | 22.0% | 2024 | down 16.0% | falling |
| 43 | South Africa | 21.7% | 2024 | up 10.2% | falling |
| 44 | Zimbabwe | 21.3% | 2024 | down 17.8% | falling |
| 45 | Indonesia | 21.2% | 2024 | down 30.3% | falling |
| 46 | Mali | 21.1% | 2024 | down 17.9% | falling |
| 46 | Uganda | 21.1% | 2024 | down 25.7% | falling |
| 48 | Togo | 20.8% | 2024 | down 11.1% | falling |
| 49 | Cambodia | 20.5% | 2024 | down 29.1% | falling |
| 50 | Haiti | 20.0% | 2024 | down 4.3% | falling |
| 51 | Mauritania | 19.4% | 2024 | down 12.6% | falling |
| 52 | Djibouti | 18.9% | 2024 | down 21.9% | falling |
| 53 | Botswana | 18.6% | 2024 | down 10.1% | falling |
| 54 | Côte d'Ivoire | 18.3% | 2024 | down 26.8% | falling |
| 55 | Viet Nam | 17.9% | 2024 | down 21.1% | falling |
| 56 | Burkina Faso | 17.5% | 2024 | down 33.0% | falling |
| 57 | Bhutan | 17.2% | 2024 | down 31.7% | falling |
| 58 | Eswatini | 16.6% | 2024 | down 28.4% | falling |
| 59 | Honduras | 16.2% | 2024 | down 14.7% | falling |
| 60 | Ecuador | 16.1% | 2024 | down 20.3% | falling |
| 61 | Kenya | 16.0% | 2024 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 62 | Korea, Democratic People's Republic of | 15.6% | 2024 | down 29.4% | falling |
| 63 | Comoros | 15.5% | 2024 | down 40.2% | falling |
| 64 | Equatorial Guinea | 15.4% | 2024 | down 26.3% | falling |
| 65 | Senegal | 15.3% | 2024 | down 6.1% | falling |
| 66 | Naoero | 14.9% | 2024 | down 18.6% | falling |
| 67 | Congo | 14.4% | 2024 | down 25.4% | falling |
| 67 | Namibia | 14.4% | 2024 | down 26.9% | falling |
| 69 | Ghana | 13.8% | 2024 | down 25.0% | falling |
| 69 | Kiribati | 13.8% | 2024 | down 8.0% | falling |
| 71 | Maldives | 13.6% | 2024 | down 9.9% | falling |
| 72 | Morocco | 12.9% | 2024 | down 10.4% | falling |
| 73 | Panama | 12.7% | 2024 | down 26.6% | falling |
| 74 | Gambia | 12.4% | 2024 | down 34.4% | falling |
| 75 | Egypt | 12.2% | 2024 | down 37.1% | falling |
| 75 | Tajikistan | 12.2% | 2024 | down 43.8% | falling |
| 77 | Gabon | 12.1% | 2024 | down 16.6% | falling |
| 78 | Mexico | 11.8% | 2024 | up 2.6% | falling |
| 79 | Thailand | 11.5% | 2024 | down 7.3% | falling |
| 80 | Oman | 11.4% | 2024 | up 14.0% | falling |
| 81 | Ukraine | 10.9% | 2024 | down 30.6% | falling |
| 82 | Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of | 10.6% | 2024 | up 1.9% | falling |
| 83 | Belize | 10.5% | 2024 | down 28.1% | falling |
| 83 | Colombia | 10.5% | 2024 | down 6.2% | falling |
| 85 | Kyrgyzstan | 10.3% | 2024 | down 23.7% | falling |
| 86 | Saudi Arabia | 9.9% | 2024 | down 9.2% | flat |
| 87 | Argentina | 9.7% | 2024 | up 44.8% | rising |
| 87 | Bolivia, Plurinational State of | 9.7% | 2024 | down 40.1% | falling |
| 87 | Costa Rica | 9.7% | 2024 | up 51.6% | rising |
| 87 | Sri Lanka | 9.7% | 2024 | down 31.2% | falling |
| 91 | Peru | 9.6% | 2024 | down 32.9% | falling |
| 92 | Lebanon | 9.5% | 2024 | unchanged | falling |
| 93 | Iraq | 8.9% | 2024 | down 46.1% | falling |
| 94 | Brunei Darussalam | 8.8% | 2024 | down 37.1% | falling |
| 94 | Sao Tome and Principe | 8.8% | 2024 | down 40.5% | falling |
| 96 | Libya | 8.6% | 2024 | down 60.7% | falling |
| 97 | El Salvador | 8.5% | 2024 | down 32.5% | falling |
| 98 | Algeria | 8.4% | 2024 | down 20.0% | falling |
| 98 | Tunisia | 8.4% | 2024 | up 2.4% | falling |
| 100 | Brazil | 8.1% | 2024 | up 30.6% | flat |
| 101 | Samoa | 7.8% | 2024 | up 56.0% | rising |
| 102 | Palestine, State of | 7.6% | 2024 | down 15.6% | falling |
| 103 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 7.4% | 2024 | down 10.8% | falling |
| 103 | Montenegro | 7.4% | 2024 | down 5.1% | flat |
| 105 | Jordan | 7.2% | 2024 | down 1.4% | falling |
| 106 | Suriname | 7.1% | 2024 | down 4.1% | falling |
| 107 | Albania | 6.9% | 2024 | down 49.3% | falling |
| 107 | Mauritius | 6.9% | 2024 | down 2.8% | falling |
| 109 | Trinidad and Tobago | 6.8% | 2024 | down 9.3% | rising |
| 110 | Fiji | 6.7% | 2024 | up 6.3% | flat |
| 111 | Cuba | 6.6% | 2024 | up 1.5% | falling |
| 112 | Mongolia | 6.5% | 2024 | down 34.3% | volatile |
| 112 | Romania | 6.5% | 2024 | down 15.6% | falling |
| 114 | Azerbaijan | 6.4% | 2024 | down 51.1% | falling |
| 114 | Guyana | 6.4% | 2024 | down 45.8% | falling |
| 116 | Uzbekistan | 6.3% | 2024 | down 41.7% | falling |
| 117 | Jamaica | 6.2% | 2024 | up 8.8% | flat |
| 118 | Turkmenistan | 6.1% | 2024 | down 41.3% | falling |
| 119 | Armenia | 5.8% | 2024 | down 50.0% | falling |
| 120 | Uruguay | 5.7% | 2024 | down 21.9% | falling |
| 121 | Seychelles | 5.4% | 2024 | down 18.2% | falling |
| 122 | Bulgaria | 5.2% | 2024 | down 18.8% | falling |
| 122 | Türkiye | 5.2% | 2024 | down 31.6% | falling |
| 124 | Barbados | 5.0% | 2024 | down 19.4% | falling |
| 124 | Dominican Republic | 5.0% | 2024 | down 27.5% | falling |
| 126 | Tuvalu | 4.8% | 2024 | down 29.4% | falling |
| 127 | Cape Verde | 4.7% | 2024 | down 28.8% | falling |
| 127 | Qatar | 4.7% | 2024 | down 14.5% | falling |
| 129 | Iran, Islamic Republic of | 4.6% | 2024 | down 11.5% | falling |
| 130 | Japan | 4.5% | 2024 | down 19.6% | falling |
| 131 | Georgia | 4.4% | 2024 | down 41.3% | falling |
| 132 | Serbia | 4.3% | 2024 | down 18.9% | falling |
| 133 | China | 4.2% | 2024 | down 31.1% | volatile |
| 133 | Kazakhstan | 4.2% | 2024 | down 53.8% | falling |
| 135 | Bahrain | 4.1% | 2024 | down 22.6% | falling |
| 136 | Kuwait | 3.9% | 2024 | down 9.3% | rising |
| 136 | Republic of Moldova | 3.9% | 2024 | down 32.8% | falling |
| 138 | United States of America | 3.7% | 2024 | up 60.9% | rising |
| 139 | North Macedonia | 3.5% | 2024 | down 27.1% | falling |
| 140 | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | 3.1% | 2024 | up 24.0% | falling |
| 140 | Malta | 3.1% | 2024 | down 22.5% | falling |
| 142 | Paraguay | 2.9% | 2024 | down 58.0% | volatile |
| 143 | Portugal | 2.8% | 2024 | down 12.5% | falling |
| 143 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 2.8% | 2024 | down 15.2% | falling |
| 145 | Australia | 2.7% | 2024 | down 10.0% | rising |
| 146 | Saint Lucia | 2.5% | 2024 | up 19.0% | falling |
| 147 | Singapore | 2.4% | 2024 | down 11.1% | falling |
| 148 | Belgium | 2.3% | 2024 | down 4.2% | falling |
| 149 | Czechia | 2.1% | 2024 | unchanged | falling |
| 150 | Germany | 1.9% | 2024 | up 35.7% | rising |
| 150 | Ireland | 1.9% | 2024 | down 9.5% | falling |
| 152 | Greece | 1.7% | 2024 | up 6.2% | falling |
| 153 | Korea | 1.6% | 2024 | unchanged | falling |
| 154 | Chile | 1.5% | 2024 | down 6.2% | falling |
| 154 | Finland | 1.5% | 2024 | up 7.1% | falling |
| 154 | Latvia | 1.5% | 2024 | down 16.7% | falling |
| 154 | Tonga | 1.5% | 2024 | down 71.2% | volatile |
| 158 | Lithuania | 1.4% | 2024 | down 12.5% | falling |
| 158 | Netherlands | 1.4% | 2024 | up 7.7% | rising |
| 160 | Belarus | 1.1% | 2024 | down 42.1% | volatile |
| 160 | Estonia | 1.1% | 2024 | unchanged | falling |
| 162 | Poland | 0.9% | 2024 | down 35.7% | falling |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- Low income 33.5%
- Least developed countries 31.7%
- Africa Eastern and Southern 31.6%
- South Asia (IDA & IBRD) 30.5%
- South Asia 30.4%
- Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) 30.3%
- Pre-demographic dividend 30.2%
- IDA only 30.1%
- Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) 29.8%
- Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) 29.8%
- Sub-Saharan Africa 29.8%
- IDA total 29.4%
- IDA blend 28.1%
- Lower middle income 27.4%
- Africa Western and Central 27.2%
- Early-demographic dividend 25.5%
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) 24.4%
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) 24.3%
- Low & middle income 24.1%
- IDA & IBRD total 24.0%
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 23.3%
- World 21.9%
- Middle income 21.6%
- Arab World 19.5%
- IBRD only 19.3%
- Pacific island small states 18.4%
- Other small states 17.7%
- Small states 15.8%
- East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income) 13.3%
- East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) 13.2%
- East Asia & Pacific 12.5%
- Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) 11.6%
- Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) 11.4%
- Latin America & Caribbean 11.3%
- Upper middle income 10.1%
- Late-demographic dividend 7.3%
- Caribbean Small States 7.0%
- Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) 6.5%
- Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) 6.0%
- OECD members 5.3%
About this data
Prevalence of stunting, female, is the percentage of girls under age 5 whose height for age is more than two standard deviations below the median for the international reference population ages 0-59 months. For children up to two years old height is measured by recumbent length. For older children height is measured by stature while standing. The data are based on the WHO's 2006 Child Growth Standards.