Prevalence of stunting, height for age in Madagascar
Madagascar: Prevalence of stunting, height for age was 39.8% in 2021. ▼ Falling
Prevalence of stunting, height for age in Madagascar, 1992–2021
Source: UNICEF, WHO, World Bank: Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME). Aggregation is based on UNICEF, WHO, and the World Bank harmonized dataset (adjusted, comparable data) and methodology., UN Children'. Measured in % of children under 5.
Analysis
Madagascar recorded 39.8% for prevalence of stunting, height for age in 2021. That is the lowest value across all 10 years on record.
The figure is down 4.3% on the previous year and down 20.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of stunting, height for age in Madagascar peaked at 60.5% in 1992 and was at its lowest, 39.8%, in 2021.
Madagascar ranks 8th of 97 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 10 years of available data.
Prevalence of stunting, height for age in Madagascar, year by year
| Year | % of children under 5 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 60.5% | — |
| 1993 | 54.1% | -10.6% |
| 1995 | 55.2% | +2.0% |
| 1997 | 55.0% | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 52.7% | -4.2% |
| 2009 | 49.4% | -6.3% |
| 2011 | 49.9% | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 48.9% | -2.0% |
| 2018 | 41.6% | -14.9% |
| 2021 | 39.8% | -4.3% |
Madagascar compared with similar countries
- Madagascar's 39.8% is above the median for low income countries, which is 33.1%, 1.2× the median. (21 countries reporting)
- Madagascar's 39.8% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 28.5%, 1.4× the median. (34 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 56.2% | 54.1% | 60.5% | 4 |
| 2000s | 51.0% | 49.4% | 52.7% | 2 |
| 2010s | 46.8% | 41.6% | 49.9% | 3 |
| 2020s | 39.8% | 39.8% | 39.8% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Madagascar
- 5 Guatemala 46.0% compare
- 6 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 44.7% compare
- 7 Afghanistan 44.6% compare
- 9 Central African Republic 37.9% compare
- 10 Pakistan 37.6% compare
- 11 Ethiopia 36.8% compare
More health data for Madagascar
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.87 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.4912 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 920.6 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 14,569 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 63 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.32 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.071 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.3 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of stunting, height for age in Madagascar?
- Prevalence of stunting, height for age in Madagascar was 39.8% in 2021, according to UNICEF, WHO, World Bank: Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME). Aggregation is based on UNICEF, WHO, and the World Bank harmonized dataset (adjusted, comparable data) and methodology., UN Children'.
- What is the highest prevalence of stunting, height for age recorded in Madagascar?
- The highest recorded value was 60.5% in 1992.
- What is the lowest prevalence of stunting, height for age recorded in Madagascar?
- The lowest recorded value was 39.8% in 2021.
- How does Madagascar rank for prevalence of stunting, height for age?
- Madagascar ranks 8th out of 97 countries with data for 2021.
- Is prevalence of stunting, height for age rising or falling in Madagascar?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Madagascar data come from?
- The figures come from UNICEF, WHO, World Bank: Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME). Aggregation is based on UNICEF, WHO, and the World Bank harmonized dataset (adjusted, comparable data) and methodology., UN Children', published as part of Prevalence of stunting, height for age (% of children under 5). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Prevalence of stunting is the percentage of children 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.