Prevalence of undernourishment (% of population) by country
Prevalence of undernourishment is the percentage of the population whose habitual food consumption is insufficient to provide the dietary energy levels that are required to maintain a normal active and healthy life. Data showing as 2.5 may signify a prevalence of undernourishment below 2.5%.
Countries reporting
171
Highest
56.5%
Somalia
Lowest
2.5%
Uzbekistan
Median
4.9%
Years covered
24
2001–2024
Data points
5,187
What the numbers show
Prevalence of undernourishment (% of population) is currently reported for 171 countries. The highest value is 56.5% in Somalia; the lowest is 2.5% in Uzbekistan.
The median across all reporting countries is 4.9%, and the mean is 9.9%.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 23.
Over the past decade 53 countries rose and 65 fell. The largest increase was in Ukraine (up 332.0%), and the largest decrease in Mongolia (down 77.1%).
Prevalence of undernourishment (% of population): full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Somalia | 56.5% | 2024 | down 8.0% | falling |
| 2 | Haiti | 51.4% | 2024 | up 36.3% | flat |
| 3 | North Korea | 47.0% | 2018 | up 16.0% | rising |
| 4 | Madagascar | 41.8% | 2024 | up 29.0% | rising |
| 5 | Zambia | 41.0% | 2024 | up 9.9% | falling |
| 6 | Syria | 40.8% | 2024 | up 304.0% | volatile |
| 7 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 39.5% | 2024 | up 25.0% | rising |
| 8 | Liberia | 37.3% | 2024 | up 1.9% | rising |
| 9 | Kenya | 34.9% | 2024 | up 79.9% | flat |
| 10 | Chad | 33.6% | 2024 | up 33.9% | flat |
| 11 | Papua New Guinea | 30.5% | 2024 | up 10.9% | rising |
| 12 | Central African Republic | 29.8% | 2024 | down 3.6% | falling |
| 13 | Afghanistan | 27.8% | 2024 | up 44.0% | falling |
| 14 | Solomon Islands | 27.0% | 2024 | up 29.2% | rising |
| 15 | Sierra Leone | 25.3% | 2024 | up 11.0% | falling |
| 16 | Congo | 25.0% | 2024 | down 10.1% | falling |
| 17 | Malawi | 24.5% | 2024 | up 58.1% | flat |
| 18 | Gabon | 23.3% | 2024 | up 70.1% | rising |
| 19 | Sao Tome and Principe | 23.0% | 2024 | up 29.9% | rising |
| 20 | Rwanda | 22.6% | 2024 | down 34.1% | falling |
| 21 | Mozambique | 22.3% | 2024 | down 31.6% | falling |
| 22 | Nigeria | 22.2% | 2024 | up 94.7% | rising |
| 23 | Uganda | 20.9% | 2024 | down 14.7% | rising |
| 24 | Namibia | 20.1% | 2024 | down 2.9% | rising |
| 25 | Guinea-Bissau | 20.0% | 2024 | down 27.0% | rising |
| 26 | Ethiopia | 19.9% | 2024 | up 27.6% | falling |
| 27 | Bolivia | 19.5% | 2024 | up 13.4% | falling |
| 28 | South Sudan | 19.1% | 2024 | — | falling |
| 28 | Tanzania | 19.1% | 2024 | down 9.5% | falling |
| 30 | Libya | 18.7% | 2024 | up 92.8% | rising |
| 31 | Zimbabwe | 18.4% | 2024 | down 45.1% | falling |
| 32 | Botswana | 18.2% | 2024 | down 11.2% | falling |
| 33 | Gambia | 17.5% | 2024 | up 50.9% | rising |
| 34 | Angola | 17.4% | 2024 | up 31.8% | volatile |
| 35 | Nicaragua | 17.3% | 2022 | up 2.4% | falling |
| 36 | East Timor | 16.9% | 2024 | up 38.5% | volatile |
| 37 | Comoros | 16.5% | 2024 | up 17.0% | falling |
| 38 | Pakistan | 16.1% | 2024 | up 12.6% | falling |
| 39 | Eswatini | 15.1% | 2024 | down 16.6% | rising |
| 40 | Djibouti | 14.7% | 2024 | down 5.2% | falling |
| 41 | Honduras | 14.3% | 2024 | up 0.7% | falling |
| 42 | Iraq | 13.4% | 2024 | down 10.7% | falling |
| 43 | Niger | 12.9% | 2024 | down 5.8% | falling |
| 44 | Guatemala | 12.7% | 2024 | down 17.5% | falling |
| 44 | Suriname | 12.7% | 2024 | up 44.3% | rising |
| 46 | Jordan | 12.2% | 2024 | up 69.4% | rising |
| 47 | Mali | 12.1% | 2024 | up 101.7% | falling |
| 48 | Burkina Faso | 11.7% | 2024 | down 15.2% | falling |
| 49 | Cote d'Ivoire | 11.4% | 2024 | down 22.4% | falling |
| 50 | Macao | 11.2% | 2023 | up 47.4% | falling |
| 50 | South Africa | 11.2% | 2024 | up 100.0% | rising |
| 52 | Benin | 11.1% | 2024 | up 12.1% | falling |
| 52 | Lebanon | 11.1% | 2024 | up 91.4% | rising |
| 54 | Mauritania | 11.0% | 2024 | up 66.7% | flat |
| 55 | Sudan | 10.9% | 2021 | up 25.3% | rising |
| 56 | Ecuador | 10.8% | 2024 | up 27.1% | falling |
| 56 | Ukraine | 10.8% | 2024 | up 332.0% | volatile |
| 58 | Trinidad and Tobago | 10.4% | 2024 | up 79.3% | falling |
| 59 | Togo | 10.2% | 2024 | down 50.7% | falling |
| 60 | Laos | 10.0% | 2024 | up 35.1% | volatile |
| 61 | India | 9.8% | 2024 | down 21.6% | falling |
| 62 | Guinea | 8.7% | 2024 | down 17.9% | falling |
| 63 | Egypt | 8.4% | 2024 | up 31.2% | rising |
| 64 | Bangladesh | 8.2% | 2024 | down 47.4% | falling |
| 65 | Cape Verde | 8.1% | 2024 | down 44.9% | falling |
| 66 | Jamaica | 8.0% | 2024 | up 3.9% | rising |
| 66 | Tajikistan | 8.0% | 2024 | down 59.2% | volatile |
| 68 | Fiji | 7.2% | 2024 | unchanged | rising |
| 69 | Oman | 7.1% | 2024 | down 4.1% | falling |
| 70 | Iran | 6.7% | 2024 | down 11.8% | rising |
| 71 | Morocco | 6.5% | 2024 | up 66.7% | rising |
| 72 | Ghana | 6.4% | 2024 | down 26.4% | falling |
| 73 | Indonesia | 6.3% | 2024 | down 19.2% | falling |
| 74 | Vietnam | 6.1% | 2024 | down 26.5% | falling |
| 75 | Vanuatu | 5.8% | 2024 | down 1.7% | falling |
| 76 | Peru | 5.7% | 2024 | up 9.6% | volatile |
| 77 | Albania | 5.6% | 2024 | up 21.7% | falling |
| 78 | Thailand | 5.4% | 2024 | down 34.1% | falling |
| 79 | Senegal | 5.3% | 2024 | down 53.5% | falling |
| 79 | El Salvador | 5.3% | 2024 | down 40.4% | falling |
| 79 | Venezuela | 5.3% | 2024 | up 35.9% | volatile |
| 82 | Nepal | 5.2% | 2024 | down 35.8% | volatile |
| 83 | Barbados | 5.0% | 2024 | up 92.3% | falling |
| 84 | Cameroon | 4.9% | 2024 | up 8.9% | volatile |
| 84 | Sri Lanka | 4.9% | 2024 | down 19.7% | falling |
| 84 | Mauritius | 4.9% | 2024 | down 27.9% | rising |
| 87 | Kyrgyzstan | 4.8% | 2024 | down 28.4% | falling |
| 88 | Cambodia | 4.7% | 2024 | down 42.0% | falling |
| 88 | Panama | 4.7% | 2024 | down 35.6% | volatile |
| 90 | Myanmar | 4.6% | 2024 | down 16.4% | volatile |
| 91 | Belize | 4.4% | 2024 | down 25.4% | falling |
| 92 | Colombia | 4.1% | 2024 | down 29.3% | falling |
| 92 | New Caledonia | 4.1% | 2024 | down 48.8% | falling |
| 92 | Paraguay | 4.1% | 2024 | up 64.0% | volatile |
| 92 | Turkmenistan | 4.1% | 2024 | up 10.8% | falling |
| 96 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 4.0% | 2024 | down 16.7% | falling |
| 97 | Kiribati | 3.8% | 2024 | up 5.6% | falling |
| 98 | Cuba | 3.5% | 2024 | up 40.0% | rising |
| 99 | Philippines | 3.4% | 2024 | down 74.0% | falling |
| 99 | Samoa | 3.4% | 2024 | down 27.7% | flat |
| 101 | Hong Kong | 3.1% | 2023 | up 24.0% | rising |
| 101 | Mexico | 3.1% | 2024 | down 22.5% | falling |
| 101 | Slovakia | 3.1% | 2023 | down 44.6% | falling |
| 104 | Dominica | 3.0% | 2024 | down 67.7% | flat |
| 105 | Argentina | 2.8% | 2024 | down 3.4% | falling |
| 105 | Tunisia | 2.8% | 2024 | down 3.4% | falling |
| 107 | French Polynesia | 2.6% | 2024 | down 16.1% | falling |
| 108 | United Arab Emirates | 2.5% | 2024 | down 28.6% | falling |
| 108 | Armenia | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | volatile |
| 108 | Australia | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | flat |
| 108 | Austria | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | flat |
| 108 | Azerbaijan | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | volatile |
| 108 | Belgium | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | flat |
| 108 | Bulgaria | 2.5% | 2024 | down 24.2% | falling |
| 108 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | falling |
| 108 | Belarus | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | falling |
| 108 | Brazil | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | volatile |
| 108 | Canada | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | flat |
| 108 | Switzerland | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | flat |
| 108 | Chile | 2.5% | 2024 | down 30.6% | flat |
| 108 | China | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | volatile |
| 108 | Costa Rica | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | falling |
| 108 | Cyprus | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | falling |
| 108 | Czechia | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | flat |
| 108 | Germany | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | flat |
| 108 | Denmark | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | flat |
| 108 | Dominican Republic | 2.5% | 2024 | down 70.9% | volatile |
| 108 | Algeria | 2.5% | 2024 | down 13.8% | falling |
| 108 | Spain | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | flat |
| 108 | Estonia | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | falling |
| 108 | Finland | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | flat |
| 108 | France | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | flat |
| 108 | United Kingdom | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | flat |
| 108 | Georgia | 2.5% | 2024 | down 66.2% | falling |
| 108 | Greece | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | flat |
| 108 | Guyana | 2.5% | 2024 | down 57.6% | falling |
| 108 | Croatia | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | volatile |
| 108 | Hungary | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | flat |
| 108 | Ireland | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | flat |
| 108 | Iceland | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | flat |
| 108 | Israel | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | flat |
| 108 | Italy | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | flat |
| 108 | Japan | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | flat |
| 108 | Kazakhstan | 2.5% | 2024 | down 51.9% | falling |
| 108 | South Korea | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | flat |
| 108 | Kuwait | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | flat |
| 108 | Lithuania | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | flat |
| 108 | Luxembourg | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | flat |
| 108 | Latvia | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | falling |
| 108 | Moldova | 2.5% | 2024 | down 34.2% | volatile |
| 108 | North Macedonia | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | falling |
| 108 | Malta | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | flat |
| 108 | Montenegro | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | volatile |
| 108 | Mongolia | 2.5% | 2024 | down 77.1% | volatile |
| 108 | Malaysia | 2.5% | 2024 | down 34.2% | falling |
| 108 | Netherlands | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | flat |
| 108 | Norway | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | flat |
| 108 | New Zealand | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | flat |
| 108 | Poland | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | flat |
| 108 | Portugal | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | flat |
| 108 | Romania | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | flat |
| 108 | Russia | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | falling |
| 108 | Saudi Arabia | 2.5% | 2024 | down 7.4% | falling |
| 108 | Serbia | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | falling |
| 108 | Slovenia | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | flat |
| 108 | Sweden | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | flat |
| 108 | Seychelles | 2.5% | 2024 | down 49.0% | falling |
| 108 | Turkey | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | volatile |
| 108 | Uruguay | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | falling |
| 108 | United States | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | flat |
| 108 | Uzbekistan | 2.5% | 2024 | unchanged | volatile |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- Low income 27.3%
- Africa Eastern and Southern 26.1%
- Pre-demographic dividend 23.8%
- Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) 23.2%
- Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) 22.3%
- Sub-Saharan Africa 22.3%
- Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) 22.3%
- Least developed countries 20.2%
- IDA only 19.8%
- IDA total 19.4%
- IDA blend 18.7%
- Africa Western and Central 17.2%
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) 13.2%
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) 13.2%
- Pacific island small states 13.2%
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 12.3%
- Lower middle income 12.1%
- Arab World 11.9%
- Low & middle income 9.8%
- IDA & IBRD total 9.5%
- South Asia 9.5%
- South Asia (IDA & IBRD) 9.5%
- Early-demographic dividend 9.5%
- Small states 9.3%
- Other small states 9.1%
- World 8.1%
- Middle income 8.0%
- Caribbean Small States 7.6%
- IBRD only 5.9%
- Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) 5.2%
- Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) 5.1%
- Latin America & Caribbean 5.1%
- Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) 4.1%
- Upper middle income 4.0%
- East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income) 3.6%
- East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) 3.6%
- East Asia & Pacific 3.5%
- Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) 3.4%
- Europe & Central Asia 2.9%
- Late-demographic dividend 2.9%
About this data
Prevalence of undernourishment is the percentage of the population whose habitual food consumption is insufficient to provide the dietary energy levels that are required to maintain a normal active and healthy life. Data showing as 2.5 may signify a prevalence of undernourishment below 2.5%.