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
168
Highest
54.2%
Haiti
Lowest
2.5%
Uzbekistan
Median
5.2%
Years covered
23
2001–2023
Data points
4,908
What the numbers show
Prevalence of undernourishment (% of population) is currently reported for 168 countries. The highest value is 54.2% in Haiti; the lowest is 2.5% in Uzbekistan.
The median across all reporting countries is 5.2%, and the mean is 10.0%.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 22.
Over the past decade 53 countries rose and 62 fell. The largest increase was in Syrian Arab Republic (up 348.3%), and the largest decrease in Mongolia (down 79.0%).
Prevalence of undernourishment: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Haiti | 54.2% | 2023 | up 39.0% | flat |
| 2 | Somalia | 53.2% | 2023 | down 16.0% | falling |
| 3 | Korea, Democratic People's Republic of | 47.0% | 2018 | up 16.0% | rising |
| 4 | Madagascar | 39.5% | 2023 | up 31.2% | rising |
| 5 | Syrian Arab Republic | 39.0% | 2023 | up 348.3% | volatile |
| 6 | Congo, Democratic Republic of the | 38.5% | 2023 | up 25.0% | rising |
| 7 | Zambia | 37.2% | 2023 | down 4.9% | falling |
| 8 | Kenya | 36.8% | 2023 | up 94.7% | falling |
| 9 | Liberia | 35.5% | 2023 | down 2.5% | flat |
| 10 | Chad | 32.0% | 2023 | up 34.5% | falling |
| 11 | Central African Republic | 29.8% | 2023 | down 1.0% | falling |
| 12 | Papua New Guinea | 28.7% | 2023 | up 5.1% | flat |
| 13 | Afghanistan | 28.1% | 2023 | up 44.8% | falling |
| 14 | Congo | 26.4% | 2023 | down 19.3% | flat |
| 15 | Gabon | 25.3% | 2023 | up 93.1% | rising |
| 16 | Rwanda | 24.4% | 2023 | down 31.7% | falling |
| 17 | Sierra Leone | 24.1% | 2023 | up 3.9% | falling |
| 18 | Botswana | 24.0% | 2023 | up 15.4% | falling |
| 19 | Angola | 22.5% | 2023 | up 66.7% | volatile |
| 20 | Guinea-Bissau | 22.1% | 2023 | down 24.1% | rising |
| 21 | Uganda | 22.0% | 2023 | up 3.3% | rising |
| 22 | Bolivia, Plurinational State of | 21.8% | 2023 | up 21.1% | falling |
| 22 | Mozambique | 21.8% | 2023 | down 17.4% | falling |
| 24 | Malawi | 21.4% | 2023 | up 43.6% | falling |
| 25 | Tanzania, United Republic of | 20.2% | 2023 | down 4.7% | falling |
| 26 | Solomon Islands | 20.0% | 2023 | up 6.4% | rising |
| 27 | Nigeria | 19.9% | 2023 | up 74.6% | rising |
| 28 | Ethiopia | 19.7% | 2023 | up 11.3% | falling |
| 28 | Zimbabwe | 19.7% | 2023 | down 36.7% | falling |
| 30 | Timor-Leste | 18.7% | 2023 | up 21.4% | falling |
| 31 | Namibia | 18.1% | 2023 | down 22.3% | flat |
| 32 | Sao Tome and Principe | 17.4% | 2023 | unchanged | rising |
| 33 | Nicaragua | 17.3% | 2022 | up 1.8% | falling |
| 34 | Gambia | 16.8% | 2023 | up 51.4% | flat |
| 35 | Libya | 16.5% | 2023 | up 68.4% | rising |
| 35 | Pakistan | 16.5% | 2023 | up 12.2% | falling |
| 37 | Comoros | 15.4% | 2023 | up 2.7% | falling |
| 38 | Iraq | 14.9% | 2023 | unchanged | falling |
| 39 | Honduras | 14.8% | 2023 | up 8.0% | falling |
| 40 | Eswatini | 14.7% | 2023 | down 16.0% | rising |
| 41 | Benin | 14.3% | 2023 | up 55.4% | rising |
| 41 | Jordan | 14.3% | 2023 | up 74.4% | rising |
| 43 | Cape Verde | 13.5% | 2023 | down 11.8% | falling |
| 44 | Burkina Faso | 13.1% | 2023 | down 3.0% | falling |
| 45 | Djibouti | 12.9% | 2023 | down 17.8% | falling |
| 45 | Niger | 12.9% | 2023 | down 11.0% | falling |
| 47 | Mali | 12.3% | 2023 | up 136.5% | falling |
| 48 | Ecuador | 12.1% | 2023 | up 42.4% | falling |
| 49 | India | 12.0% | 2023 | down 6.2% | falling |
| 50 | Guatemala | 11.8% | 2023 | down 25.3% | falling |
| 51 | Guinea | 11.4% | 2023 | down 19.7% | falling |
| 52 | Macau, China | 11.2% | 2023 | up 47.4% | falling |
| 52 | Trinidad and Tobago | 11.2% | 2023 | up 67.2% | falling |
| 54 | Côte d'Ivoire | 11.1% | 2023 | down 28.4% | falling |
| 55 | Sudan | 11.0% | 2021 | up 26.4% | rising |
| 56 | Bangladesh | 10.4% | 2023 | down 37.7% | falling |
| 57 | South Africa | 10.0% | 2023 | up 78.6% | rising |
| 58 | Suriname | 9.7% | 2023 | up 24.4% | flat |
| 59 | Egypt | 9.4% | 2023 | up 54.1% | rising |
| 60 | Togo | 9.1% | 2023 | down 53.6% | falling |
| 61 | Lebanon | 8.7% | 2023 | up 81.2% | rising |
| 61 | Mauritania | 8.7% | 2023 | up 42.6% | falling |
| 61 | Mauritius | 8.7% | 2023 | up 29.9% | rising |
| 64 | Tajikistan | 8.4% | 2023 | down 58.6% | volatile |
| 65 | Jamaica | 7.7% | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 66 | Sri Lanka | 7.4% | 2023 | down 15.9% | falling |
| 67 | Vanuatu | 7.2% | 2023 | down 5.3% | falling |
| 68 | Belize | 7.0% | 2023 | up 16.7% | rising |
| 68 | Morocco | 7.0% | 2023 | up 70.7% | rising |
| 70 | Peru | 6.9% | 2023 | up 23.2% | volatile |
| 70 | Ukraine | 6.9% | 2023 | up 176.0% | rising |
| 72 | Fiji | 6.8% | 2023 | down 5.6% | rising |
| 72 | Iran, Islamic Republic of | 6.8% | 2023 | down 15.0% | rising |
| 74 | El Salvador | 6.7% | 2023 | down 27.2% | falling |
| 75 | Ghana | 6.3% | 2023 | down 21.2% | falling |
| 75 | Indonesia | 6.3% | 2023 | down 24.1% | falling |
| 77 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 6.1% | 2023 | up 27.1% | falling |
| 78 | Oman | 5.9% | 2023 | down 14.5% | falling |
| 78 | Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of | 5.9% | 2023 | up 136.0% | volatile |
| 80 | Panama | 5.7% | 2023 | down 19.7% | volatile |
| 81 | Albania | 5.4% | 2023 | up 17.4% | falling |
| 81 | Myanmar | 5.4% | 2023 | down 15.6% | volatile |
| 83 | Nepal | 5.3% | 2023 | down 39.1% | volatile |
| 83 | Viet Nam | 5.3% | 2023 | down 36.9% | falling |
| 85 | Cambodia | 5.2% | 2023 | down 38.1% | falling |
| 85 | Paraguay | 5.2% | 2023 | up 108.0% | volatile |
| 87 | Kyrgyzstan | 5.1% | 2023 | down 16.4% | falling |
| 87 | Senegal | 5.1% | 2023 | down 54.5% | falling |
| 89 | New Caledonia | 4.9% | 2023 | down 40.2% | falling |
| 90 | Cameroon | 4.8% | 2023 | up 14.3% | volatile |
| 91 | Thailand | 4.6% | 2023 | down 47.1% | falling |
| 92 | Barbados | 4.4% | 2023 | up 76.0% | falling |
| 93 | Turkmenistan | 4.3% | 2023 | up 4.9% | falling |
| 94 | Kiribati | 4.1% | 2023 | up 32.3% | falling |
| 95 | Colombia | 3.9% | 2023 | down 44.3% | falling |
| 96 | French Polynesia | 3.8% | 2023 | down 19.1% | falling |
| 97 | Dominica | 3.6% | 2023 | down 21.7% | rising |
| 97 | Dominican Republic | 3.6% | 2023 | down 60.4% | volatile |
| 97 | Samoa | 3.6% | 2023 | down 14.3% | rising |
| 100 | Argentina | 3.4% | 2023 | up 6.2% | falling |
| 101 | Hong Kong, China | 3.1% | 2023 | up 24.0% | rising |
| 101 | Slovakia | 3.1% | 2023 | down 44.6% | falling |
| 103 | Philippines | 3.0% | 2023 | down 78.1% | falling |
| 103 | Tunisia | 3.0% | 2023 | down 3.2% | falling |
| 105 | Mexico | 2.7% | 2023 | down 27.0% | falling |
| 106 | United Arab Emirates | 2.5% | 2023 | down 28.6% | falling |
| 106 | Armenia | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | volatile |
| 106 | Australia | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 106 | Austria | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 106 | Azerbaijan | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | volatile |
| 106 | Belgium | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 106 | Bulgaria | 2.5% | 2023 | down 40.5% | falling |
| 106 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | falling |
| 106 | Belarus | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | falling |
| 106 | Brazil | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | volatile |
| 106 | Canada | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 106 | Switzerland | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 106 | Chile | 2.5% | 2023 | down 26.5% | flat |
| 106 | China | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | volatile |
| 106 | Costa Rica | 2.5% | 2023 | down 13.8% | falling |
| 106 | Cuba | 2.5% | 2006 | unchanged | flat |
| 106 | Cyprus | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | falling |
| 106 | Czechia | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 106 | Germany | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 106 | Denmark | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 106 | Algeria | 2.5% | 2023 | down 13.8% | falling |
| 106 | Spain | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 106 | Estonia | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | falling |
| 106 | Finland | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 106 | France | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 106 | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 106 | Georgia | 2.5% | 2023 | down 66.2% | falling |
| 106 | Greece | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 106 | Guyana | 2.5% | 2023 | down 63.8% | falling |
| 106 | Croatia | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | volatile |
| 106 | Hungary | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 106 | Ireland | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 106 | Iceland | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 106 | Israel | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 106 | Italy | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 106 | Kazakhstan | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | falling |
| 106 | Republic of Korea | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 106 | Kuwait | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 106 | Lithuania | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 106 | Luxembourg | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 106 | Latvia | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | falling |
| 106 | Republic of Moldova | 2.5% | 2023 | down 43.2% | volatile |
| 106 | North Macedonia | 2.5% | 2023 | down 34.2% | falling |
| 106 | Malta | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 106 | Montenegro | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | volatile |
| 106 | Mongolia | 2.5% | 2023 | down 79.0% | volatile |
| 106 | Malaysia | 2.5% | 2023 | down 32.4% | falling |
| 106 | Netherlands | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 106 | Norway | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 106 | New Zealand | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 106 | Poland | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 106 | Portugal | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 106 | Romania | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 106 | Russian Federation | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | falling |
| 106 | Saudi Arabia | 2.5% | 2023 | down 10.7% | falling |
| 106 | Serbia | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | falling |
| 106 | Slovenia | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 106 | Sweden | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 106 | Seychelles | 2.5% | 2023 | down 51.9% | flat |
| 106 | Türkiye | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | volatile |
| 106 | Uruguay | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | falling |
| 106 | United States of America | 2.5% | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 106 | Uzbekistan | 2.5% | 2023 | 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 26.8%
- Africa Eastern and Southern 26.1%
- Pre-demographic dividend 23.4%
- Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) 23.0%
- Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) 21.9%
- Sub-Saharan Africa 21.9%
- Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) 21.9%
- Least developed countries 20.7%
- IDA only 20.0%
- IDA total 19.3%
- IDA blend 18.2%
- Africa Western and Central 16.3%
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) 13.6%
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) 13.6%
- Lower middle income 13.4%
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 12.7%
- Arab World 12.1%
- South Asia 11.7%
- South Asia (IDA & IBRD) 11.7%
- Pacific island small states 10.8%
- Early-demographic dividend 10.6%
- Low & middle income 10.2%
- IDA & IBRD total 9.9%
- Other small states 9.5%
- Small states 9.3%
- Middle income 8.5%
- World 8.5%
- Caribbean Small States 7.7%
- IBRD only 6.5%
- Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) 5.5%
- Latin America & Caribbean 5.3%
- Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) 5.3%
- Upper middle income 3.9%
- Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) 3.6%
- East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income) 3.5%
- East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) 3.5%
- East Asia & Pacific 3.5%
- Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) 3.1%
- Late-demographic dividend 2.9%
- Europe & Central Asia 2.8%
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%.