Prevalence of undernourishment in Timor-Leste

Timor-Leste: Prevalence of undernourishment was 18.7% in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)
18.7%
Change on year
up 2.7%
World rank
30th
of 168 countries
All-time high
54.9%
in 2001
All-time low
14.8%
in 2014
Years of data
23
2001–2023

Prevalence of undernourishment in Timor-Leste, 2001–2023

10203040502001201220232001: 54.9 % of population2002: 43.4 % of population2003: 35.6 % of population2004: 32.4 % of population2005: 30 % of population2006: 27.6 % of population2007: 25.3 % of population2008: 23.2 % of population2009: 21.1 % of population2010: 19 % of population2011: 17.6 % of population2012: 16.7 % of population2013: 15.4 % of population2014: 14.8 % of population2015: 14.9 % of population2016: 15.4 % of population2017: 16.2 % of population2018: 16.3 % of population2019: 17 % of population2020: 17.5 % of population2021: 18 % of population2022: 18.2 % of population2023: 18.7 % of population

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

Analysis

Timor-Leste recorded 18.7% for prevalence of undernourishment in 2023.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.7% on the previous year and up 21.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, prevalence of undernourishment in Timor-Leste peaked at 54.9% in 2001 and was at its lowest, 14.8%, in 2014.

Timor-Leste ranks 30th of 168 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 23 years of available data.

Prevalence of undernourishment in Timor-Leste, year by year

Annual values for Prevalence of undernourishment (% of population) in Timor-Leste, 2001 to 2023.
Year % of population Change
2001 54.9%
2002 43.4% -20.9%
2003 35.6% -18.0%
2004 32.4% -9.0%
2005 30.0% -7.4%
2006 27.6% -8.0%
2007 25.3% -8.3%
2008 23.2% -8.3%
2009 21.1% -9.1%
2010 19.0% -10.0%
2011 17.6% -7.4%
2012 16.7% -5.1%
2013 15.4% -7.8%
2014 14.8% -3.9%
2015 14.9% +0.7%
2016 15.4% +3.4%
2017 16.2% +5.2%
2018 16.3% +0.6%
2019 17.0% +4.3%
2020 17.5% +2.9%
2021 18.0% +2.9%
2022 18.2% +1.1%
2023 18.7% +2.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 32.6% 21.1% 54.9% 9
2010s 16.3% 14.8% 19.0% 10
2020s 18.1% 17.5% 18.7% 4

Countries ranked near Timor-Leste

  1. 27 Nigeria 19.9% compare
  2. 28 Ethiopia 19.7% compare
  3. 28 Zimbabwe 19.7% compare
  4. 31 Namibia 18.1% compare
  5. 32 Sao Tome and Principe 17.4% compare
  6. 33 Nicaragua 17.3% compare

See the full ranking of 215 places →

More health data for Timor-Leste

All data for Timor-Leste →

Frequently asked questions

What is prevalence of undernourishment in Timor-Leste?
Prevalence of undernourishment in Timor-Leste was 18.7% in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
What is the highest prevalence of undernourishment recorded in Timor-Leste?
The highest recorded value was 54.9% in 2001.
What is the lowest prevalence of undernourishment recorded in Timor-Leste?
The lowest recorded value was 14.8% in 2014.
How does Timor-Leste rank for prevalence of undernourishment?
Timor-Leste ranks 30th out of 168 countries with data for 2023.
Is prevalence of undernourishment rising or falling in Timor-Leste?
Over the last ten years it is up 21.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Timor-Leste data come from?
The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Prevalence of undernourishment (% of population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Prevalence of undernourishment in Timor-Leste. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/prevalence-of-undernourishment-percent-of-population/timor-leste/

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About this data

Indicator
Prevalence of undernourishment (% of population)
Unit
% of population
Source
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
215 places, 4,908 data points, 2001–2023
Last refreshed

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%.