Stunting prevalence among children under 5 years of age (% height-for-age <-2 SD), model-based estimates by country
Countries reporting
161
Highest
55.3%
Burundi
Lowest
1.0%
Poland
Median
11.7%
Years covered
35
1990–2024
Data points
4,740
What the numbers show
Stunting prevalence among children under 5 years of age (% height-for-age <-2 SD), model-based estimates is currently reported for 161 countries. The highest value is 55.3% in Burundi; the lowest is 1.0% in Poland.
The median across all reporting countries is 11.7%, and the mean is 16.2%.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 55.
Over the past decade 27 countries rose and 129 fell. The largest increase was in Samoa (up 55.6%), and the largest decrease in Tonga (down 71.9%).
Stunting prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%): full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burundi | 55.3% | 2024 | up 1.5% | falling |
| 2 | Niger | 48.3% | 2024 | up 8.1% | falling |
| 3 | Eritrea | 48.0% | 2024 | down 6.8% | rising |
| 4 | Angola | 47.7% | 2024 | up 42.4% | rising |
| 5 | Papua New Guinea | 47.6% | 2024 | down 0.6% | rising |
| 6 | Yemen | 47.4% | 2024 | up 0.2% | falling |
| 7 | Timor-Leste | 45.4% | 2024 | down 10.8% | falling |
| 8 | Guatemala | 44.6% | 2024 | down 4.7% | falling |
| 9 | Congo, Democratic Republic of the | 44.1% | 2024 | up 3.5% | falling |
| 10 | Afghanistan | 42.0% | 2024 | down 1.2% | falling |
| 11 | Central African Republic | 38.9% | 2024 | down 2.0% | falling |
| 12 | Madagascar | 38.4% | 2024 | down 17.4% | falling |
| 13 | Mozambique | 37.0% | 2024 | down 11.7% | falling |
| 14 | Ethiopia | 35.5% | 2024 | down 12.1% | falling |
| 15 | Sudan | 35.4% | 2024 | down 0.6% | falling |
| 16 | Lesotho | 35.0% | 2024 | down 2.8% | falling |
| 17 | Nigeria | 33.8% | 2024 | down 6.6% | falling |
| 18 | Pakistan | 33.6% | 2024 | down 21.1% | falling |
| 19 | Benin | 33.2% | 2024 | down 2.1% | falling |
| 19 | Malawi | 33.2% | 2024 | down 18.0% | falling |
| 21 | India | 32.9% | 2024 | down 16.9% | falling |
| 22 | Zambia | 32.3% | 2024 | down 16.3% | falling |
| 23 | Chad | 31.5% | 2024 | down 12.7% | falling |
| 24 | Vanuatu | 31.0% | 2024 | up 12.3% | rising |
| 25 | Marshall Islands | 30.0% | 2024 | down 17.4% | falling |
| 25 | South Sudan | 30.0% | 2024 | down 2.0% | falling |
| 27 | Lao People's Democratic Republic | 29.9% | 2024 | down 21.9% | falling |
| 27 | Tanzania, United Republic of | 29.9% | 2024 | down 16.5% | falling |
| 29 | Rwanda | 29.8% | 2024 | down 22.4% | falling |
| 29 | Solomon Islands | 29.8% | 2024 | down 4.5% | falling |
| 31 | Guinea-Bissau | 28.3% | 2024 | up 1.8% | falling |
| 32 | Philippines | 27.7% | 2024 | down 11.5% | falling |
| 33 | Cameroon | 27.2% | 2024 | down 12.8% | falling |
| 34 | Liberia | 26.9% | 2024 | down 17.7% | falling |
| 35 | Guinea | 26.6% | 2024 | down 18.2% | falling |
| 36 | Nepal | 26.0% | 2024 | down 29.7% | falling |
| 37 | Sierra Leone | 25.2% | 2024 | down 20.0% | falling |
| 38 | Bangladesh | 25.1% | 2024 | down 29.5% | falling |
| 39 | Myanmar | 24.5% | 2024 | down 18.1% | falling |
| 40 | South Africa | 24.4% | 2024 | up 9.9% | falling |
| 41 | Malaysia | 24.3% | 2024 | up 27.9% | rising |
| 42 | Somalia | 23.9% | 2024 | down 15.5% | falling |
| 43 | Zimbabwe | 23.7% | 2024 | down 16.8% | falling |
| 44 | Syrian Arab Republic | 23.5% | 2024 | down 13.3% | falling |
| 44 | Uganda | 23.5% | 2024 | down 24.4% | falling |
| 46 | Mali | 23.2% | 2024 | down 16.5% | falling |
| 47 | Togo | 23.0% | 2024 | down 10.5% | falling |
| 48 | Indonesia | 22.6% | 2024 | down 29.8% | falling |
| 49 | Cambodia | 22.0% | 2024 | down 28.1% | falling |
| 50 | Haiti | 21.6% | 2024 | down 4.0% | falling |
| 51 | Mauritania | 21.5% | 2024 | down 11.9% | falling |
| 52 | Botswana | 21.0% | 2024 | down 9.5% | falling |
| 53 | Djibouti | 20.9% | 2024 | down 21.1% | falling |
| 54 | Côte d'Ivoire | 20.3% | 2024 | down 25.4% | falling |
| 55 | Burkina Faso | 19.5% | 2024 | down 32.1% | falling |
| 56 | Viet Nam | 19.2% | 2024 | down 21.0% | falling |
| 57 | Eswatini | 18.9% | 2024 | down 27.3% | falling |
| 58 | Bhutan | 17.9% | 2024 | down 31.9% | falling |
| 58 | Honduras | 17.9% | 2024 | down 13.9% | falling |
| 58 | Kenya | 17.9% | 2024 | down 32.5% | falling |
| 61 | Ecuador | 17.7% | 2024 | down 19.9% | falling |
| 62 | Comoros | 17.4% | 2024 | down 38.9% | falling |
| 63 | Senegal | 17.2% | 2024 | down 5.5% | falling |
| 64 | Equatorial Guinea | 17.1% | 2024 | down 25.3% | falling |
| 65 | Korea, Democratic People's Republic of | 16.6% | 2024 | down 29.1% | falling |
| 66 | Namibia | 16.4% | 2024 | down 26.1% | falling |
| 67 | Congo | 16.3% | 2024 | down 24.5% | falling |
| 68 | Naoero | 16.0% | 2024 | down 18.8% | falling |
| 69 | Ghana | 15.6% | 2024 | down 23.9% | falling |
| 70 | Kiribati | 14.7% | 2024 | down 8.1% | falling |
| 71 | Maldives | 14.2% | 2024 | down 9.6% | falling |
| 72 | Gambia | 14.0% | 2024 | down 33.6% | falling |
| 72 | Panama | 14.0% | 2024 | down 26.3% | falling |
| 74 | Gabon | 13.7% | 2024 | down 16.0% | falling |
| 74 | Morocco | 13.7% | 2024 | down 9.3% | falling |
| 76 | Mexico | 13.1% | 2024 | up 3.1% | falling |
| 76 | Tajikistan | 13.1% | 2024 | down 42.8% | falling |
| 78 | Egypt | 12.9% | 2024 | down 37.1% | falling |
| 78 | Oman | 12.9% | 2024 | up 13.2% | falling |
| 80 | Thailand | 12.3% | 2024 | down 7.5% | falling |
| 81 | Belize | 11.7% | 2024 | down 27.3% | falling |
| 81 | Ukraine | 11.7% | 2024 | down 29.9% | falling |
| 81 | Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of | 11.7% | 2024 | up 1.7% | falling |
| 84 | Colombia | 11.6% | 2024 | down 6.5% | falling |
| 85 | Saudi Arabia | 11.1% | 2024 | down 10.5% | flat |
| 86 | Kyrgyzstan | 11.0% | 2024 | down 23.6% | falling |
| 87 | Argentina | 10.7% | 2024 | up 42.7% | rising |
| 87 | Bolivia, Plurinational State of | 10.7% | 2024 | down 39.9% | falling |
| 89 | Costa Rica | 10.6% | 2024 | up 49.3% | rising |
| 89 | Peru | 10.6% | 2024 | down 32.9% | falling |
| 91 | Lebanon | 10.1% | 2024 | unchanged | falling |
| 91 | Sri Lanka | 10.1% | 2024 | down 30.8% | falling |
| 93 | Sao Tome and Principe | 10.0% | 2024 | down 40.1% | falling |
| 94 | Brunei Darussalam | 9.9% | 2024 | down 37.3% | falling |
| 95 | Iraq | 9.4% | 2024 | down 45.7% | falling |
| 95 | El Salvador | 9.4% | 2024 | down 32.4% | falling |
| 97 | Libya | 9.2% | 2024 | down 60.2% | falling |
| 98 | Brazil | 8.9% | 2024 | up 30.9% | flat |
| 98 | Algeria | 8.9% | 2024 | down 20.5% | falling |
| 98 | Tunisia | 8.9% | 2024 | up 2.3% | falling |
| 101 | Samoa | 8.4% | 2024 | up 55.6% | rising |
| 102 | Montenegro | 8.0% | 2024 | down 4.8% | flat |
| 102 | Palestine, State of | 8.0% | 2024 | down 15.8% | falling |
| 104 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 7.9% | 2024 | down 10.2% | falling |
| 105 | Mauritius | 7.8% | 2024 | down 3.7% | falling |
| 105 | Trinidad and Tobago | 7.8% | 2024 | down 9.3% | rising |
| 107 | Jordan | 7.7% | 2024 | unchanged | falling |
| 108 | Albania | 7.4% | 2024 | down 49.3% | falling |
| 109 | Cuba | 7.3% | 2024 | up 1.4% | falling |
| 110 | Fiji | 7.2% | 2024 | up 5.9% | flat |
| 111 | Guyana | 7.1% | 2024 | down 45.4% | falling |
| 111 | Mongolia | 7.1% | 2024 | down 33.0% | falling |
| 113 | Romania | 7.0% | 2024 | down 15.7% | falling |
| 114 | Jamaica | 6.9% | 2024 | up 9.5% | flat |
| 115 | Azerbaijan | 6.8% | 2024 | down 51.4% | falling |
| 116 | Uzbekistan | 6.7% | 2024 | down 41.7% | falling |
| 117 | Turkmenistan | 6.5% | 2024 | down 41.4% | falling |
| 117 | Uruguay | 6.5% | 2024 | down 22.6% | falling |
| 119 | Armenia | 6.2% | 2024 | down 49.6% | falling |
| 119 | Seychelles | 6.2% | 2024 | down 17.3% | falling |
| 121 | Barbados | 5.8% | 2024 | down 18.3% | falling |
| 122 | Dominican Republic | 5.6% | 2024 | down 27.3% | falling |
| 123 | Bulgaria | 5.5% | 2024 | down 19.1% | falling |
| 123 | Türkiye | 5.5% | 2024 | down 32.1% | falling |
| 125 | Qatar | 5.4% | 2024 | down 14.3% | falling |
| 126 | Cape Verde | 5.3% | 2024 | down 29.3% | falling |
| 126 | Tuvalu | 5.3% | 2024 | down 27.4% | falling |
| 128 | Japan | 5.2% | 2024 | down 18.8% | falling |
| 129 | Iran, Islamic Republic of | 4.8% | 2024 | down 12.7% | falling |
| 130 | Georgia | 4.7% | 2024 | down 41.2% | falling |
| 131 | Bahrain | 4.6% | 2024 | down 24.6% | falling |
| 131 | Serbia | 4.6% | 2024 | down 19.3% | falling |
| 133 | China | 4.5% | 2024 | down 31.8% | volatile |
| 133 | Kuwait | 4.5% | 2024 | down 10.0% | rising |
| 135 | Kazakhstan | 4.4% | 2024 | down 54.6% | falling |
| 136 | Republic of Moldova | 4.2% | 2024 | down 32.3% | falling |
| 136 | United States of America | 4.2% | 2024 | up 55.6% | rising |
| 138 | North Macedonia | 3.8% | 2024 | down 25.5% | falling |
| 139 | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | 3.5% | 2024 | up 25.0% | falling |
| 139 | Malta | 3.5% | 2024 | down 23.9% | falling |
| 141 | Portugal | 3.2% | 2024 | down 11.1% | falling |
| 141 | Paraguay | 3.2% | 2024 | down 58.4% | volatile |
| 141 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 3.2% | 2024 | down 15.8% | falling |
| 144 | Australia | 3.1% | 2024 | down 11.4% | rising |
| 145 | Saint Lucia | 2.8% | 2024 | up 21.7% | falling |
| 145 | Singapore | 2.8% | 2024 | down 9.7% | falling |
| 147 | Belgium | 2.6% | 2024 | down 3.7% | falling |
| 148 | Czechia | 2.4% | 2024 | unchanged | falling |
| 149 | Germany | 2.2% | 2024 | up 37.5% | rising |
| 149 | Ireland | 2.2% | 2024 | down 8.3% | falling |
| 151 | Greece | 2.0% | 2024 | up 11.1% | falling |
| 152 | Korea | 1.8% | 2024 | unchanged | falling |
| 153 | Chile | 1.7% | 2024 | down 5.6% | falling |
| 153 | Finland | 1.7% | 2024 | up 6.2% | falling |
| 153 | Latvia | 1.7% | 2024 | down 15.0% | falling |
| 156 | Lithuania | 1.6% | 2024 | down 11.1% | falling |
| 156 | Netherlands | 1.6% | 2024 | up 6.7% | rising |
| 156 | Tonga | 1.6% | 2024 | down 71.9% | volatile |
| 159 | Estonia | 1.3% | 2024 | unchanged | falling |
| 160 | Belarus | 1.1% | 2024 | down 45.0% | volatile |
| 161 | Poland | 1.0% | 2024 | down 37.5% | falling |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- Low income (World Bank) 35.8%
- Sur 8.0%
- Africa (WHO region) 31.7%
- AFR 31.7%
- Mus 7.8%
- South-East Asia (WHO region) 30.7%
- SEAR 29.7%
- Lower-middle income (World Bank) 28.9%
- Eastern Mediterranean (WHO region) 26.0%
- EMR 26.0%
- WB_MI 25.5%
- World 23.2%
- WB_LIMI 22.8%
- Western Pacific (WHO region) 12.8%
- Upper-middle income (World Bank) 10.8%
- WPR 10.2%
- Americas (WHO region) 9.9%
- AMR 9.9%
- Europe (WHO region) 4.6%
- EUR 4.6%
- High income (World Bank) 4.0%