Stunting prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in Mauritania

Mauritania: Stunting prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) was 21.5% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
21.5%
Change on year
down 0.5%
World rank
51st
of 161 countries
All-time high
39.2%
in 2000
All-time low
21.5%
in 2024
Years of data
25
2000–2024

Stunting prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in Mauritania, 2000–2024

0102030402000201220242000: 39.22001: 37.82002: 36.52003: 35.12004: 33.72005: 32.42006: 312007: 29.72008: 28.62009: 27.52010: 26.62011: 25.82012: 25.22013: 24.72014: 24.42015: 242016: 23.72017: 23.32018: 22.92019: 22.42020: 222021: 21.72022: 21.62023: 21.62024: 21.5

Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.

Analysis

The most recent figure for stunting prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in Mauritania is 21.5%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.5% on the previous year and down 11.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, stunting prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in Mauritania peaked at 39.2% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 21.5%, in 2024.

Mauritania ranks 51st of 161 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.

Stunting prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in Mauritania, year by year

Annual values for Stunting prevalence among children under 5 years of age (% height-for-age <-2 SD), model-based estimates in Mauritania, 2000 to 2024.
Year Value Change
2000 39.2%
2001 37.8% -3.6%
2002 36.5% -3.4%
2003 35.1% -3.8%
2004 33.7% -4.0%
2005 32.4% -3.9%
2006 31.0% -4.3%
2007 29.7% -4.2%
2008 28.6% -3.7%
2009 27.5% -3.8%
2010 26.6% -3.3%
2011 25.8% -3.0%
2012 25.2% -2.3%
2013 24.7% -2.0%
2014 24.4% -1.2%
2015 24.0% -1.6%
2016 23.7% -1.3%
2017 23.3% -1.7%
2018 22.9% -1.7%
2019 22.4% -2.2%
2020 22.0% -1.8%
2021 21.7% -1.4%
2022 21.6% -0.5%
2023 21.6% +0.0%
2024 21.5% -0.5%

Mauritania compared with similar countries

  • Mauritania's 21.5% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 21.2%, 1.0× the median. (46 countries reporting)
  • Mauritania's 21.5% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 24.8%, 87% of the median. (48 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 33.1% 27.5% 39.2% 10
2010s 24.3% 22.4% 26.6% 10
2020s 21.7% 21.5% 22.0% 5

Countries ranked near Mauritania

  1. 48 Indonesia 22.6% compare
  2. 49 Cambodia 22.0% compare
  3. 50 Haiti 21.6% compare
  4. 52 Botswana 21.0% compare
  5. 53 Djibouti 20.9% compare
  6. 54 Côte d'Ivoire 20.3% compare

See the full ranking of 182 places →

More health data for Mauritania

All data for Mauritania →

Frequently asked questions

What is stunting prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in Mauritania?
Stunting prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in Mauritania was 21.5% in 2024, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
What is the highest stunting prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) recorded in Mauritania?
The highest recorded value was 39.2% in 2000.
What is the lowest stunting prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) recorded in Mauritania?
The lowest recorded value was 21.5% in 2024.
How does Mauritania rank for stunting prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%)?
Mauritania ranks 51st out of 161 countries with data for 2024.
Is stunting prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) rising or falling in Mauritania?
Over the last ten years it is down 11.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Mauritania data come from?
The figures come from World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as part of Stunting prevalence among children under 5 years of age (% height-for-age <-2 SD), model-based estimates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Stunting prevalence among children under 5 years of age (%) in Mauritania. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. Retrieved 15 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/stunting-prevalence-among-children-under-5-years-of-age-percent-height-for-age-2-sd-model/mauritania/

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About this data

Indicator
Stunting prevalence among children under 5 years of age (% height-for-age <-2 SD), model-based estimates
Source
World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory
Licence
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO)
Coverage
182 places, 4,740 data points, 1990–2024
Last refreshed