Number of moderately or severely food insecure people (million) (3-year average) — Confidence interval: Lower bound by country
The Suite of Food Security Indicators presents the core set of food security indicators. Following the recommendation of experts gathered in the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) Round Table on hunger measurement, hosted at FAO headquarters in September 2011, an initial set of indicators aiming to capture...
Countries reporting
120
Highest
173.3 million No
Nigeria
Lowest
0.1 million No
Slovenia
Median
2.75 million No
Years covered
10
2014–2023
Data points
1,495
What the numbers show
Number of moderately or severely food insecure people (million) (3-year average) — Confidence interval: Lower bound is currently reported for 120 countries. The highest value is 173.3 million No in Nigeria; the lowest is 0.1 million No in Slovenia.
The median across all reporting countries is 2.75 million No, and the mean is 10 million No.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 1,733.
Over the past decade 80 countries rose and 32 fell. The largest increase was in Paraguay (up 433.3%), and the largest decrease in Poland (down 78.6%).
Number of moderately or severely food insecure people (million): full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nigeria | 173.3 million No | 2023 | up 184.1% | rising |
| 2 | Ethiopia | 72.6 million No | 2023 | up 32.5% | rising |
| 3 | Pakistan | 55.9 million No | 2023 | up 87.0% | rising |
| 4 | Democratic Republic of the Congo | 87.3 million No | 2023 | up 40.4% | rising |
| 4 | Bangladesh | 42.3 million No | 2023 | up 1.7% | flat |
| 5 | Kenya | 39.6 million No | 2023 | up 71.4% | rising |
| 5 | United Republic of Tanzania | 37.6 million No | 2023 | up 54.7% | rising |
| 6 | Philippines | 36.4 million No | 2023 | down 16.3% | falling |
| 7 | Iran (Islamic Republic of) | 31.9 million No | 2023 | down 14.5% | falling |
| 7 | Egypt | 31.6 million No | 2023 | up 27.4% | rising |
| 8 | Afghanistan | 30 million No | 2023 | up 125.6% | rising |
| 8 | Viet Nam | 7.7 million No | 2023 | up 48.1% | rising |
| 9 | Yemen | 29.8 million No | 2023 | up 127.5% | rising |
| 9 | Melanesia | 6.8 million No | 2023 | up 17.2% | rising |
| 10 | Angola | 28.3 million No | 2023 | up 24.1% | rising |
| 10 | Lao People's Democratic Republic | 2.5 million No | 2023 | up 31.6% | rising |
| 11 | Uganda | 25.1 million No | 2023 | up 4.6% | flat |
| 11 | Republic of Moldova | 0.7 million No | 2023 | up 16.7% | rising |
| 12 | Mexico | 20.9 million No | 2023 | down 29.6% | falling |
| 13 | Brazil | 19.9 million No | 2023 | down 23.8% | flat |
| 14 | Madagascar | 19 million No | 2023 | up 24.2% | rising |
| 15 | Malawi | 17.4 million No | 2023 | up 32.8% | rising |
| 16 | Cameroon | 16.7 million No | 2023 | up 65.3% | rising |
| 17 | Myanmar | 14.8 million No | 2023 | up 43.7% | rising |
| 18 | Ghana | 14.5 million No | 2023 | up 39.4% | rising |
| 19 | Colombia | 14.3 million No | 2023 | up 58.9% | rising |
| 20 | Niger | 13.1 million No | 2023 | up 28.4% | rising |
| 21 | Argentina | 13 million No | 2023 | up 83.1% | rising |
| 22 | Chad | 12.7 million No | 2023 | up 35.1% | rising |
| 23 | South Africa | 12.6 million No | 2023 | up 31.2% | rising |
| 24 | Indonesia | 11.3 million No | 2023 | down 25.2% | falling |
| 25 | Peru | 11.2 million No | 2023 | up 41.8% | rising |
| 26 | Ukraine | 11.1 million No | 2023 | up 48.0% | rising |
| 27 | Zimbabwe | 11 million No | 2023 | up 25.0% | rising |
| 28 | South Sudan | 10.3 million No | 2023 | up 18.4% | rising |
| 29 | Nepal | 9.6 million No | 2023 | up 29.7% | rising |
| 30 | Haiti | 9.4 million No | 2023 | up 5.6% | rising |
| 30 | Zambia | 9.4 million No | 2023 | up 16.0% | rising |
| 32 | Benin | 9.2 million No | 2023 | up 53.3% | rising |
| 33 | Côte d'Ivoire | 11.5 million No | 2023 | up 42.0% | rising |
| 33 | Burkina Faso | 9.1 million No | 2023 | up 26.4% | rising |
| 34 | Guatemala | 8.3 million No | 2023 | up 31.7% | rising |
| 35 | Sierra Leone | 7.4 million No | 2023 | up 39.6% | rising |
| 36 | Algeria | 6.6 million No | 2023 | down 13.2% | falling |
| 37 | Japan | 6.1 million No | 2023 | up 190.5% | rising |
| 37 | Cabo Verde | 0.2 million No | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 38 | Cambodia | 5.8 million No | 2023 | up 1.8% | rising |
| 39 | France | 5.5 million No | 2023 | up 61.8% | rising |
| 40 | Ecuador | 5 million No | 2023 | up 78.6% | rising |
| 41 | Senegal | 4.7 million No | 2023 | down 11.3% | falling |
| 42 | Mali | 4.6 million No | 2023 | down 2.1% | flat |
| 42 | Malaysia | 4.6 million No | 2023 | down 2.1% | rising |
| 44 | Togo | 4.5 million No | 2023 | up 9.8% | rising |
| 44 | Australia and New Zealand | 4.5 million No | 2023 | up 80.0% | rising |
| 46 | Dominican Republic | 4.3 million No | 2023 | down 20.4% | falling |
| 46 | Liberia | 4.3 million No | 2023 | up 19.4% | rising |
| 48 | Honduras | 4.2 million No | 2023 | up 10.5% | rising |
| 49 | Canada | 4.1 million No | 2023 | up 156.2% | rising |
| 49 | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | 4.1 million No | 2023 | up 20.6% | rising |
| 51 | Australia | 3.5 million No | 2023 | up 66.7% | rising |
| 52 | Mauritania | 3.3 million No | 2023 | up 266.7% | rising |
| 53 | Chile | 3.1 million No | 2023 | up 72.2% | rising |
| 54 | Spain | 2.8 million No | 2023 | up 7.7% | falling |
| 55 | Thailand | 2.7 million No | 2023 | down 10.0% | falling |
| 55 | Russian Federation | 2.7 million No | 2023 | down 72.2% | falling |
| 57 | Tunisia | 2.6 million No | 2023 | up 62.5% | rising |
| 58 | Romania | 2.5 million No | 2023 | down 24.2% | flat |
| 59 | Lebanon | 2.4 million No | 2023 | up 242.9% | rising |
| 59 | El Salvador | 2.4 million No | 2023 | unchanged | rising |
| 61 | Germany | 2.3 million No | 2023 | down 8.0% | falling |
| 62 | Sri Lanka | 2.2 million No | 2023 | up 83.3% | rising |
| 62 | Republic of Korea | 2.2 million No | 2023 | up 10.0% | rising |
| 64 | Libya | 2.1 million No | 2023 | up 23.5% | rising |
| 64 | Tajikistan | 2.1 million No | 2023 | up 50.0% | rising |
| 66 | Namibia | 1.6 million No | 2023 | up 33.3% | rising |
| 66 | Paraguay | 1.6 million No | 2023 | up 433.3% | rising |
| 68 | Jamaica | 1.4 million No | 2023 | up 16.7% | rising |
| 68 | Lesotho | 1.4 million No | 2023 | up 40.0% | rising |
| 70 | Azerbaijan | 1.3 million No | 2023 | up 225.0% | rising |
| 70 | Guinea-Bissau | 1.3 million No | 2021 | up 18.2% | rising |
| 70 | Hungary | 1.3 million No | 2023 | up 44.4% | rising |
| 70 | Palestine, State of | 1.3 million No | 2021 | up 8.3% | rising |
| 74 | Botswana | 1.2 million No | 2023 | up 33.3% | rising |
| 74 | Gambia | 1.2 million No | 2023 | up 9.1% | rising |
| 74 | Netherlands (Kingdom of the) | 1.2 million No | 2023 | up 50.0% | rising |
| 77 | New Zealand | 0.9 million No | 2023 | up 125.0% | rising |
| 77 | Portugal | 0.9 million No | 2023 | down 30.8% | falling |
| 79 | Albania | 0.8 million No | 2023 | down 20.0% | falling |
| 79 | Belgium | 0.8 million No | 2023 | up 166.7% | rising |
| 79 | Czechia | 0.8 million No | 2023 | up 100.0% | rising |
| 79 | Georgia | 0.8 million No | 2023 | down 27.3% | falling |
| 83 | Costa Rica | 0.7 million No | 2023 | up 16.7% | rising |
| 83 | Israel | 0.7 million No | 2023 | down 12.5% | falling |
| 83 | Sweden | 0.7 million No | 2023 | up 133.3% | rising |
| 83 | Eswatini | 0.7 million No | 2023 | — | rising |
| 87 | Bulgaria | 0.6 million No | 2023 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 87 | Greece | 0.6 million No | 2023 | down 57.1% | falling |
| 87 | Poland | 0.6 million No | 2023 | down 78.6% | falling |
| 90 | Singapore | 0.5 million No | 2023 | up 400.0% | volatile |
| 90 | Uruguay | 0.5 million No | 2023 | up 25.0% | rising |
| 92 | Finland | 0.4 million No | 2023 | unchanged | rising |
| 92 | Kyrgyzstan | 0.4 million No | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 92 | Kuwait | 0.4 million No | 2023 | unchanged | falling |
| 92 | Serbia | 0.4 million No | 2023 | down 50.0% | falling |
| 96 | Austria | 0.3 million No | 2023 | down 25.0% | falling |
| 96 | Denmark | 0.3 million No | 2023 | unchanged | rising |
| 96 | Ireland | 0.3 million No | 2023 | down 25.0% | falling |
| 96 | Mauritius | 0.3 million No | 2023 | up 200.0% | rising |
| 96 | Norway | 0.3 million No | 2023 | up 50.0% | rising |
| 96 | Slovakia | 0.3 million No | 2023 | up 50.0% | rising |
| 102 | Armenia | 0.2 million No | 2023 | down 60.0% | falling |
| 102 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 0.2 million No | 2023 | down 33.3% | rising |
| 102 | Switzerland | 0.2 million No | 2023 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 102 | Kazakhstan | 0.2 million No | 2023 | up 100.0% | rising |
| 102 | Latvia | 0.2 million No | 2023 | unchanged | falling |
| 107 | Croatia | 0.1 million No | 2023 | down 50.0% | falling |
| 107 | Lithuania | 0.1 million No | 2023 | down 75.0% | falling |
| 107 | North Macedonia | 0.1 million No | 2023 | down 50.0% | flat |
| 107 | Mongolia | 0.1 million No | 2023 | down 50.0% | falling |
| 107 | Slovenia | 0.1 million No | 2023 | down 50.0% | falling |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- World 2,146 million No
- Asia 1,009 million No
- Lower-middle-income economies 1,184 million No
- Least Developed Countries (LDCs) 652.5 million No
- Africa 859.6 million No
- Middle Africa 159.9 million No
- Sub-Saharan Africa 769.1 million No
- Central Asia and Southern Asia 698.8 million No
- Southern Asia 685.6 million No
- Small island developing States (SIDS) 34.4 million No
- Low Income Food Deficit Countries (LIFDCs) 590.1 million No
- Low-income economies 396.6 million No
- Upper-middle-income economies 342 million No
- Eastern Africa 307.9 million No
- Land Locked Developing Countries (LLDCs) 283.8 million No
- Western Africa 277.4 million No
- Western Asia and Northern Africa 198.7 million No
- Eastern Asia and South-eastern Asia 185.8 million No
- Latin America and the Caribbean 158.1 million No
- Western Asia 108.8 million No
- High-income economies 107.2 million No
- Northern America and Europe 93.1 million No
- South-Eastern Asia 91.9 million No
- South America 91.5 million No
- Eastern Asia 90.8 million No
- Northern Africa 87.5 million No
- Europe 52.2 million No
- Central America 42.4 million No
- Northern America 40.1 million No
- United States of America 35.9 million No
- Eastern Europe 22.8 million No
- Caribbean 22.6 million No
- Southern Africa 17.8 million No
- Central Asia 12.1 million No
- Oceania 11.7 million No
- Western Europe 11.6 million No
- Southern Europe 7.9 million No
- Northern Europe 7.3 million No
- Oceania excluding Australia and New Zealand 7.1 million No
About this data
The Suite of Food Security Indicators presents the core set of food security indicators. Following the recommendation of experts gathered in the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) Round Table on hunger measurement, hosted at FAO headquarters in September 2011, an initial set of indicators aiming to capture various aspects of food insecurity is presented here. The choice of the indicators has been informed by expert judgement and the availability of data with sufficient coverage to enable comparisons across regions and over time. Many of these indicators are produced and published elsewhere by FAO and other international organizations. They are reported here in a single database with the aim of building a wide food security information system. More indicators will be added to this set as more data will become available. Indicators are classified along the four dimensions of food security -- availability, access, utilization and stability.