Number of severely food insecure people (million) (3-year average) — Value 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...
What the numbers show
Number of severely food insecure people (million) (3-year average) — Value is currently reported for 92 countries. The highest value is 61.4 million No in Nigeria; the lowest is 0.1 million No in Serbia.
The median across all reporting countries is 1.05 million No, and the mean is 3.72 million No.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 614.
Over the past decade 56 countries rose and 23 fell. The largest increase was in Pakistan (up 590.0%), and the largest decrease in Poland (down 57.1%).
Number of severely food insecure people (million) (3-year average): full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nigeria | 61.4 million No | 2023 | up 191.0% | rising |
| 2 | Ethiopia | 22 million No | 2023 | up 45.7% | rising |
| 3 | Kenya | 14.9 million No | 2023 | up 109.9% | rising |
| 4 | Democratic Republic of the Congo | 47.9 million No | 2023 | up 33.8% | rising |
| 4 | Pakistan | 13.8 million No | 2023 | up 590.0% | volatile |
| 5 | Egypt | 13.7 million No | 2023 | up 63.1% | rising |
| 6 | Afghanistan | 12.9 million No | 2023 | up 158.0% | rising |
| 7 | Malawi | 12.6 million No | 2023 | up 53.7% | rising |
| 8 | South Sudan | 7.5 million No | 2023 | up 10.3% | rising |
| 9 | Cameroon | 6.9 million No | 2023 | up 35.3% | rising |
| 9 | Viet Nam | 1.8 million No | 2023 | up 260.0% | rising |
| 10 | Uganda | 6.4 million No | 2023 | down 21.0% | falling |
| 11 | Angola | 6.1 million No | 2023 | down 25.6% | falling |
| 12 | Madagascar | 5.4 million No | 2023 | up 107.7% | rising |
| 12 | South Africa | 5.4 million No | 2023 | up 31.7% | rising |
| 14 | Haiti | 5.3 million No | 2023 | down 1.9% | flat |
| 15 | Chad | 5.1 million No | 2023 | up 8.5% | falling |
| 16 | Argentina | 5 million No | 2023 | up 100.0% | rising |
| 17 | Myanmar | 4.3 million No | 2023 | up 330.0% | rising |
| 18 | Zimbabwe | 4.2 million No | 2023 | down 17.6% | falling |
| 19 | Guatemala | 4.1 million No | 2023 | up 57.7% | rising |
| 20 | Zambia | 3.7 million No | 2023 | unchanged | falling |
| 21 | Nepal | 3.6 million No | 2023 | up 24.1% | rising |
| 21 | Philippines | 3.6 million No | 2023 | up 2.9% | falling |
| 23 | Mexico | 3.5 million No | 2023 | down 16.7% | falling |
| 24 | Ghana | 3 million No | 2023 | up 100.0% | rising |
| 25 | Colombia | 2.8 million No | 2023 | up 21.7% | rising |
| 25 | Sierra Leone | 2.8 million No | 2023 | up 47.4% | rising |
| 25 | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | 2.8 million No | 2023 | up 133.3% | rising |
| 28 | Algeria | 2.3 million No | 2023 | down 55.8% | falling |
| 29 | France | 2.2 million No | 2023 | up 120.0% | volatile |
| 30 | Ukraine | 2.1 million No | 2023 | up 133.3% | rising |
| 31 | Ecuador | 2 million No | 2023 | up 100.0% | rising |
| 31 | Liberia | 2 million No | 2023 | up 11.1% | rising |
| 31 | Niger | 2 million No | 2023 | down 4.8% | falling |
| 34 | Benin | 1.9 million No | 2023 | up 58.3% | rising |
| 34 | Dominican Republic | 1.9 million No | 2023 | down 24.0% | falling |
| 36 | Malaysia | 1.8 million No | 2023 | down 25.0% | falling |
| 37 | Burkina Faso | 1.7 million No | 2023 | up 41.7% | rising |
| 37 | Japan | 1.7 million No | 2023 | up 142.9% | rising |
| 39 | Honduras | 1.5 million No | 2023 | up 15.4% | rising |
| 40 | Australia and New Zealand | 1.4 million No | 2023 | up 75.0% | rising |
| 41 | Peru | 1.3 million No | 2023 | up 44.4% | rising |
| 42 | Australia | 1.2 million No | 2023 | up 71.4% | rising |
| 42 | Brazil | 1.2 million No | 2023 | down 20.0% | volatile |
| 44 | Libya | 1.1 million No | 2023 | up 57.1% | rising |
| 45 | Romania | 1 million No | 2023 | down 9.1% | rising |
| 46 | Germany | 0.9 million No | 2023 | up 12.5% | rising |
| 46 | Spain | 0.9 million No | 2023 | up 80.0% | rising |
| 46 | Namibia | 0.9 million No | 2023 | up 28.6% | rising |
| 46 | Tunisia | 0.9 million No | 2023 | down 10.0% | rising |
| 50 | Jamaica | 0.8 million No | 2023 | up 14.3% | rising |
| 50 | El Salvador | 0.8 million No | 2023 | down 11.1% | rising |
| 50 | Togo | 0.8 million No | 2023 | down 27.3% | falling |
| 53 | Canada | 0.7 million No | 2023 | up 250.0% | rising |
| 53 | Chile | 0.7 million No | 2023 | up 40.0% | rising |
| 55 | Lebanon | 0.6 million No | 2023 | up 200.0% | rising |
| 55 | Lesotho | 0.6 million No | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 55 | Mali | 0.6 million No | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 55 | Mauritania | 0.6 million No | 2023 | up 200.0% | rising |
| 55 | Senegal | 0.6 million No | 2023 | down 45.5% | falling |
| 55 | Republic of Korea | 0.6 million No | 2023 | up 100.0% | rising |
| 55 | Netherlands (Kingdom of the) | 0.6 million No | 2023 | up 100.0% | rising |
| 62 | Botswana | 0.5 million No | 2023 | up 25.0% | rising |
| 62 | Gambia | 0.5 million No | 2023 | unchanged | rising |
| 62 | Hungary | 0.5 million No | 2023 | up 400.0% | volatile |
| 62 | Cambodia | 0.5 million No | 2023 | down 28.6% | falling |
| 62 | Paraguay | 0.5 million No | 2023 | up 150.0% | rising |
| 62 | Tajikistan | 0.5 million No | 2023 | up 25.0% | rising |
| 68 | Belgium | 0.4 million No | 2023 | up 300.0% | rising |
| 68 | Thailand | 0.4 million No | 2023 | down 20.0% | falling |
| 70 | Sri Lanka | 0.3 million No | 2023 | up 200.0% | rising |
| 70 | New Zealand | 0.3 million No | 2023 | up 200.0% | rising |
| 70 | Poland | 0.3 million No | 2021 | down 57.1% | falling |
| 70 | Sweden | 0.3 million No | 2023 | up 200.0% | volatile |
| 70 | Eswatini | 0.3 million No | 2023 | — | rising |
| 75 | Albania | 0.2 million No | 2023 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 75 | Austria | 0.2 million No | 2023 | up 100.0% | rising |
| 75 | Czechia | 0.2 million No | 2023 | — | flat |
| 75 | Finland | 0.2 million No | 2023 | up 100.0% | rising |
| 75 | Georgia | 0.2 million No | 2023 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 75 | Guinea-Bissau | 0.2 million No | 2021 | unchanged | flat |
| 75 | Greece | 0.2 million No | 2023 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 75 | Ireland | 0.2 million No | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 75 | Kuwait | 0.2 million No | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 75 | Mauritius | 0.2 million No | 2023 | up 100.0% | rising |
| 75 | Portugal | 0.2 million No | 2023 | down 50.0% | falling |
| 75 | Palestine | 0.2 million No | 2021 | unchanged | flat |
| 87 | Bulgaria | 0.1 million No | 2023 | unchanged | falling |
| 87 | Costa Rica | 0.1 million No | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 87 | Israel | 0.1 million No | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 87 | Serbia | 0.1 million No | 2022 | down 50.0% | rising |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- World 799 million No
- Asia 411.6 million No
- Lower-middle-income economies 498 million No
- Least Developed Countries (LDCs) 247.4 million No
- Central Asia and Southern Asia 336 million No
- Middle Africa 73.6 million No
- Southern Asia 333.5 million No
- Africa 319.6 million No
- United Republic of Tanzania 15.7 million No
- Sub-Saharan Africa 287.5 million No
- Small island developing states (SIDS) 15.2 million No
- Low Income Food Deficit Countries (LIFDCs) 239.7 million No
- Iran (Islamic Republic of) 4.4 million No
- Low-income economies 171.3 million No
- Melanesia 3.2 million No
- Eastern Africa 117 million No
- Land Locked Developing Countries (LLDCs) 96.3 million No
- Lao People's Democratic Republic 0.4 million No
- Western Africa 89.3 million No
- Republic of Moldova 0.2 million No
- Western Asia and Northern Africa 77.4 million No
- Upper-middle-income economies 76.2 million No
- Western Asia 45.3 million No
- Latin America and the Caribbean 44.2 million No
- Northern Africa 32.1 million No
- Eastern Asia and South-eastern Asia 30.3 million No
- High-income economies 24.4 million No
- South America 20.9 million No
- Northern America and Europe 18.9 million No
- Eastern Asia 17.1 million No
- Europe 14.5 million No
- South-Eastern Asia 13.2 million No
- Central America 12.4 million No
- Caribbean 10.9 million No
- Southern Africa 7.6 million No
- Oceania 4.7 million No
- Eastern Europe 4.5 million No
- Northern America 4.4 million No
- Western Europe 4.3 million No
- Northern Europe 3.7 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.