Population in severe food insecurity in Southern Asia
Southern Asia: Population in severe food insecurity was 315,196 num th in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
315,196 num th
Change on year
down 4.2%
Rank
5th
of 35 groups
All-time high
376,681 num th
in 2021
All-time low
221,779 num th
in 2016
Years of data
12
2014–2025
Population in severe food insecurity in Southern Asia, 2014–2025
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in num th.
Analysis
Southern Asia recorded 315,196 num th for population in severe food insecurity in 2025.
The figure is down 4.2% on the previous year and up 29.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in severe food insecurity in Southern Asia peaked at 376,681 num th in 2021 and was at its lowest, 221,779 num th, in 2016.
Southern Asia ranks 5th of 35 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 12 years of available data.
Population in severe food insecurity in Southern Asia, year by year
| Year | num th | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 261,821 num th | — |
| 2015 | 243,526 num th | -7.0% |
| 2016 | 221,779 num th | -8.9% |
| 2017 | 224,859 num th | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 297,082 num th | +32.1% |
| 2019 | 316,875 num th | +6.7% |
| 2020 | 372,001 num th | +17.4% |
| 2021 | 376,681 num th | +1.3% |
| 2022 | 355,241 num th | -5.7% |
| 2023 | 356,393 num th | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 328,965 num th | -7.7% |
| 2025 | 315,196 num th | -4.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 260,990 num th | 221,779 num th | 316,875 num th | 6 |
| 2020s | 350,746 num th | 315,196 num th | 376,681 num th | 6 |
Countries ranked near Southern Asia
- 2 Democratic Republic of the Congo 47,934 num th compare
- 3 Ethiopia 21,959 num th compare
- 4 United Republic of Tanzania 15,733 num th compare
- 5 Kenya 14,934 num th compare
- 6 Pakistan 13,816 num th compare
- 7 Egypt 13,666 num th compare
- 8 Afghanistan 12,865 num th compare
More agriculture & rural data for Southern Asia
- Milk, Total — Production, annual growth rate 3.54 % change on previous year (2024)
- Milk, Total — Yield/Carcass Weight, annual growth rate 0.4633 % change on previous year (2024)
- Meat, Total — Production, annual growth rate 4.63 % change on previous year (2024)
- Meat, Poultry — Producing Animals/Slaughtered, annual growth rate 2.97 % change on previous year (2024)
- Meat, Poultry — Production, annual growth rate 3.84 % change on previous year (2024)
- Meat, Poultry — Yield/Carcass Weight, annual growth rate 0.858 % change on previous year (2024)
- Fruit Primary — Production, annual growth rate 1.99 % change on previous year (2024)
- Fruit Primary — Yield, annual growth rate 0.0295 % change on previous year (2024)
- Fruit Primary — Area harvested, annual growth rate 1.96 % change on previous year (2024)
- Sugar Crops Primary — Production, annual growth rate -6.8 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in severe food insecurity in Southern Asia?
- Population in severe food insecurity in Southern Asia was 315,196 num th in 2025, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest population in severe food insecurity recorded in Southern Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 376,681 num th in 2021.
- What is the lowest population in severe food insecurity recorded in Southern Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 221,779 num th in 2016.
- How does Southern Asia rank for population in severe food insecurity?
- Southern Asia ranks 5th out of 35 groups with data for 2025.
- Is population in severe food insecurity rising or falling in Southern Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 29.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Southern Asia data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Population in severe food insecurity (thousands of people). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 12 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).