Prevalence of anemia among women of reproductive age (15-49 years) in Africa

Africa: Prevalence of anemia among women of reproductive age (15-49 years) was 35.9 % in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)
35.9 %
Change on year
up 1.4%
Rank
9th
of 37 groups
All-time high
41.2 %
in 2000
All-time low
34.4 %
in 2015
Years of data
24
2000–2023

Prevalence of anemia among women of reproductive age (15-49 years) in Africa, 2000–2023

0102030402000201120232000: 41.2 %2001: 40.7 %2002: 40.2 %2003: 39.7 %2004: 39.2 %2005: 38.7 %2006: 38.1 %2007: 37.5 %2008: 36.9 %2009: 36.2 %2010: 35.7 %2011: 35.2 %2012: 34.9 %2013: 34.7 %2014: 34.5 %2015: 34.4 %2016: 34.4 %2017: 34.5 %2018: 34.5 %2019: 34.6 %2020: 34.7 %2021: 35 %2022: 35.4 %2023: 35.9 %

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in %.

Analysis

Africa recorded 35.9 % for prevalence of anemia among women of reproductive age (15-49 years) in 2023.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.4% on the previous year and up 3.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, prevalence of anemia among women of reproductive age (15-49 years) in Africa peaked at 41.2 % in 2000 and was at its lowest, 34.4 %, in 2015.

Africa ranks 9th of 37 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 24 years of available data.

Prevalence of anemia among women of reproductive age (15-49 years) in Africa, year by year

Annual values for Prevalence of anemia among women of reproductive age (15-49 years) (percent) — Value in Africa, 2000 to 2023.
Year % Change
2000 41.2 %
2001 40.7 % -1.2%
2002 40.2 % -1.2%
2003 39.7 % -1.2%
2004 39.2 % -1.3%
2005 38.7 % -1.3%
2006 38.1 % -1.6%
2007 37.5 % -1.6%
2008 36.9 % -1.6%
2009 36.2 % -1.9%
2010 35.7 % -1.4%
2011 35.2 % -1.4%
2012 34.9 % -0.9%
2013 34.7 % -0.6%
2014 34.5 % -0.6%
2015 34.4 % -0.3%
2016 34.4 % +0.0%
2017 34.5 % +0.3%
2018 34.5 % +0.0%
2019 34.6 % +0.3%
2020 34.7 % +0.3%
2021 35 % +0.9%
2022 35.4 % +1.1%
2023 35.9 % +1.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 38.84 % 36.2 % 41.2 % 10
2010s 34.74 % 34.4 % 35.7 % 10
2020s 35.25 % 34.7 % 35.9 % 4

Countries ranked near Africa

  1. 6 Cabo Verde 40.6 % compare
  2. 6 Niger 47.1 % compare
  3. 6 Syrian Arab Republic 31 % compare
  4. 7 Mozambique 47 % compare
  5. 7 Timor-Leste 29.7 % compare
  6. 8 Congo 46.7 % compare
  7. 8 Türkiye 29.3 % compare
  8. 9 Chad 46.5 % compare
  9. 9 Pakistan 46.5 % compare
  10. 9 Melanesia 29.1 % compare
  11. 11 Lao People's Democratic Republic 28.6 % compare
  12. 11 Somalia 46.2 % compare
  13. 12 Gambia 46.1 % compare
  14. 12 Republic of Moldova 28.5 % compare

See the full ranking of 234 places →

More agriculture & rural data for Africa

All data for Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is prevalence of anemia among women of reproductive age (15-49 years) in Africa?
Prevalence of anemia among women of reproductive age (15-49 years) in Africa was 35.9 % in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
What is the highest prevalence of anemia among women of reproductive age (15-49 years) recorded in Africa?
The highest recorded value was 41.2 % in 2000.
What is the lowest prevalence of anemia among women of reproductive age (15-49 years) recorded in Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 34.4 % in 2015.
How does Africa rank for prevalence of anemia among women of reproductive age (15-49 years)?
Africa ranks 9th out of 37 groups with data for 2023.
Is prevalence of anemia among women of reproductive age (15-49 years) rising or falling in Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 3.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Africa data come from?
The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of Prevalence of anemia among women of reproductive age (15-49 years) (percent) — Value. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Prevalence of anemia among women of reproductive age (15-49 years) in Africa. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved 18 September 2026, from https://agriculture.statizoid.com/stat/prevalence-of-anemia-among-women-of-reproductive-age-15-49-years-percent-value/africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Prevalence of anemia among women of reproductive age (15-49 years) (percent) — Value
Unit
%
Source
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Licence
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (FAO)
Coverage
234 places, 5,616 data points, 2000–2023
Last refreshed

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.