Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the female adult population (percent) (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...
What the numbers show
Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the female adult population (percent) (3-year average) — Confidence interval: Lower bound is currently reported for 130 countries. The highest value is 87.2 % in South Sudan; the lowest is 0.8 % in Kazakhstan.
The median across all reporting countries is 21.8 %, and the mean is 28.37 %.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 109.
Over the past decade 72 countries rose and 56 fell. The largest increase was in Lebanon (up 326.7%), and the largest decrease in Poland (down 74.4%).
Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the female adult: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Sudan | 87.2 % | 2023 | up 3.9% | flat |
| 1 | Democratic Republic of the Congo | 79.9 % | 2023 | up 20.3% | rising |
| 2 | Sierra Leone | 85.9 % | 2023 | up 11.1% | rising |
| 3 | Haiti | 81.9 % | 2023 | up 0.6% | flat |
| 3 | United Republic of Tanzania | 54.2 % | 2023 | up 9.3% | rising |
| 4 | Malawi | 81.6 % | 2023 | up 5.4% | rising |
| 5 | Liberia | 78 % | 2023 | up 0.1% | flat |
| 5 | Melanesia | 52.1 % | 2023 | up 3.4% | flat |
| 6 | Angola | 77.7 % | 2023 | up 5.9% | flat |
| 7 | Afghanistan | 75.8 % | 2023 | up 82.7% | rising |
| 7 | Caribbean | 52.2 % | 2023 | down 9.4% | falling |
| 7 | Iran (Islamic Republic of) | 35.2 % | 2023 | down 21.1% | falling |
| 8 | Nigeria | 74.9 % | 2023 | up 137.8% | rising |
| 8 | Lao People's Democratic Republic | 33 % | 2023 | up 11.5% | rising |
| 9 | Yemen | 74.6 % | 2023 | up 65.0% | rising |
| 9 | Republic of Moldova | 27.1 % | 2023 | up 62.3% | rising |
| 10 | Kenya | 71.7 % | 2023 | up 36.1% | rising |
| 11 | Zimbabwe | 67.9 % | 2023 | up 9.3% | rising |
| 11 | Côte d'Ivoire | 36.1 % | 2023 | up 12.5% | rising |
| 11 | Viet Nam | 8.9 % | 2023 | up 48.3% | rising |
| 12 | Benin | 64.9 % | 2023 | up 21.3% | rising |
| 13 | Mauritania | 63.7 % | 2023 | up 154.8% | rising |
| 14 | Chad | 63.4 % | 2023 | down 4.4% | falling |
| 15 | Eswatini | 62 % | 2023 | — | rising |
| 16 | Lesotho | 60.6 % | 2023 | up 27.8% | rising |
| 17 | Guinea-Bissau | 60.3 % | 2021 | up 1.7% | flat |
| 17 | Cabo Verde | 29.2 % | 2023 | down 13.9% | falling |
| 18 | Madagascar | 59.2 % | 2023 | up 0.3% | flat |
| 19 | Cameroon | 57.6 % | 2023 | up 32.7% | rising |
| 20 | Ethiopia | 55 % | 2023 | up 1.5% | flat |
| 21 | Togo | 54.2 % | 2023 | down 3.2% | falling |
| 22 | Namibia | 53.5 % | 2023 | down 0.2% | flat |
| 23 | Botswana | 51.1 % | 2023 | up 10.1% | rising |
| 24 | Uganda | 50.4 % | 2023 | down 19.1% | falling |
| 25 | Guatemala | 49 % | 2023 | up 15.3% | rising |
| 26 | Niger | 47.8 % | 2023 | up 2.1% | flat |
| 27 | Jamaica | 47.5 % | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 28 | Zambia | 45.3 % | 2023 | down 8.1% | falling |
| 29 | Lebanon | 43.1 % | 2023 | up 326.7% | rising |
| 30 | El Salvador | 42.7 % | 2023 | down 0.9% | rising |
| 31 | Ghana | 41.8 % | 2023 | up 9.4% | rising |
| 32 | Dominican Republic | 41.7 % | 2023 | down 23.8% | falling |
| 32 | Honduras | 41.7 % | 2023 | down 7.5% | flat |
| 34 | Gambia | 40.7 % | 2023 | down 17.8% | falling |
| 35 | Kiribati | 40.4 % | 2023 | up 9.8% | rising |
| 36 | Burkina Faso | 39.6 % | 2023 | up 12.8% | rising |
| 37 | Peru | 38 % | 2023 | up 21.8% | rising |
| 38 | Cambodia | 36.1 % | 2023 | down 10.4% | flat |
| 39 | Ukraine | 33.7 % | 2023 | up 76.4% | rising |
| 40 | Albania | 33.2 % | 2023 | down 15.5% | falling |
| 41 | Nepal | 32 % | 2023 | up 16.8% | rising |
| 41 | Philippines | 32 % | 2023 | down 15.6% | falling |
| 43 | Argentina | 31.5 % | 2023 | up 60.7% | rising |
| 44 | Ecuador | 30.6 % | 2023 | up 67.2% | rising |
| 45 | Colombia | 29.5 % | 2023 | up 43.9% | rising |
| 46 | Egypt | 29 % | 2023 | down 1.0% | falling |
| 47 | Myanmar | 28.3 % | 2023 | up 36.1% | rising |
| 48 | Senegal | 26.8 % | 2023 | down 16.5% | falling |
| 49 | Mauritius | 26.5 % | 2023 | up 119.0% | rising |
| 50 | Palestine, State of | 26.4 % | 2021 | down 0.8% | flat |
| 51 | Pakistan | 26.2 % | 2023 | up 63.8% | rising |
| 52 | Bangladesh | 25.1 % | 2023 | down 8.1% | falling |
| 53 | Libya | 24.7 % | 2023 | down 20.3% | falling |
| 54 | Paraguay | 23.5 % | 2023 | up 319.6% | rising |
| 55 | Georgia | 22.2 % | 2023 | down 25.3% | falling |
| 55 | Tunisia | 22.2 % | 2023 | up 57.4% | rising |
| 57 | Tajikistan | 21.4 % | 2023 | up 20.9% | rising |
| 58 | South Africa | 20.4 % | 2023 | up 14.0% | rising |
| 59 | Mali | 19 % | 2023 | down 22.4% | falling |
| 60 | Mexico | 18.6 % | 2023 | down 27.3% | falling |
| 61 | Samoa | 16.7 % | 2023 | down 20.9% | falling |
| 62 | New Zealand | 16.2 % | 2023 | up 60.4% | rising |
| 62 | Uruguay | 16.2 % | 2023 | up 18.2% | rising |
| 64 | Chile | 15.7 % | 2023 | up 33.1% | rising |
| 65 | Costa Rica | 15.1 % | 2023 | up 23.8% | rising |
| 66 | Hungary | 15 % | 2023 | up 38.9% | rising |
| 67 | Australia and New Zealand | 14.5 % | 2023 | up 38.1% | rising |
| 68 | Grenada | 14 % | 2023 | down 16.2% | falling |
| 68 | Romania | 14 % | 2023 | down 27.5% | flat |
| 70 | Australia | 13.9 % | 2023 | up 36.3% | rising |
| 71 | Algeria | 13.3 % | 2023 | down 34.8% | falling |
| 72 | Azerbaijan | 13 % | 2023 | up 176.6% | rising |
| 73 | Malaysia | 11.9 % | 2023 | down 7.8% | flat |
| 74 | Latvia | 11.6 % | 2023 | up 18.4% | rising |
| 75 | Estonia | 11.3 % | 2023 | up 29.9% | rising |
| 76 | Brazil | 11.1 % | 2023 | down 26.0% | flat |
| 77 | Canada | 10.9 % | 2023 | up 127.1% | rising |
| 78 | Portugal | 10.7 % | 2023 | down 28.7% | falling |
| 79 | Belize | 10.2 % | 2023 | down 61.1% | falling |
| 80 | Sri Lanka | 9.8 % | 2023 | up 100.0% | rising |
| 81 | Bulgaria | 9.2 % | 2023 | down 32.4% | falling |
| 82 | Belgium | 8.5 % | 2023 | up 286.4% | rising |
| 83 | Czechia | 8.3 % | 2023 | up 72.9% | rising |
| 83 | Malta | 8.3 % | 2023 | up 48.2% | rising |
| 83 | Singapore | 8.3 % | 2023 | up 277.3% | rising |
| 86 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 8.2 % | 2023 | up 3.8% | rising |
| 87 | Netherlands (Kingdom of the) | 8.1 % | 2023 | up 76.1% | rising |
| 88 | Montenegro | 8 % | 2023 | down 23.1% | falling |
| 89 | North Macedonia | 7.9 % | 2023 | down 44.8% | rising |
| 90 | France | 7.5 % | 2023 | up 31.6% | rising |
| 91 | Israel | 7.4 % | 2023 | down 26.7% | falling |
| 92 | Armenia | 7.2 % | 2023 | down 60.9% | falling |
| 92 | Spain | 7.2 % | 2023 | up 16.1% | flat |
| 94 | Kuwait | 7 % | 2023 | down 6.7% | falling |
| 94 | Slovenia | 7 % | 2023 | down 44.0% | falling |
| 96 | Sweden | 6.7 % | 2023 | up 91.4% | rising |
| 97 | Greece | 6.4 % | 2023 | down 51.1% | falling |
| 97 | Slovakia | 6.4 % | 2023 | up 30.6% | rising |
| 99 | Iceland | 6.3 % | 2023 | up 14.5% | flat |
| 99 | Kyrgyzstan | 6.3 % | 2023 | up 5.0% | rising |
| 99 | Lithuania | 6.3 % | 2023 | down 53.0% | falling |
| 102 | Finland | 5.5 % | 2023 | down 33.7% | falling |
| 102 | Serbia | 5.5 % | 2023 | down 42.7% | falling |
| 104 | Norway | 5.4 % | 2023 | up 50.0% | rising |
| 104 | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | 5.4 % | 2023 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 106 | Denmark | 4.9 % | 2023 | down 5.8% | rising |
| 107 | Ireland | 4.4 % | 2023 | down 38.0% | falling |
| 108 | Mongolia | 4.2 % | 2023 | down 31.1% | falling |
| 109 | Indonesia | 4 % | 2023 | down 31.0% | falling |
| 109 | Thailand | 4 % | 2023 | down 14.9% | falling |
| 111 | Croatia | 3.9 % | 2023 | down 18.8% | falling |
| 112 | Japan | 3.2 % | 2023 | up 166.7% | rising |
| 113 | Republic of Korea | 3 % | 2023 | down 11.8% | flat |
| 114 | Germany | 2.7 % | 2023 | down 25.0% | falling |
| 115 | Austria | 2.4 % | 2023 | down 57.1% | falling |
| 116 | Poland | 2.2 % | 2023 | down 74.4% | falling |
| 117 | Russian Federation | 2 % | 2023 | down 72.6% | falling |
| 118 | Luxembourg | 1.7 % | 2023 | down 59.5% | falling |
| 119 | Switzerland | 1.5 % | 2023 | down 54.5% | falling |
| 120 | Kazakhstan | 0.8 % | 2023 | up 14.3% | falling |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- Low-income economies 63.4 %
- Middle Africa 75.7 %
- Eastern Africa 62 %
- Sub-Saharan Africa 61.6 %
- Western Africa 61.3 %
- Least Developed Countries (LDCs) 53.9 %
- Low Income Food Deficit Countries (LIFDCs) 61 %
- Africa 56 %
- Small Island Developing States (SIDS) 47.3 %
- Oceania excluding Australia and New Zealand 49.6 %
- Land Locked Developing Countries (LLDCs) 47.3 %
- Lower-middle-income economies 38.3 %
- Asia 20.4 %
- Western Asia 35.2 %
- Southern Asia 34.7 %
- Western Asia and Northern Africa 34.3 %
- Central Asia and Southern Asia 34 %
- Northern Africa 32.4 %
- Latin America and the Caribbean 25.8 %
- Central America 25.5 %
- Southern Africa 24.6 %
- World 24.3 %
- Oceania 24 %
- South America 22.9 %
- Central Asia 14.6 %
- South-eastern Asia 13.3 %
- United States of America 12.6 %
- Northern America 12.4 %
- Upper-middle-income economies 11.9 %
- Eastern Europe 9.1 %
- Northern America and Europe 8.9 %
- High-income economies 7.8 %
- Europe 7.5 %
- Eastern Asia and South-eastern Asia 7.2 %
- Northern Europe 6.7 %
- Southern Europe 6.2 %
- Western Europe 5.7 %
- Eastern Asia 4.7 %
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.