Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the total 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 total population (percent) (3-year average) — Confidence interval: Lower bound is currently reported for 129 countries. The highest value is 87.2 % in South Sudan; the lowest is 0.9 % in Kazakhstan.
The median across all reporting countries is 19.9 %, and the mean is 27.23 %.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 97.
Over the past decade 76 countries rose and 52 fell. The largest increase was in Paraguay (up 343.1%), and the largest decrease in Poland (down 76.4%).
Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the total: 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 19.4% | rising |
| 2 | Sierra Leone | 85.1 % | 2023 | up 12.4% | rising |
| 3 | Malawi | 80.3 % | 2023 | up 4.7% | flat |
| 4 | Haiti | 80.2 % | 2023 | down 0.4% | flat |
| 4 | United Republic of Tanzania | 54.9 % | 2023 | up 17.6% | rising |
| 5 | Liberia | 76.8 % | 2023 | up 0.8% | flat |
| 5 | Melanesia | 52.3 % | 2023 | up 3.0% | flat |
| 6 | Angola | 74.8 % | 2023 | up 6.1% | flat |
| 7 | Nigeria | 74.5 % | 2023 | up 132.8% | rising |
| 7 | Iran (Islamic Republic of) | 34.9 % | 2023 | down 22.8% | falling |
| 8 | Yemen | 73.4 % | 2023 | up 75.2% | rising |
| 8 | Lao People's Democratic Republic | 31.6 % | 2023 | up 22.5% | rising |
| 9 | Afghanistan | 70.3 % | 2023 | up 78.9% | rising |
| 9 | Republic of Moldova | 22.6 % | 2023 | up 35.3% | rising |
| 10 | Kenya | 70.2 % | 2023 | up 43.0% | rising |
| 11 | Zimbabwe | 65.9 % | 2023 | up 7.9% | rising |
| 11 | Côte d'Ivoire | 36.1 % | 2023 | up 12.1% | rising |
| 11 | Viet Nam | 7.7 % | 2023 | up 42.6% | rising |
| 12 | Benin | 63.5 % | 2023 | up 19.6% | rising |
| 13 | Mauritania | 63.2 % | 2023 | up 164.4% | rising |
| 14 | Chad | 62.6 % | 2023 | down 2.6% | falling |
| 15 | Guinea-Bissau | 60.3 % | 2021 | up 1.7% | flat |
| 16 | Lesotho | 59.8 % | 2023 | up 25.4% | rising |
| 17 | Madagascar | 59.5 % | 2023 | up 7.0% | rising |
| 17 | Cabo Verde | 29.2 % | 2023 | down 13.9% | falling |
| 18 | Eswatini | 57.6 % | 2023 | — | flat |
| 19 | Cameroon | 57.3 % | 2023 | up 29.3% | rising |
| 20 | Ethiopia | 54.9 % | 2023 | up 4.2% | flat |
| 21 | Togo | 53.8 % | 2023 | down 7.1% | falling |
| 22 | Namibia | 51.6 % | 2023 | up 1.8% | flat |
| 23 | Jamaica | 50.8 % | 2023 | up 16.0% | rising |
| 24 | Uganda | 50.1 % | 2023 | down 21.5% | falling |
| 25 | Botswana | 48.6 % | 2023 | up 14.4% | rising |
| 26 | Niger | 48.5 % | 2023 | up 2.3% | flat |
| 27 | Guatemala | 45 % | 2023 | up 14.2% | rising |
| 28 | Zambia | 43.9 % | 2023 | down 10.6% | falling |
| 29 | Gambia | 43.6 % | 2023 | down 11.4% | flat |
| 30 | Ghana | 42.2 % | 2023 | up 16.3% | rising |
| 31 | Lebanon | 40.9 % | 2023 | up 240.8% | rising |
| 32 | Kiribati | 40.4 % | 2023 | up 9.8% | rising |
| 33 | Burkina Faso | 38.7 % | 2023 | up 6.6% | rising |
| 34 | Honduras | 38.6 % | 2023 | down 6.8% | flat |
| 35 | El Salvador | 37.9 % | 2023 | down 3.6% | rising |
| 36 | Dominican Republic | 37.4 % | 2023 | down 27.5% | falling |
| 37 | Cambodia | 32.9 % | 2023 | down 9.1% | rising |
| 38 | Peru | 32.8 % | 2023 | up 27.1% | rising |
| 39 | Nepal | 32.2 % | 2023 | up 21.5% | rising |
| 40 | Philippines | 31.4 % | 2023 | down 20.9% | falling |
| 41 | Ukraine | 29.1 % | 2023 | up 77.4% | rising |
| 42 | Albania | 28.5 % | 2023 | down 20.2% | falling |
| 42 | Argentina | 28.5 % | 2023 | up 73.8% | rising |
| 44 | Libya | 28.4 % | 2023 | up 7.6% | rising |
| 45 | Ecuador | 27.7 % | 2023 | up 62.0% | rising |
| 46 | Egypt | 27.2 % | 2023 | up 9.2% | flat |
| 47 | Colombia | 27.1 % | 2023 | up 41.1% | rising |
| 47 | Myanmar | 27.1 % | 2023 | up 38.3% | rising |
| 49 | Senegal | 25.4 % | 2023 | down 30.6% | falling |
| 50 | Mauritius | 25.1 % | 2023 | up 130.3% | rising |
| 51 | Bangladesh | 24.4 % | 2023 | down 6.5% | falling |
| 52 | Palestine, State of | 24.2 % | 2021 | down 1.6% | flat |
| 53 | Paraguay | 22.6 % | 2023 | up 343.1% | rising |
| 54 | Pakistan | 22.2 % | 2023 | up 60.9% | rising |
| 55 | Tunisia | 21.1 % | 2023 | up 48.6% | rising |
| 56 | Tajikistan | 20 % | 2023 | up 27.4% | rising |
| 57 | Georgia | 19.9 % | 2023 | down 29.2% | falling |
| 58 | South Africa | 19.7 % | 2023 | up 20.9% | rising |
| 59 | Mali | 18.7 % | 2023 | down 21.8% | falling |
| 60 | New Zealand | 16.8 % | 2023 | up 107.4% | rising |
| 61 | Samoa | 16.7 % | 2023 | down 20.9% | falling |
| 62 | Mexico | 15.9 % | 2023 | down 35.1% | falling |
| 63 | Chile | 15.8 % | 2023 | up 56.4% | rising |
| 64 | Uruguay | 14.1 % | 2023 | up 15.6% | rising |
| 65 | Algeria | 14 % | 2023 | down 26.3% | falling |
| 65 | Grenada | 14 % | 2023 | down 16.2% | falling |
| 67 | Australia and New Zealand | 13.9 % | 2023 | up 56.2% | rising |
| 68 | Hungary | 13.3 % | 2023 | up 44.6% | rising |
| 69 | Australia | 13.2 % | 2023 | up 51.7% | rising |
| 70 | Costa Rica | 13.1 % | 2023 | up 13.9% | rising |
| 71 | Malaysia | 13 % | 2023 | down 13.9% | flat |
| 72 | Romania | 12.9 % | 2023 | down 22.3% | flat |
| 73 | Azerbaijan | 12.6 % | 2023 | up 180.0% | rising |
| 74 | Estonia | 10.8 % | 2023 | up 40.3% | rising |
| 75 | Canada | 10.3 % | 2023 | up 128.9% | rising |
| 76 | Belize | 10.2 % | 2023 | down 61.1% | falling |
| 77 | Sri Lanka | 9.7 % | 2023 | up 76.4% | rising |
| 78 | Latvia | 9.5 % | 2023 | up 15.9% | rising |
| 79 | Brazil | 9.4 % | 2023 | down 27.1% | flat |
| 80 | Portugal | 8.4 % | 2023 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 81 | Bulgaria | 8.2 % | 2023 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 81 | France | 8.2 % | 2023 | up 54.7% | rising |
| 83 | Singapore | 8.1 % | 2023 | up 305.0% | rising |
| 84 | Kuwait | 8 % | 2023 | down 25.9% | falling |
| 85 | Malta | 7.6 % | 2023 | up 65.2% | rising |
| 86 | Israel | 7.2 % | 2023 | down 27.3% | falling |
| 87 | Czechia | 7.1 % | 2023 | up 69.0% | rising |
| 88 | Belgium | 7 % | 2023 | up 159.3% | rising |
| 88 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 7 % | 2023 | down 5.4% | rising |
| 88 | North Macedonia | 7 % | 2023 | down 43.1% | rising |
| 91 | Netherlands (Kingdom of the) | 6.8 % | 2023 | up 51.1% | rising |
| 92 | Montenegro | 6.7 % | 2023 | down 33.0% | falling |
| 93 | Sweden | 6.6 % | 2023 | up 100.0% | rising |
| 94 | Finland | 6.5 % | 2023 | down 13.3% | falling |
| 95 | Greece | 6 % | 2023 | down 53.8% | falling |
| 96 | Armenia | 5.9 % | 2023 | down 65.1% | falling |
| 96 | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | 5.9 % | 2023 | up 15.7% | rising |
| 98 | Spain | 5.8 % | 2023 | up 1.8% | falling |
| 99 | Kyrgyzstan | 5.7 % | 2023 | down 8.1% | falling |
| 100 | Slovenia | 5.6 % | 2023 | down 45.6% | falling |
| 101 | Slovakia | 5.4 % | 2023 | up 17.4% | rising |
| 102 | Norway | 5.2 % | 2023 | up 48.6% | rising |
| 103 | Lithuania | 5.1 % | 2023 | down 59.2% | falling |
| 104 | Denmark | 5 % | 2023 | up 8.7% | rising |
| 104 | Serbia | 5 % | 2023 | down 45.7% | falling |
| 106 | Japan | 4.9 % | 2023 | up 188.2% | rising |
| 107 | Ireland | 4.8 % | 2023 | down 36.0% | falling |
| 108 | Iceland | 4.7 % | 2023 | up 6.8% | falling |
| 109 | Republic of Korea | 4.2 % | 2023 | up 7.7% | rising |
| 110 | Indonesia | 4 % | 2023 | down 31.0% | falling |
| 111 | Mongolia | 3.9 % | 2023 | down 33.9% | falling |
| 112 | Thailand | 3.7 % | 2023 | down 14.0% | falling |
| 113 | Croatia | 3.1 % | 2023 | down 32.6% | falling |
| 114 | Austria | 3 % | 2023 | down 34.8% | falling |
| 115 | Germany | 2.8 % | 2023 | down 6.7% | falling |
| 116 | Switzerland | 1.9 % | 2023 | down 36.7% | falling |
| 117 | Russian Federation | 1.8 % | 2023 | down 73.1% | falling |
| 118 | Luxembourg | 1.7 % | 2023 | down 52.8% | falling |
| 118 | Poland | 1.7 % | 2023 | down 76.4% | falling |
| 120 | Kazakhstan | 0.9 % | 2023 | up 28.6% | flat |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- Low-income economies 63.6 %
- Middle Africa 75.1 %
- Sub-Saharan Africa 61.9 %
- Eastern Africa 61.5 %
- Least Developed Countries (LDCs) 55 %
- Low Income Food Deficit Countries (LIFDCs) 61.3 %
- Western Africa 61 %
- Africa 56.8 %
- Small island developing States (SIDS) 47.4 %
- Caribbean 50.9 %
- Oceania excluding Australia and New Zealand 50.1 %
- Land Locked Developing Countries (LLDCs) 47.9 %
- Lower-middle-income economies 37.9 %
- Asia 21 %
- Western Asia 35.2 %
- Western Asia and Northern Africa 34.2 %
- Southern Asia 33.2 %
- Central Asia and Southern Asia 32.6 %
- Northern Africa 32.1 %
- World 26.3 %
- Oceania 25.4 %
- Southern Africa 24.3 %
- Latin America and the Caribbean 23.8 %
- Central America 23.1 %
- South America 21 %
- Central Asia 14.7 %
- South-Eastern Asia 13.2 %
- Upper-middle-income economies 12 %
- Northern America 10.4 %
- United States of America 10.4 %
- Northern America and Europe 8.2 %
- Eastern Europe 8 %
- Eastern Asia and South-eastern Asia 7.9 %
- High-income economies 7.7 %
- Europe 7 %
- Northern Europe 6.7 %
- Western Europe 5.8 %
- Eastern Asia 5.5 %
- Southern Europe 5.2 %
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.