Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the total population (percent) (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
Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the total population (percent) (3-year average) — Value is currently reported for 121 countries. The highest value is 62.9 % in South Sudan; the lowest is 0.6 % in Thailand.
The median across all reporting countries is 4.9 %, and the mean is 9.7 %.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 105.
Over the past decade 69 countries rose and 48 fell. The largest increase was in Pakistan (up 511.1%), and the largest decrease in Luxembourg (down 66.7%).
Prevalence of severe food insecurity in the total population: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Sudan | 62.9 % | 2023 | down 3.8% | flat |
| 1 | Democratic Republic of the Congo | 43.9 % | 2023 | up 14.0% | rising |
| 2 | Malawi | 58.1 % | 2023 | up 21.8% | rising |
| 3 | Haiti | 45.4 % | 2023 | down 7.0% | falling |
| 3 | Melanesia | 24.8 % | 2023 | up 2.9% | flat |
| 4 | Liberia | 35.5 % | 2023 | down 8.0% | falling |
| 4 | United Republic of Tanzania | 22.9 % | 2023 | up 11.2% | rising |
| 5 | Sierra Leone | 31.9 % | 2023 | up 19.5% | rising |
| 6 | Afghanistan | 30.2 % | 2023 | up 104.1% | rising |
| 7 | Namibia | 28.1 % | 2023 | down 2.8% | flat |
| 8 | Jamaica | 27.4 % | 2023 | up 8.3% | rising |
| 8 | Republic of Moldova | 6 % | 2023 | up 275.0% | rising |
| 9 | Kenya | 26.5 % | 2023 | up 76.7% | rising |
| 9 | Lao People's Democratic Republic | 5.5 % | 2023 | down 38.2% | falling |
| 10 | Nigeria | 26.4 % | 2023 | up 140.0% | rising |
| 10 | Iran (Islamic Republic of) | 4.8 % | 2023 | down 49.5% | falling |
| 11 | Zimbabwe | 25.3 % | 2023 | down 28.7% | falling |
| 11 | Viet Nam | 1.8 % | 2023 | up 260.0% | rising |
| 12 | Chad | 25.2 % | 2023 | down 22.2% | falling |
| 13 | Eswatini | 25 % | 2023 | — | rising |
| 14 | Lesotho | 24.3 % | 2023 | down 10.0% | falling |
| 15 | Cameroon | 23.9 % | 2023 | up 7.2% | flat |
| 16 | Guatemala | 22.4 % | 2023 | up 39.1% | rising |
| 17 | Botswana | 20.4 % | 2023 | up 10.9% | rising |
| 18 | Gambia | 17.6 % | 2023 | down 25.4% | falling |
| 19 | Zambia | 17.2 % | 2023 | down 23.2% | falling |
| 19 | Côte d'Ivoire | 7.9 % | 2023 | up 27.4% | rising |
| 20 | Madagascar | 16.9 % | 2023 | up 77.9% | rising |
| 21 | Ethiopia | 16.6 % | 2023 | up 14.5% | rising |
| 22 | Dominican Republic | 16.4 % | 2023 | down 32.5% | falling |
| 22 | Cabo Verde | 6.4 % | 2023 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 23 | Angola | 16.2 % | 2023 | down 36.5% | falling |
| 24 | Libya | 15.1 % | 2023 | up 34.8% | rising |
| 25 | Honduras | 14.3 % | 2023 | up 0.7% | rising |
| 26 | Benin | 13.1 % | 2023 | up 26.0% | rising |
| 27 | Uganda | 12.7 % | 2023 | down 40.9% | falling |
| 28 | Mauritania | 12.5 % | 2023 | up 171.7% | rising |
| 29 | Nepal | 12.3 % | 2023 | up 18.3% | rising |
| 29 | El Salvador | 12.3 % | 2023 | down 10.9% | flat |
| 31 | Mauritius | 12.2 % | 2023 | up 134.6% | rising |
| 32 | Egypt | 11.7 % | 2023 | up 39.3% | rising |
| 33 | Argentina | 11 % | 2023 | up 89.7% | rising |
| 33 | Ecuador | 11 % | 2023 | up 83.3% | rising |
| 35 | Lebanon | 10.2 % | 2023 | up 142.9% | rising |
| 36 | Togo | 9.2 % | 2023 | down 42.9% | falling |
| 37 | Guinea-Bissau | 9 % | 2021 | up 8.4% | rising |
| 38 | Ghana | 8.8 % | 2023 | up 72.5% | rising |
| 39 | South Africa | 8.4 % | 2023 | up 21.7% | rising |
| 40 | Albania | 8.3 % | 2023 | down 17.0% | falling |
| 41 | Myanmar | 7.9 % | 2023 | up 315.8% | rising |
| 42 | Tunisia | 7.7 % | 2023 | down 15.4% | rising |
| 43 | Niger | 7.4 % | 2023 | down 26.0% | falling |
| 44 | Burkina Faso | 7.3 % | 2023 | up 23.7% | rising |
| 45 | Paraguay | 7 % | 2023 | up 483.3% | rising |
| 46 | Pakistan | 5.5 % | 2023 | up 511.1% | volatile |
| 47 | Ukraine | 5.4 % | 2023 | up 170.0% | rising |
| 48 | Romania | 5.3 % | 2023 | down 5.4% | rising |
| 49 | Colombia | 5.2 % | 2023 | up 6.1% | rising |
| 49 | Malaysia | 5.2 % | 2023 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 51 | Georgia | 5.1 % | 2023 | down 27.1% | falling |
| 52 | Algeria | 4.9 % | 2023 | down 62.3% | falling |
| 52 | Hungary | 4.9 % | 2023 | up 250.0% | volatile |
| 52 | New Zealand | 4.9 % | 2023 | up 75.0% | rising |
| 52 | Tajikistan | 4.9 % | 2023 | unchanged | falling |
| 56 | Kiribati | 4.8 % | 2023 | down 40.0% | falling |
| 57 | Palestine, State of | 4.5 % | 2021 | up 2.3% | flat |
| 57 | Samoa | 4.5 % | 2023 | up 32.4% | rising |
| 57 | Australia and New Zealand | 4.5 % | 2023 | up 60.7% | rising |
| 60 | Australia | 4.4 % | 2023 | up 57.1% | rising |
| 60 | Grenada | 4.4 % | 2023 | down 47.0% | falling |
| 62 | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | 4 % | 2023 | up 110.5% | rising |
| 63 | Kuwait | 3.8 % | 2023 | down 22.4% | falling |
| 64 | Peru | 3.7 % | 2023 | up 23.3% | rising |
| 64 | Singapore | 3.7 % | 2023 | up 270.0% | volatile |
| 66 | Senegal | 3.5 % | 2023 | down 53.3% | falling |
| 67 | Chile | 3.3 % | 2023 | up 13.8% | rising |
| 67 | France | 3.3 % | 2023 | up 106.2% | volatile |
| 67 | Netherlands (Kingdom of the) | 3.3 % | 2023 | up 120.0% | rising |
| 70 | Sweden | 3.2 % | 2023 | up 300.0% | rising |
| 71 | Ireland | 3.1 % | 2023 | down 8.8% | falling |
| 71 | Philippines | 3.1 % | 2023 | down 3.1% | falling |
| 73 | Belgium | 3 % | 2023 | up 172.7% | rising |
| 74 | Finland | 2.9 % | 2023 | up 20.8% | rising |
| 74 | Cambodia | 2.9 % | 2023 | down 37.0% | falling |
| 76 | Belize | 2.7 % | 2023 | down 38.6% | falling |
| 76 | Mexico | 2.7 % | 2023 | down 20.6% | falling |
| 78 | Mali | 2.4 % | 2023 | down 25.0% | falling |
| 78 | Uruguay | 2.4 % | 2023 | up 41.2% | rising |
| 80 | Costa Rica | 2.3 % | 2023 | up 27.8% | rising |
| 80 | Portugal | 2.3 % | 2023 | down 43.9% | falling |
| 82 | Malta | 2.1 % | 2023 | up 40.0% | rising |
| 83 | Canada | 1.9 % | 2023 | up 216.7% | rising |
| 83 | Denmark | 1.9 % | 2023 | up 90.0% | rising |
| 83 | Spain | 1.9 % | 2023 | up 72.7% | rising |
| 83 | Estonia | 1.9 % | 2023 | up 111.1% | rising |
| 87 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1.8 % | 2023 | up 20.0% | rising |
| 87 | Iceland | 1.8 % | 2023 | up 5.9% | rising |
| 87 | Latvia | 1.8 % | 2023 | up 200.0% | volatile |
| 90 | Austria | 1.7 % | 2023 | up 54.5% | rising |
| 90 | Bulgaria | 1.7 % | 2023 | down 10.5% | rising |
| 90 | Czechia | 1.7 % | 2023 | up 142.9% | rising |
| 93 | Greece | 1.6 % | 2023 | down 38.5% | falling |
| 93 | North Macedonia | 1.6 % | 2023 | down 55.6% | rising |
| 95 | Switzerland | 1.5 % | 2023 | unchanged | flat |
| 95 | Norway | 1.5 % | 2023 | up 36.4% | rising |
| 97 | Japan | 1.4 % | 2023 | up 180.0% | rising |
| 97 | Montenegro | 1.4 % | 2023 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 99 | Slovakia | 1.3 % | 2023 | up 18.2% | rising |
| 99 | Republic of Korea | 1.3 % | 2023 | up 116.7% | rising |
| 101 | Lithuania | 1.2 % | 2023 | down 52.0% | falling |
| 102 | Germany | 1.1 % | 2023 | up 10.0% | rising |
| 102 | Sri Lanka | 1.1 % | 2023 | up 57.1% | rising |
| 104 | Poland | 0.9 % | 2021 | down 50.0% | falling |
| 105 | Israel | 0.7 % | 2023 | down 46.2% | falling |
| 105 | Serbia | 0.7 % | 2023 | down 58.8% | flat |
| 107 | Brazil | 0.6 % | 2023 | down 14.3% | volatile |
| 107 | Croatia | 0.6 % | 2023 | unchanged | rising |
| 107 | Kyrgyzstan | 0.6 % | 2023 | down 25.0% | falling |
| 107 | Luxembourg | 0.6 % | 2023 | down 66.7% | falling |
| 107 | Slovenia | 0.6 % | 2023 | down 33.3% | flat |
| 107 | Thailand | 0.6 % | 2023 | down 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 27.5 %
- Middle Africa 34.6 %
- Low Income Food Deficit Countries (LIFDCs) 24.9 %
- Caribbean 24.5 %
- Eastern Africa 23.4 %
- Oceania excluding Australia and New Zealand 23.4 %
- Small island developing States (SIDS) 21 %
- Sub-Saharan Africa 23.1 %
- Least Developed Countries (LDCs) 20.8 %
- Africa 21.1 %
- Asia 8.6 %
- Western Africa 19.6 %
- Land Locked Developing Countries (LLDCs) 16.3 %
- Southern Asia 16.2 %
- Lower-middle-income economies 15.9 %
- Central Asia and Southern Asia 15.7 %
- Western Asia 14.7 %
- Western Asia and Northern Africa 13.3 %
- Northern Africa 11.8 %
- Southern Africa 10.4 %
- Oceania 10.3 %
- World 9.8 %
- Central America 6.8 %
- Latin America and the Caribbean 6.7 %
- South America 4.8 %
- Northern Europe 3.4 %
- Central Asia 3 %
- Upper-middle-income economies 2.7 %
- Western Europe 2.2 %
- Europe 1.9 %
- South-Eastern Asia 1.9 %
- Northern America and Europe 1.7 %
- High-income economies 1.7 %
- Eastern Europe 1.6 %
- Southern Europe 1.3 %
- Eastern Asia and South-eastern Asia 1.3 %
- Northern America 1.1 %
- United States of America 1.1 %
- Eastern Asia 1 %
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.