Iran, Islamic Republic of vs South Africa: Number of people who are severely food insecure
Iran, Islamic Republic of
5.30 million people
in 2023
South Africa
5.40 million people
in 2023
Iran, Islamic Republic of rank
17th
South Africa rank
16th
Number of people who are severely food insecure over time
- Iran, Islamic Republic of
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 5.40 million people against 5.30 million people in Iran, Islamic Republic of, a difference of 100,000 people.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 6 shared years of data; in 2018 it was Iran, Islamic Republic of ahead.
Iran, Islamic Republic of ranks 17th and South Africa ranks 16th of 118 countries.
Iran, Islamic Republic of has averaged higher in every one of the 2 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Iran, Islamic Republic of | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 7.40 million people | 4.25 million people | 3.15 million people | Iran, Islamic Republic of |
| 2020s | 6.10 million people | 5.17 million people | 925,000 people | Iran, Islamic Republic of |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher number of people who are severely food insecure, Iran, Islamic Republic of or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 5.40 million people against 5.30 million people in Iran, Islamic Republic of as of 2023.
- What is the difference in number of people who are severely food insecure between Iran, Islamic Republic of and South Africa?
- 100,000 people, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Iran, Islamic Republic of and South Africa?
- 6 years are reported by both, from 2018 to 2023.
- How do Iran, Islamic Republic of and South Africa rank globally for number of people who are severely food insecure?
- Iran, Islamic Republic of ranks 17th and South Africa ranks 16th of 118 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Number of people who are severely food insecure. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Severe food insecurity is defined by the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES). It is strongly related to insufficient quantity of food (energy).