Share of the population undernourished vs. share of children who are stunted by country
Childhood stunting is the share of children younger than five years that are stunted, which means they are two standard deviations below the median height-for-age of the WHO's Child Growth Standards. Undernourishment is when a person's daily food intake does not provide enough energy to maintain a normal, active,...
Countries reporting
160
Highest
55.3 percent
Burundi
Lowest
1 percent
Poland
Median
12 percent
Years covered
25
2000–2024
Data points
4,000
What the numbers show
Share of the population undernourished vs. share of children who are stunted is currently reported for 160 countries. The highest value is 55.3 percent in Burundi; the lowest is 1 percent in Poland.
The median across all reporting countries is 12 percent, and the mean is 16.31 percent.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 55.
Over the past decade 27 countries rose and 128 fell. The largest increase was in Samoa (up 55.6%), and the largest decrease in Tonga (down 71.9%).
Share of the population undernourished vs. share of children who are stunted: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burundi | 55.3 percent | 2024 | up 1.5% | falling |
| 2 | Niger | 48.3 percent | 2024 | up 8.1% | falling |
| 3 | Eritrea | 48 percent | 2024 | down 6.8% | rising |
| 4 | Angola | 47.7 percent | 2024 | up 42.4% | rising |
| 5 | Papua New Guinea | 47.6 percent | 2024 | down 0.6% | rising |
| 6 | Yemen | 47.4 percent | 2024 | up 0.2% | falling |
| 7 | Timor-Leste | 45.4 percent | 2024 | down 10.8% | falling |
| 8 | Guatemala | 44.6 percent | 2024 | down 4.7% | falling |
| 9 | Congo, Democratic Republic of the | 44.1 percent | 2024 | up 3.5% | falling |
| 10 | Afghanistan | 42 percent | 2024 | down 1.2% | falling |
| 11 | Central African Republic | 38.9 percent | 2024 | down 2.0% | falling |
| 12 | Madagascar | 38.4 percent | 2024 | down 17.4% | falling |
| 13 | Mozambique | 37 percent | 2024 | down 11.7% | falling |
| 14 | Ethiopia | 35.5 percent | 2024 | down 12.1% | falling |
| 15 | Sudan | 35.4 percent | 2024 | down 0.6% | falling |
| 16 | Lesotho | 35 percent | 2024 | down 2.8% | falling |
| 17 | Nigeria | 33.8 percent | 2024 | down 6.6% | falling |
| 18 | Pakistan | 33.6 percent | 2024 | down 21.1% | falling |
| 19 | Benin | 33.2 percent | 2024 | down 2.1% | falling |
| 19 | Malawi | 33.2 percent | 2024 | down 18.0% | falling |
| 21 | India | 32.9 percent | 2024 | down 16.9% | falling |
| 22 | Zambia | 32.3 percent | 2024 | down 16.3% | falling |
| 23 | Chad | 31.5 percent | 2024 | down 12.7% | falling |
| 24 | Vanuatu | 31 percent | 2024 | up 12.3% | rising |
| 25 | Marshall Islands | 30 percent | 2024 | down 17.4% | falling |
| 25 | South Sudan | 30 percent | 2024 | down 2.0% | falling |
| 27 | Lao People's Democratic Republic | 29.9 percent | 2024 | down 21.9% | falling |
| 27 | Tanzania, United Republic of | 29.9 percent | 2024 | down 16.5% | falling |
| 29 | Rwanda | 29.8 percent | 2024 | down 22.4% | falling |
| 29 | Solomon Islands | 29.8 percent | 2024 | down 4.5% | falling |
| 31 | Guinea-Bissau | 28.3 percent | 2024 | up 1.8% | falling |
| 32 | Philippines | 27.7 percent | 2024 | down 11.5% | falling |
| 33 | Cameroon | 27.2 percent | 2024 | down 12.8% | falling |
| 34 | Liberia | 26.9 percent | 2024 | down 17.7% | falling |
| 35 | Guinea | 26.6 percent | 2024 | down 18.2% | falling |
| 36 | Nepal | 26 percent | 2024 | down 29.7% | falling |
| 37 | Sierra Leone | 25.2 percent | 2024 | down 20.0% | falling |
| 38 | Bangladesh | 25.1 percent | 2024 | down 29.5% | falling |
| 39 | Myanmar | 24.5 percent | 2024 | down 18.1% | falling |
| 40 | South Africa | 24.4 percent | 2024 | up 9.9% | falling |
| 41 | Malaysia | 24.3 percent | 2024 | up 27.9% | rising |
| 42 | Somalia | 23.9 percent | 2024 | down 15.5% | falling |
| 43 | Zimbabwe | 23.7 percent | 2024 | down 16.8% | falling |
| 44 | Syria | 23.5 percent | 2024 | down 13.3% | falling |
| 44 | Uganda | 23.5 percent | 2024 | down 24.4% | falling |
| 46 | Mali | 23.2 percent | 2024 | down 16.5% | falling |
| 47 | Togo | 23 percent | 2024 | down 10.5% | falling |
| 48 | Indonesia | 22.6 percent | 2024 | down 29.8% | falling |
| 49 | Cambodia | 22 percent | 2024 | down 28.1% | falling |
| 50 | Haiti | 21.6 percent | 2024 | down 4.0% | falling |
| 51 | Mauritania | 21.5 percent | 2024 | down 11.9% | falling |
| 52 | Botswana | 21 percent | 2024 | down 9.5% | falling |
| 53 | Djibouti | 20.9 percent | 2024 | down 21.1% | falling |
| 54 | Côte d'Ivoire | 20.3 percent | 2024 | down 25.4% | falling |
| 55 | Burkina Faso | 19.5 percent | 2024 | down 32.1% | falling |
| 56 | Viet Nam | 19.2 percent | 2024 | down 21.0% | falling |
| 57 | Eswatini | 18.9 percent | 2024 | down 27.3% | falling |
| 58 | Bhutan | 17.9 percent | 2024 | down 31.9% | falling |
| 58 | Honduras | 17.9 percent | 2024 | down 13.9% | falling |
| 58 | Kenya | 17.9 percent | 2024 | down 32.5% | falling |
| 61 | Ecuador | 17.7 percent | 2024 | down 19.9% | falling |
| 62 | Comoros | 17.4 percent | 2024 | down 38.9% | falling |
| 63 | Senegal | 17.2 percent | 2024 | down 5.5% | falling |
| 64 | Equatorial Guinea | 17.1 percent | 2024 | down 25.3% | falling |
| 65 | North Korea | 16.6 percent | 2024 | down 29.1% | falling |
| 66 | Namibia | 16.4 percent | 2024 | down 26.1% | falling |
| 67 | Congo | 16.3 percent | 2024 | down 24.5% | falling |
| 68 | Naoero | 16 percent | 2024 | down 18.8% | falling |
| 69 | Ghana | 15.6 percent | 2024 | down 23.9% | falling |
| 70 | Kiribati | 14.7 percent | 2024 | down 8.1% | falling |
| 71 | Maldives | 14.2 percent | 2024 | down 9.6% | falling |
| 72 | Gambia | 14 percent | 2024 | down 33.6% | falling |
| 72 | Panama | 14 percent | 2024 | down 26.3% | falling |
| 74 | Gabon | 13.7 percent | 2024 | down 16.0% | falling |
| 74 | Morocco | 13.7 percent | 2024 | down 9.3% | falling |
| 76 | Mexico | 13.1 percent | 2024 | up 3.1% | falling |
| 76 | Tajikistan | 13.1 percent | 2024 | down 42.8% | falling |
| 78 | Egypt | 12.9 percent | 2024 | down 37.1% | falling |
| 78 | Oman | 12.9 percent | 2024 | up 13.2% | falling |
| 80 | Thailand | 12.3 percent | 2024 | down 7.5% | falling |
| 81 | Belize | 11.7 percent | 2024 | down 27.3% | falling |
| 81 | Ukraine | 11.7 percent | 2024 | down 29.9% | falling |
| 81 | Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of | 11.7 percent | 2024 | up 1.7% | falling |
| 84 | Colombia | 11.6 percent | 2024 | down 6.5% | falling |
| 85 | Saudi Arabia | 11.1 percent | 2024 | down 10.5% | flat |
| 86 | Kyrgyzstan | 11 percent | 2024 | down 23.6% | falling |
| 87 | Argentina | 10.7 percent | 2024 | up 42.7% | rising |
| 87 | Bolivia, Plurinational State of | 10.7 percent | 2024 | down 39.9% | falling |
| 89 | Costa Rica | 10.6 percent | 2024 | up 49.3% | rising |
| 89 | Peru | 10.6 percent | 2024 | down 32.9% | falling |
| 91 | Lebanon | 10.1 percent | 2024 | unchanged | falling |
| 91 | Sri Lanka | 10.1 percent | 2024 | down 30.8% | falling |
| 93 | Sao Tome and Principe | 10 percent | 2024 | down 40.1% | falling |
| 94 | Brunei Darussalam | 9.9 percent | 2024 | down 37.3% | falling |
| 95 | Iraq | 9.4 percent | 2024 | down 45.7% | falling |
| 95 | El Salvador | 9.4 percent | 2024 | down 32.4% | falling |
| 97 | Libya | 9.2 percent | 2024 | down 60.2% | falling |
| 98 | Brazil | 8.9 percent | 2024 | up 30.9% | flat |
| 98 | Algeria | 8.9 percent | 2024 | down 20.5% | falling |
| 98 | Tunisia | 8.9 percent | 2024 | up 2.3% | falling |
| 101 | Samoa | 8.4 percent | 2024 | up 55.6% | rising |
| 102 | Montenegro | 8 percent | 2024 | down 4.8% | flat |
| 102 | Palestine, State of | 8 percent | 2024 | down 15.8% | falling |
| 102 | Suriname | 8 percent | 2024 | down 2.4% | falling |
| 105 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 7.9 percent | 2024 | down 10.2% | falling |
| 106 | Mauritius | 7.8 percent | 2024 | down 3.7% | falling |
| 106 | Trinidad and Tobago | 7.8 percent | 2024 | down 9.3% | rising |
| 108 | Jordan | 7.7 percent | 2024 | unchanged | falling |
| 109 | Albania | 7.4 percent | 2024 | down 49.3% | falling |
| 110 | Cuba | 7.3 percent | 2024 | up 1.4% | falling |
| 111 | Fiji | 7.2 percent | 2024 | up 5.9% | flat |
| 112 | Guyana | 7.1 percent | 2024 | down 45.4% | falling |
| 112 | Mongolia | 7.1 percent | 2024 | down 33.0% | falling |
| 114 | Romania | 7 percent | 2024 | down 15.7% | falling |
| 115 | Jamaica | 6.9 percent | 2024 | up 9.5% | flat |
| 116 | Azerbaijan | 6.8 percent | 2024 | down 51.4% | falling |
| 117 | Uzbekistan | 6.7 percent | 2024 | down 41.7% | falling |
| 118 | Turkmenistan | 6.5 percent | 2024 | down 41.4% | falling |
| 118 | Uruguay | 6.5 percent | 2024 | down 22.6% | falling |
| 120 | Armenia | 6.2 percent | 2024 | down 49.6% | falling |
| 120 | Seychelles | 6.2 percent | 2024 | down 17.3% | falling |
| 122 | Barbados | 5.8 percent | 2024 | down 18.3% | falling |
| 123 | Dominican Republic | 5.6 percent | 2024 | down 27.3% | falling |
| 124 | Bulgaria | 5.5 percent | 2024 | down 19.1% | falling |
| 124 | Türkiye | 5.5 percent | 2024 | down 32.1% | falling |
| 126 | Qatar | 5.4 percent | 2024 | down 14.3% | falling |
| 127 | Cape Verde | 5.3 percent | 2024 | down 29.3% | falling |
| 127 | Tuvalu | 5.3 percent | 2024 | down 27.4% | falling |
| 129 | Japan | 5.2 percent | 2024 | down 18.8% | falling |
| 130 | Iran, Islamic Republic of | 4.8 percent | 2024 | down 12.7% | falling |
| 131 | Georgia | 4.7 percent | 2024 | down 41.2% | falling |
| 132 | Bahrain | 4.6 percent | 2024 | down 24.6% | falling |
| 132 | Serbia | 4.6 percent | 2024 | down 19.3% | falling |
| 134 | Kuwait | 4.5 percent | 2024 | down 10.0% | rising |
| 135 | Kazakhstan | 4.4 percent | 2024 | down 54.6% | falling |
| 136 | Republic of Moldova | 4.2 percent | 2024 | down 32.3% | falling |
| 136 | United States of America | 4.2 percent | 2024 | up 55.6% | rising |
| 138 | North Macedonia | 3.8 percent | 2024 | down 25.5% | falling |
| 139 | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | 3.5 percent | 2024 | up 25.0% | falling |
| 139 | Malta | 3.5 percent | 2024 | down 23.9% | falling |
| 141 | Portugal | 3.2 percent | 2024 | down 11.1% | falling |
| 141 | Paraguay | 3.2 percent | 2024 | down 58.4% | volatile |
| 143 | Australia | 3.1 percent | 2024 | down 11.4% | rising |
| 144 | Saint Lucia | 2.8 percent | 2024 | up 21.7% | falling |
| 144 | Singapore | 2.8 percent | 2024 | down 9.7% | falling |
| 146 | Belgium | 2.6 percent | 2024 | down 3.7% | falling |
| 147 | Czechia | 2.4 percent | 2024 | unchanged | falling |
| 148 | Germany | 2.2 percent | 2024 | up 37.5% | rising |
| 148 | Ireland | 2.2 percent | 2024 | down 8.3% | falling |
| 150 | Greece | 2 percent | 2024 | up 11.1% | falling |
| 151 | Republic of Korea | 1.8 percent | 2024 | unchanged | falling |
| 152 | Chile | 1.7 percent | 2024 | down 5.6% | falling |
| 152 | Finland | 1.7 percent | 2024 | up 6.2% | falling |
| 152 | Latvia | 1.7 percent | 2024 | down 15.0% | falling |
| 155 | Lithuania | 1.6 percent | 2024 | down 11.1% | falling |
| 155 | Netherlands | 1.6 percent | 2024 | up 6.7% | rising |
| 155 | Tonga | 1.6 percent | 2024 | down 71.9% | volatile |
| 158 | Estonia | 1.3 percent | 2024 | unchanged | falling |
| 159 | Belarus | 1.1 percent | 2024 | down 45.0% | volatile |
| 160 | Poland | 1 percent | 2024 | down 37.5% | falling |
About this data
Childhood stunting is the share of children younger than five years that are stunted, which means they are two standard deviations below the median height-for-age of the WHO's Child Growth Standards. Undernourishment is when a person's daily food intake does not provide enough energy to maintain a normal, active, and healthy life.