Share of the population defined as severely food insecure vs. undernourished in South Sudan

South Sudan: Share of the population defined as severely food insecure vs. undernourished was 63.1 percent in 2023. ▬ Flat

Latest (2023)
63.1 percent
Change on year
down 0.2%
World rank
1st
of 125 countries
All-time high
65.4 percent
in 2017
All-time low
62.3 percent
in 2020
Years of data
7
2017–2023

Share of the population defined as severely food insecure vs. undernourished in South Sudan, 2017–2023

02040602017202020232017: 65.4 percent2018: 63.7 percent2019: 63 percent2020: 62.3 percent2021: 63.2 percent2022: 63.2 percent2023: 63.1 percent

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in percent.

Analysis

The most recent figure for share of the population defined as severely food insecure vs. undernourished in South Sudan is 63.1 percent, measured in 2023.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.2% on the previous year and down 3.5% over ten years.

That places South Sudan 1st out of 125 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 64.03 percent 63 percent 65.4 percent 3
2020s 62.95 percent 62.3 percent 63.2 percent 4

Countries ranked near South Sudan

  1. 2 Malawi 55.6 percent compare
  2. 3 Haiti 45.4 percent compare
  3. 4 Democratic Republic of Congo 42.5 percent compare

See the full ranking of 125 places →

More reference data data for South Sudan

All data for South Sudan →

Frequently asked questions

What is share of the population defined as severely food insecure vs. undernourished in South Sudan?
Share of the population defined as severely food insecure vs. undernourished in South Sudan was 63.1 percent in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest share of the population defined as severely food insecure vs. undernourished recorded in South Sudan?
The highest recorded value was 65.4 percent in 2017.
What is the lowest share of the population defined as severely food insecure vs. undernourished recorded in South Sudan?
The lowest recorded value was 62.3 percent in 2020.
How does South Sudan rank for share of the population defined as severely food insecure vs. undernourished?
South Sudan ranks 1st out of 125 countries with data for 2023.
Is share of the population defined as severely food insecure vs. undernourished rising or falling in South Sudan?
Over the last ten years it is down 3.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this South Sudan data come from?
The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of the population defined as severely food insecure vs. undernourished. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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About this data

Indicator
Share of the population defined as severely food insecure vs. undernourished
Unit
percent
Source
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
125 places, 1,042 data points, 2015–2023
Last refreshed

Both metrics indicate that someone does not get enough food (in terms of calories) to eat: these metrics should be strongly correlated. Severe food insecurity is measured based on food security questionnaires among households. Undernourishment is based on estimates of actual calorie intake across the population.