Malnutrition: Share of children who are stunted in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Malnutrition: Share of children who are stunted was 26.3% in 2021. ▼ Falling
Malnutrition: Share of children who are stunted in Sierra Leone, 1989–2021
Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for malnutrition: share of children who are stunted in Sierra Leone is 26.3%, measured in 2021. That is the lowest value across all 9 years on record.
The figure is down 10.8% on the previous year and down 19.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, malnutrition: share of children who are stunted in Sierra Leone peaked at 45.0% in 2005 and was at its lowest, 26.3%, in 2021.
Sierra Leone ranks 29th of 97 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Malnutrition: Share of children who are stunted in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 41.4% | — |
| 1990 | 40.9% | -1.2% |
| 2000 | 35.5% | -13.2% |
| 2005 | 45.0% | +26.8% |
| 2010 | 32.7% | -27.3% |
| 2014 | 29.1% | -11.0% |
| 2017 | 31.0% | +6.5% |
| 2019 | 29.5% | -4.8% |
| 2021 | 26.3% | -10.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 41.4% | 41.4% | 41.4% | 1 |
| 1990s | 40.9% | 40.9% | 40.9% | 1 |
| 2000s | 40.2% | 35.5% | 45.0% | 2 |
| 2010s | 30.6% | 29.1% | 32.7% | 4 |
| 2020s | 26.3% | 26.3% | 26.3% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
More reference data data for Sierra Leone
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0238 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.4498 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.5935 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.12 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.5935 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0797 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.044 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.91 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.72 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.6534 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is malnutrition: share of children who are stunted in Sierra Leone?
- Malnutrition: share of children who are stunted in Sierra Leone was 26.3% in 2021, according to World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest malnutrition: share of children who are stunted recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 45.0% in 2005.
- What is the lowest malnutrition: share of children who are stunted recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 26.3% in 2021.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for malnutrition: share of children who are stunted?
- Sierra Leone ranks 29th out of 97 countries with data for 2021.
- Is malnutrition: share of children who are stunted rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sierra Leone data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Malnutrition: Share of children who are stunted. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 9 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of children younger than five years old who are defined as stunted. Stunting is when a child is significantly shorter than the average for their age. It is a consequence of poor nutrition or repeated infection.