Countries With the Highest Food Insecurity
Every country with a figure for food insecurity, ranked from highest to lowest. The top three are Sierra Leone (89.8%), Central African Republic (88.1%) and South Sudan (88.1%). The middle country of the 157 has 25.4%.
What this measures
Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population (%), in % of population. Source: Food and Agriculture Organization, Food Insecurity Experience Scale. For this measure, higher is worse.
Asked of people, in a survey about running out of food, and reported as a three-year average from 2015. It is the one measure of hunger here that comes from what people say they went through, rather than from a model.
This measure mostly follows how rich a country is, so this ranking is close to a ranking by national income. Each country’s page also ranks it against countries with similar incomes, which is often the fairer comparison.
The full ranking
Each country’s latest figure, from 2017–2023. The year beside each value says when it was measured.
| Rank | Country | Food insecurity | Year | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sierra Leone | 89.8% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 2 | Central African Republic | 88.1% | 2022 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 3 | South Sudan | 88.1% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 4 | Haiti | 83.2% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 5 | Malawi | 81.7% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 6 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | 81.5% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 7 | Afghanistan | 80.8% | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 8 | Liberia | 80.8% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 9 | Comoros | 79.7% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 10 | Somalia, Fed. Rep. | 79.5% | 2021 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 11 | Angola | 78.5% | 2021 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 12 | Nigeria | 74.8% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 13 | Kenya | 73.9% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 14 | Yemen, Rep. | 73% | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 15 | Madagascar | 72.6% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 16 | Burundi | 70.8% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 17 | Zimbabwe | 68.8% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 18 | Mauritania | 66.3% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 19 | Chad | 66.3% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 20 | Benin | 65.6% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 21 | Guinea-Bissau | 62.5% | 2022 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 22 | Ethiopia | 61.4% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 23 | Cameroon | 61.2% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 24 | Lesotho | 59.9% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 25 | Eswatini | 59% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 26 | Togo | 58.5% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 27 | Tanzania | 58% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 28 | Papua New Guinea | 57.3% | 2019 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 29 | Jamaica | 56.4% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 30 | Namibia | 55.9% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 31 | Gambia, The | 54.8% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 32 | Sao Tome and Principe | 54.6% | 2022 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 33 | Uganda | 54.6% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 34 | Botswana | 53.9% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 35 | Timor-Leste | 53.7% | 2021 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 36 | Niger | 50.9% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 37 | Djibouti | 49.2% | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 38 | Guatemala | 48.8% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 39 | Belize | 45.5% | 2021 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 40 | El Salvador | 45.5% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 41 | Zambia | 45.3% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 42 | Ghana | 44.5% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 43 | Dominican Republic | 43.8% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 44 | Kiribati | 42.9% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 45 | Lebanon | 42.4% | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 46 | Pakistan | 42.1% | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 47 | Burkina Faso | 41.4% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 48 | Honduras | 41.3% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 49 | Peru | 41% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 50 | Cambodia | 40% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 51 | Iran, Islamic Rep. | 38.8% | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 52 | Cote d'Ivoire | 38.4% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 53 | Nepal | 36.6% | 2023 | South Asia |
| 54 | Suriname | 35.8% | 2022 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 55 | Lao PDR | 35.6% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 56 | Libya | 35.1% | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 57 | Dominica | 34.4% | 2022 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 58 | Argentina | 33.8% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 59 | Ecuador | 33.3% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 60 | St. Vincent and the Grenadines | 33.3% | 2019 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 61 | Albania | 33% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 62 | Philippines | 32.9% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 63 | Myanmar | 32.7% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 64 | Ukraine | 32.5% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 65 | Cabo Verde | 32.1% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 66 | Barbados | 31.1% | 2022 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 67 | Mauritius | 31.1% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 68 | Egypt, Arab Rep. | 30.8% | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 69 | Naoero | 29.9% | 2022 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 70 | Fiji | 29.2% | 2022 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 71 | Senegal | 29.1% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 72 | Palau | 28.1% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 73 | Colombia | 27.8% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 74 | Trinidad and Tobago | 27.6% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 75 | West Bank and Gaza | 27% | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 76 | Georgia | 26.6% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 77 | Paraguay | 26.2% | 2022 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 78 | Guyana | 25.5% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 79 | Tunisia | 25.4% | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 80 | Moldova | 25.1% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 81 | Tajikistan | 25.1% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 82 | Uzbekistan | 24.4% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 83 | Vanuatu | 23.3% | 2020 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 84 | St. Lucia | 22.2% | 2017 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 85 | St. Kitts and Nevis | 21.1% | 2020 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 86 | South Africa | 20.7% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 87 | Mali | 20.6% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 88 | Mexico | 19.3% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 89 | Chile | 19.2% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 90 | Romania | 18.6% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 91 | Samoa | 18.6% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 92 | Algeria | 17.6% | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 93 | Grenada | 17.3% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 94 | New Zealand | 17.3% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 95 | Bahamas, The | 17.2% | 2022 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 96 | Malaysia | 16.7% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 97 | Uruguay | 16.2% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 98 | Hungary | 15.6% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 99 | Costa Rica | 15.4% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 100 | North Macedonia | 15.2% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 101 | Tonga | 14.8% | 2022 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 102 | Seychelles | 14.3% | 2017 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 103 | Azerbaijan | 14% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 104 | Australia | 13.8% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 105 | Antigua and Barbuda | 13.5% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 106 | Brazil | 13.5% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 107 | Finland | 13.4% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 108 | Maldives | 13.4% | 2022 | South Asia |
| 109 | Portugal | 11.9% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 110 | Bulgaria | 11.6% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 111 | Sri Lanka | 11.2% | 2023 | South Asia |
| 112 | Latvia | 11.2% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 113 | Estonia | 10.8% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 114 | Viet Nam | 10.7% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 115 | Montenegro | 10.4% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 116 | United States | 10.3% | 2023 | North America |
| 117 | Canada | 10.2% | 2023 | North America |
| 118 | Czechia | 10% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 119 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 9.9% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 120 | Singapore | 9.5% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 121 | Serbia | 9.5% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 122 | Israel | 9.2% | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 123 | Malta | 9.2% | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 124 | France | 8.4% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 125 | Kuwait | 8.4% | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 126 | Slovenia | 8.2% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 127 | Belgium | 8.1% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 128 | Armenia | 7.8% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 129 | Iceland | 7.8% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 130 | Norway | 7.8% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 131 | Netherlands | 7.5% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 132 | Slovak Republic | 7.5% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 133 | Kyrgyz Republic | 7% | 2022 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 134 | Denmark | 6.9% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 135 | United Kingdom | 6.9% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 136 | Sweden | 6.9% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 137 | Greece | 6.6% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 138 | Spain | 6.5% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 139 | Lithuania | 6.5% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 140 | Croatia | 6% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 141 | Japan | 5.8% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 142 | Korea, Rep. | 5.4% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 143 | Thailand | 5.4% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 144 | Ireland | 4.8% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 145 | Mongolia | 4.8% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 146 | Austria | 4.7% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 147 | Indonesia | 4.5% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 148 | Germany | 4.1% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 149 | United Arab Emirates | 3.6% | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 150 | Poland | 3.4% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 151 | Russian Federation | 2.8% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 152 | Luxembourg | 2.6% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 153 | Switzerland | 2% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 154 | Kazakhstan | 2% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 155 | Italy | 1.7% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 156 | Cyprus | 1.4% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 157 | Belarus | 1.1% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
More on food insecurity
- Countries With the Lowest Food Insecurity
- Food insecurity by country: trend over time and what it goes with
Related rankings
- Countries With the Highest Life Expectancy
- Countries With the Highest Infant Mortality
- Countries With the Highest Under-5 Mortality
- Countries With the Highest Health Spending
- Countries With the Highest Suicide Rates
- Countries With the Highest Hospital Beds
- Countries With the Highest Basic Water Access
- Countries With the Highest Basic Sanitation
A ranking describes countries, not the people in them, and a high or low place does not by itself say why. All country rankings.