Number of undernourished people (millions) in Southern Africa
Southern Africa: Number of undernourished people (millions) was 9.1 num m in 2025. ▲ Rising
Number of undernourished people in Southern Africa, 2000–2025
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in num m.
Analysis
Southern Africa recorded 9.1 num m for number of undernourished people in 2025. That is the highest value across all 26 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.2% on the previous year and up 85.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of undernourished people in Southern Africa peaked at 9.1 num m in 2025 and was at its lowest, 2.6 num m, in 2001.
That places Southern Africa 23rd out of 28 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 26 years of available data.
Number of undernourished people (millions) in Southern Africa, year by year
| Year | num m | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 2.7 num m | — |
| 2001 | 2.6 num m | -3.7% |
| 2002 | 2.8 num m | +7.7% |
| 2003 | 2.7 num m | -3.6% |
| 2004 | 2.7 num m | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 2.7 num m | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 2.9 num m | +7.4% |
| 2007 | 3 num m | +3.4% |
| 2008 | 3 num m | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 3.1 num m | +3.3% |
| 2010 | 3.8 num m | +22.6% |
| 2011 | 3.8 num m | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 3.7 num m | -2.6% |
| 2013 | 3.9 num m | +5.4% |
| 2014 | 4.4 num m | +12.8% |
| 2015 | 4.9 num m | +11.4% |
| 2016 | 4.8 num m | -2.0% |
| 2017 | 4.6 num m | -4.2% |
| 2018 | 4.9 num m | +6.5% |
| 2019 | 5.4 num m | +10.2% |
| 2020 | 6.7 num m | +24.1% |
| 2021 | 7.9 num m | +17.9% |
| 2022 | 7.4 num m | -6.3% |
| 2023 | 8.1 num m | +9.5% |
| 2024 | 8.9 num m | +9.9% |
| 2025 | 9.1 num m | +2.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 2.82 num m | 2.6 num m | 3.1 num m | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.42 num m | 3.7 num m | 5.4 num m | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.02 num m | 6.7 num m | 9.1 num m | 6 |
Countries ranked near Southern Africa
- 20 Mozambique 7.7 num m compare
- 21 Caribbean 7.4 num m compare
- 22 South Africa 7.2 num m compare
- 23 Chad 6.8 num m compare
- 24 Angola 6.6 num m compare
- 25 Iran (Islamic Republic of) 6.2 num m compare
- 25 Iraq 6.2 num m compare
More development goals data for Southern Africa
- Number of refugees per 100,000 population, by country of origin 3.08 per 100,000 people (2025)
- Manufacturing value added per capita 623.5 constant US$ (2025)
- Number of transboundary breeds 162 (2025)
- Number of transboundary breeds (not extinct) 158 (2025)
- Number of transboundary breeds with unknown risk status 85 (2025)
- Number of local breeds with unknown risk status 98 (2025)
- Number of local breeds (not extinct) 121 (2025)
- Number of local breeds kept in the country 127 (2025)
- Alcohol consumption per capita (aged 15 years and older) within a 8.34 ltpureal (2024)
- Children moderately or severely stunted 1,688 num th (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of undernourished people in Southern Africa?
- Number of undernourished people in Southern Africa was 9.1 num m in 2025, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest number of undernourished people recorded in Southern Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 9.1 num m in 2025.
- What is the lowest number of undernourished people recorded in Southern Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.6 num m in 2001.
- How does Southern Africa rank for number of undernourished people?
- Southern Africa ranks 23rd out of 28 groups with data for 2025.
- Is number of undernourished people rising or falling in Southern Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 85.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Southern Africa data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Number of undernourished people (millions). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 26 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).