Number of undernourished people in Southern Asia

Southern Asia: Number of undernourished people was 226.7 in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
226.7
Change on year
down 9.0%
Rank
5th
of 25 groups
All-time high
327.5
in 2004
All-time low
198.8
in 2017
Years of data
25
2000–2024

Number of undernourished people in Southern Asia, 2000–2024

01002003002000201220242000: 239.12001: 268.72002: 304.32003: 305.52004: 327.52005: 325.12006: 291.92007: 258.92008: 250.12009: 259.22010: 264.92011: 248.22012: 253.52013: 239.42014: 228.92015: 240.92016: 2212017: 198.82018: 206.32019: 215.72020: 269.92021: 285.22022: 280.42023: 249.22024: 226.7

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.

Analysis

Southern Asia recorded 226.7 for number of undernourished people in 2024.

That represents a change of down 9.0% on the previous year and down 1.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, number of undernourished people in Southern Asia peaked at 327.5 in 2004 and was at its lowest, 198.8, in 2017.

Southern Asia ranks 5th of 25 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.

Number of undernourished people in Southern Asia, year by year

Annual values for Number of undernourished people (millions) in Southern Asia, 2000 to 2024.
Year Value Change
2000 239.1
2001 268.7 +12.4%
2002 304.3 +13.2%
2003 305.5 +0.4%
2004 327.5 +7.2%
2005 325.1 -0.7%
2006 291.9 -10.2%
2007 258.9 -11.3%
2008 250.1 -3.4%
2009 259.2 +3.6%
2010 264.9 +2.2%
2011 248.2 -6.3%
2012 253.5 +2.1%
2013 239.4 -5.6%
2014 228.9 -4.4%
2015 240.9 +5.2%
2016 221 -8.3%
2017 198.8 -10.0%
2018 206.3 +3.8%
2019 215.7 +4.6%
2020 269.9 +25.1%
2021 285.2 +5.7%
2022 280.4 -1.7%
2023 249.2 -11.1%
2024 226.7 -9.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 283.03 239.1 327.5 10
2010s 231.76 198.8 264.9 10
2020s 262.28 226.7 285.2 5

Countries ranked near Southern Asia

  1. 2 Nigeria 45.4 compare
  2. 3 Pakistan 40.9 compare
  3. 4 China 38.5 compare
  4. 5 Democratic Republic of the Congo 40.7 compare
  5. 5 Ethiopia 25.4 compare
  6. 6 Kenya 20.4 compare
  7. 7 Bangladesh 17.9 compare
  8. 8 Indonesia 17.7 compare

See the full ranking of 139 places →

More development goals data for Southern Asia

All data for Southern Asia →

Frequently asked questions

What is number of undernourished people in Southern Asia?
Number of undernourished people in Southern Asia was 226.7 in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
What is the highest number of undernourished people recorded in Southern Asia?
The highest recorded value was 327.5 in 2004.
What is the lowest number of undernourished people recorded in Southern Asia?
The lowest recorded value was 198.8 in 2017.
How does Southern Asia rank for number of undernourished people?
Southern Asia ranks 5th out of 25 groups with data for 2024.
Is number of undernourished people rising or falling in Southern Asia?
Over the last ten years it is down 1.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Southern Asia 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 — 25 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).

Share, cite or embed this page

Cite this page

Number of undernourished people in Southern Asia. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 30 August 2026, from https://development-goals.statizoid.com/stat/number-of-undernourished-people-millions/southern-asia/

Embed or link this data

Paste this into a page to link back to these figures. The data itself is free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested); please keep the attribution.

<a href="https://development-goals.statizoid.com/stat/number-of-undernourished-people-millions/southern-asia/">Number of undernourished people in Southern Asia</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
Number of undernourished people (millions)
Source
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database
Licence
UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested)
Coverage
139 places, 2,956 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed