Number of undernourished people (millions) in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Number of undernourished people (millions) was 1.1 num m in 2024. ▼ Falling
Number of undernourished people in Sri Lanka, 2001–2024
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in num m.
Analysis
Sri Lanka recorded 1.1 num m for number of undernourished people in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 26.7% on the previous year and down 15.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of undernourished people in Sri Lanka peaked at 3.3 num m in 2001 and was at its lowest, 0.7 num m, in 2020.
That places Sri Lanka 71st out of 120 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 24 years of available data.
Number of undernourished people (millions) in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | num m | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 3.3 num m | — |
| 2002 | 3.2 num m | -3.0% |
| 2003 | 3.2 num m | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 3 num m | -6.3% |
| 2005 | 2.9 num m | -3.3% |
| 2006 | 2.7 num m | -6.9% |
| 2007 | 2.5 num m | -7.4% |
| 2008 | 2.3 num m | -8.0% |
| 2009 | 2.2 num m | -4.3% |
| 2010 | 2.3 num m | +4.5% |
| 2011 | 2.3 num m | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 2.1 num m | -8.7% |
| 2013 | 1.9 num m | -9.5% |
| 2014 | 1.3 num m | -31.6% |
| 2015 | 1 num m | -23.1% |
| 2016 | 0.9 num m | -10.0% |
| 2017 | 1.1 num m | +22.2% |
| 2018 | 1.2 num m | +9.1% |
| 2019 | 0.9 num m | -25.0% |
| 2020 | 0.7 num m | -22.2% |
| 2021 | 1 num m | +42.9% |
| 2022 | 1.3 num m | +30.0% |
| 2023 | 1.5 num m | +15.4% |
| 2024 | 1.1 num m | -26.7% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 1.1 num m is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.1 num m, 1.0× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 2.81 num m | 2.2 num m | 3.3 num m | 9 |
| 2010s | 1.5 num m | 0.9 num m | 2.3 num m | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.12 num m | 0.7 num m | 1.5 num m | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More development goals data for Sri Lanka
- Red List Index 0.6659 index (2025)
- Number of refugees per 100,000 population, by country of origin 628.59 per 100,000 people (2025)
- Manufacturing value added per capita 605.53 constant US$ (2025)
- Number of transboundary breeds 26 (2025)
- Number of transboundary breeds (not extinct) 25 (2025)
- Number of transboundary breeds with unknown risk status 17 (2025)
- Number of local breeds with unknown risk status 11 (2025)
- Number of local breeds (not extinct) 20 (2025)
- Number of local breeds kept in the country 20 (2025)
- Infant deaths 1,663 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of undernourished people in Sri Lanka?
- Number of undernourished people in Sri Lanka was 1.1 num m in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest number of undernourished people recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 3.3 num m in 2001.
- What is the lowest number of undernourished people recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.7 num m in 2020.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for number of undernourished people?
- Sri Lanka ranks 71st out of 120 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of undernourished people rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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 — 24 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).