Prevalence of undernourishment (%) in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Prevalence of undernourishment (%) was 19.9% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Prevalence of undernourishment in Ethiopia, 2001–2024
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
Ethiopia recorded 19.9% for prevalence of undernourishment in 2024.
The figure is down 3.4% on the previous year and up 27.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of undernourishment in Ethiopia peaked at 46.1% in 2001 and was at its lowest, 13.6%, in 2016.
That places Ethiopia 28th out of 140 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 24 years of available data.
Prevalence of undernourishment (%) in Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 46.1% | — |
| 2002 | 43.2% | -6.3% |
| 2003 | 41.6% | -3.7% |
| 2004 | 39.1% | -6.0% |
| 2005 | 36.4% | -6.9% |
| 2006 | 32.7% | -10.2% |
| 2007 | 29.4% | -10.1% |
| 2008 | 26.3% | -10.5% |
| 2009 | 24.3% | -7.6% |
| 2010 | 23.1% | -4.9% |
| 2011 | 22.2% | -3.9% |
| 2012 | 20.7% | -6.8% |
| 2013 | 18.4% | -11.1% |
| 2014 | 15.6% | -15.2% |
| 2015 | 14.0% | -10.3% |
| 2016 | 13.6% | -2.9% |
| 2017 | 14.7% | +8.1% |
| 2018 | 16.6% | +12.9% |
| 2019 | 18.7% | +12.7% |
| 2020 | 20.3% | +8.6% |
| 2021 | 20.8% | +2.5% |
| 2022 | 20.6% | -1.0% |
| 2023 | 20.6% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 19.9% | -3.4% |
Ethiopia compared with similar countries
- Ethiopia's 19.9% is below the median for low income countries, which is 22.5%, 89% of the median. (20 countries reporting)
- Ethiopia's 19.9% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 18.4%, 1.1× the median. (41 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 35.5% | 24.3% | 46.1% | 9 |
| 2010s | 17.8% | 13.6% | 23.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.4% | 19.9% | 20.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
- 25 Uganda 20.9% compare
- 26 Namibia 20.1% compare
- 27 Guinea-Bissau 20.0% compare
- 29 Bolivia (Plurinational State of) 19.5% compare
- 30 United Republic of Tanzania 19.1% compare
- 30 South Sudan 19.1% compare
More development goals data for Ethiopia
- Red List Index 0.8413 (2025)
- Number of refugees per 100,000 population, by country of origin 122.55 (2025)
- Manufacturing value added per capita 52.47 (2025)
- Number of transboundary breeds 14 (2025)
- Number of transboundary breeds (not extinct) 14 (2025)
- Number of transboundary breeds with unknown risk status 14 (2025)
- Number of local breeds with unknown risk status 81 (2025)
- Number of local breeds (not extinct) 93 (2025)
- Number of local breeds kept in the country 93 (2025)
- Infant deaths 141,578 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of undernourishment in Ethiopia?
- Prevalence of undernourishment in Ethiopia was 19.9% in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest prevalence of undernourishment recorded in Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 46.1% in 2001.
- What is the lowest prevalence of undernourishment recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.6% in 2016.
- How does Ethiopia rank for prevalence of undernourishment?
- Ethiopia ranks 28th out of 140 countries with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of undernourishment rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 27.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ethiopia data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Prevalence of undernourishment (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).