Prevalence of undernourishment in Southern Africa
Southern Africa: Prevalence of undernourishment was 11.4% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Prevalence of undernourishment in Southern Africa, 2000–2024
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
The most recent figure for prevalence of undernourishment in Southern Africa is 11.4%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is up 2.7% on the previous year and up 48.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of undernourishment in Southern Africa peaked at 11.4% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 4.7%, in 2004.
Southern Africa ranks 10th of 27 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Prevalence of undernourishment in Southern Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 5.1% | — |
| 2001 | 4.8% | -5.9% |
| 2002 | 5.1% | +6.2% |
| 2003 | 4.9% | -3.9% |
| 2004 | 4.7% | -4.1% |
| 2005 | 4.7% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 5.1% | +8.5% |
| 2007 | 5.3% | +3.9% |
| 2008 | 5.4% | +1.9% |
| 2009 | 5.6% | +3.7% |
| 2010 | 6.9% | +23.2% |
| 2011 | 6.9% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 6.6% | -4.3% |
| 2013 | 6.9% | +4.5% |
| 2014 | 7.7% | +11.6% |
| 2015 | 8.5% | +10.4% |
| 2016 | 7.4% | -12.9% |
| 2017 | 7.2% | -2.7% |
| 2018 | 7.5% | +4.2% |
| 2019 | 8.0% | +6.7% |
| 2020 | 9.5% | +18.8% |
| 2021 | 11.2% | +17.9% |
| 2022 | 10.3% | -8.0% |
| 2023 | 11.1% | +7.8% |
| 2024 | 11.4% | +2.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 5.1% | 4.7% | 5.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.4% | 6.6% | 8.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.7% | 9.5% | 11.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Southern Africa
- 7 Chad 32.0% compare
- 8 Central African Republic 29.8% compare
- 9 Papua New Guinea 28.7% compare
- 10 Afghanistan 28.1% compare
- 11 Congo 26.4% compare
- 12 Gabon 25.3% compare
- 13 Rwanda 24.4% compare
More development goals data for Southern Africa
- Number of refugees per 100,000 population, by country of origin 3.08 (2025)
- Manufacturing value added per capita 623.5 (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 (2024)
- Children moderately or severely stunted 1,688 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of undernourishment in Southern Africa?
- Prevalence of undernourishment in Southern Africa was 11.4% in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest prevalence of undernourishment recorded in Southern Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 11.4% in 2024.
- What is the lowest prevalence of undernourishment recorded in Southern Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.7% in 2004.
- How does Southern Africa rank for prevalence of undernourishment?
- Southern Africa ranks 10th out of 27 groups with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of undernourishment rising or falling in Southern Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 48.1%. 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 Prevalence of undernourishment (%). 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).