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Hunger · Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan

Hunger and malnutrition in Afghanistan

28.6Global Hunger Index 2026, rank 108Serious

28% of people in Afghanistan do not get enough to eat, about 12 million. 45% of young children are too short for their age, a sign of long-term undernutrition, and 3.6% are dangerously thin.

28%undernourished (2024, FAO)
78%moderately or severely food insecure (2024)
45%children under 5 stunted (2022)
3.6%children under 5 wasted (2022)
18%children under 5 underweight (2022)
4.5%children under 5 overweight (2022)
45%children 6-59 months anaemic (2019, WHO)
53 per 1,000children who die before age five (2024)

Global Hunger Index score over time

Out of 100, lower is better. The index rescores past years with the latest data, so these are comparable with each other.

  1. 200049.8
  2. 200638.1
  3. 201231.5
  4. 201828.4
  5. 202628.6

Undernourishment in Afghanistan since 2002

Share of people not getting enough calories, FAO. Each figure is a three-year average centred on the year.

  1. 200244%
  2. 200435%
  3. 200627%
  4. 200820%
  5. 201018%
  6. 201220%
  7. 201419%
  8. 201621%
  9. 201823%
  10. 202029%
  11. 202232%
  12. 202428%

How Afghanistan compares

Afghanistan has the 7th highest child stunting of 129 countries with an estimate since 2015. In Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan it is 2nd of 20.

Frequently asked questions

What is Afghanistan's rank in the Global Hunger Index?

Afghanistan ranks 108 in the 2026 Global Hunger Index with a score of 28.6, which the index calls serious. It scored 49.8 in 2000. The score combines undernourishment, child stunting, child wasting and deaths of children under five.

How many people are hungry in Afghanistan?

FAO estimates 28% of people in Afghanistan were undernourished in 2024, about 12 million people. 78% faced moderate or severe food insecurity (2024).

What percentage of children are stunted in Afghanistan?

45% of children under five in Afghanistan were stunted in 2022, which WHO rates very high. 3.6% were wasted (2022). That ranks Afghanistan 7 of 129 countries with an estimate since 2015, highest first.

Sources: FAO (undernourishment, food insecurity), UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Joint Malnutrition Estimates (stunting, wasting, underweight, overweight), WHO (anaemia) and UN IGME (child deaths), as published by the World Bank; Global Hunger Index 2026.

Hunger in other countries of Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan

All countries