Hunger and malnutrition in Iraq
13% of people in Iraq do not get enough to eat, about 6.3 million. 13% of young children are too short for their age, a sign of long-term undernutrition, and 3.0% are dangerously thin.
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.
- 200022.9
- 200620.1
- 201217.2
- 201813.5
- 202611.9
Undernourishment in Iraq since 2002
Share of people not getting enough calories, FAO. Each figure is a three-year average centred on the year.
- 200220%
- 200418%
- 200617%
- 200816%
- 201013%
- 201214%
- 201415%
- 201615%
- 201815%
- 202014%
- 202214%
- 202413%
How Iraq compares
Iraq has the 72nd highest child stunting of 129 countries with an estimate since 2015. In Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan it is 9th of 20.
Frequently asked questions
What is Iraq's rank in the Global Hunger Index?
Iraq ranks 61 in the 2026 Global Hunger Index with a score of 11.9, which the index calls moderate. It scored 22.9 in 2000. The score combines undernourishment, child stunting, child wasting and deaths of children under five.
How many people are hungry in Iraq?
FAO estimates 13% of people in Iraq were undernourished in 2024, about 6.3 million people.
What percentage of children are stunted in Iraq?
13% of children under five in Iraq were stunted in 2018, which WHO rates medium. 3.0% were wasted (2018). That ranks Iraq 72 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.