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Hunger · Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan

Hunger and malnutrition in Yemen

49%of children under five stunted (2022)Very high

49% of young children are too short for their age, a sign of long-term undernutrition, and 17% are dangerously thin. Stunting ranges from 23% in Al-Mhrah to 63% in Reimah.

74%moderately or severely food insecure (2024)
49%children under 5 stunted (2022)
17%children under 5 wasted (2022)
41%children under 5 underweight (2022)
1.5%children under 5 overweight (2022)
80%children 6-59 months anaemic (2019, WHO)
38 per 1,000children who die before age five (2024)

Child stunting by region in Yemen

Children under five too short for their age, the 2013 Demographic and Health Survey (2013). Survey figures can differ from the UN estimate above, which is modelled across surveys.

  1. 1Reimah63%
  2. 2Dhamar59%
  3. 3Hajjah59%
  4. 4Sadah59%
  5. 5Amran58%
  6. 6Al-Jawf57%
  7. 7Al-Mhweit55%
  8. 8Aldhalae52%
  9. 9Al-Hodiedah49%
  10. 10Sanaa48%
  11. 11Ibb47%
  12. 12Taiz47%
  13. 13Mareb41%
  14. 14Lahj38%
  15. 15Al-Baidha36%
  16. 16Sanaa City31%
  17. 17Hadramout30%
  18. 18Shabwah29%
  19. 19Aden24%
  20. 20Abyan23%
  21. 21Al-Mhrah23%

How Yemen compares

Yemen has the 2nd highest child stunting of 129 countries with an estimate since 2015. In Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan it is 1st of 20.

Frequently asked questions

What percentage of children are stunted in Yemen?

49% of children under five in Yemen were stunted in 2022, which WHO rates very high. 17% were wasted (2022). That ranks Yemen 2 of 129 countries with an estimate since 2015, highest first.

Which region of Yemen has the most malnutrition?

In the 2013 Demographic and Health Survey, Reimah had the highest share of stunted children, 63%, and Al-Mhrah the lowest, 23%.

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; regions from the DHS Program (YE2013DHS).

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

All countries