Countries by Prevalence of stunting, height for age, female (modeled estimate, % of children under 5)

Ranking 2024

Values shown in %.

Analysis

This metric measures the prevalence of stunting, defined as height-for-age below two standard deviations of the WHO Child Growth Standards median, among female children under the age of 5. Values are modeled estimates expressed as a percentage of children in that age group. The dataset covers 162 countries, all with data from the last 7 years, representing 100% recency. All 162 datapoints are classified as official quality. No extreme outliers were identified using a 3-standard-deviation threshold, and average year-over-year change was 2.5%, indicating stable data. The range spans 0.90% to 52.00%, a spread of 5,677.8%.

The ten highest-ranked countries, where stunting rates are most severe, are concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and parts of the Pacific. Burundi ranks 1st at 52%, followed by Yemen at 46.3% (rank 2), Papua New Guinea at 46.2% (rank 3), Niger at 45.7% (rank 4), and Angola at 44.8% (rank 5). Eritrea (44.7%, rank 6), Timor-Leste (43.8%, rank 7), Guatemala (41.9%, rank 8), Afghanistan (41.4%, rank 9), and the Democratic Republic of Congo (41.1%, rank 10) complete the top ten. Guatemala is notable as the only Latin American country in this group, ranking 8th with a rate higher than several countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

Middle-ranking countries show considerable variation. India ranks 17th at 31.8%, while Malaysia appears at rank 39 with 22.9%, placing it above several lower-income nations. South Africa ranks 43rd at 21.7%, higher than some lower-middle-income countries in the same region. In the lower portion of the ranking, countries such as Ukraine (rank 81, 10.9%), Argentina (rank 87, 9.7%), and Brazil (rank 100, 8.1%) reflect substantially lower stunting rates. European countries dominate the bottom of the ranking, with Poland at 0.9% (rank 162), Estonia and Belarus both at 1.1% (rank 160), and Lithuania and the Netherlands at 1.4% (rank 158).

As modeled estimates, these figures are projections rather than direct survey measurements in all cases, and the accuracy of modeled data depends on the quality and recency of underlying survey inputs, which varies by country. The metric covers only female children under 5 and does not represent overall child stunting rates, which may differ when male children are included. Comparisons between countries with recent national surveys and those relying on older or interpolated data should be made with caution. The metric does not capture within-country regional or socioeconomic variation, which can be substantial.

Methodology

Data is drawn from the World Bank World Development Indicators, indicator code SH.STA.STNT.ME.FE.ZS, with a reference year of 2024. The metric covers 162 countries, all of which have data from within the last 7 years (100% recency). All datapoints are classified as official quality (100%), and no extreme outliers were identified at the 3-standard-deviation threshold. Average year-over-year change across the dataset is 2.5%, indicating low volatility. Values range from 0.90% to 52.00%, representing a spread of 5,677.8%. The source note definition for this indicator was not separately provided; figures represent modeled estimates of the percentage of female children under 5 with height-for-age below two standard deviations of the WHO Child Growth Standards median. Microstates under 1 million population account for 0 of the 162 included countries.

Sources

• World Bank