Prevalence of stunting, height for age (% of children under 5) - Country Ranking

Definition: Prevalence of stunting is the percentage of children under age 5 whose height for age is more than two standard deviations below the median for the international reference population ages 0-59 months. For children up to two years old height is measured by recumbent length. For older children height is measured by stature while standing. The data are based on the WHO's new child growth standards released in 2006.

Source: UNICEF, WHO, World Bank: Joint child malnutrition estimates (JME). Aggregation is based on UNICEF, WHO, and the World Bank harmonized dataset (adjusted, comparable data) and methodology.

See also: Thematic map, Time series comparison

Find indicator:
Rank Country Value Year
1 Burundi 54.00 2019
2 Eritrea 52.50 2010
3 Timor-Leste 51.70 2013
4 Papua New Guinea 49.50 2010
5 Niger 47.10 2019
6 Guatemala 46.70 2015
7 Yemen 46.40 2013
8 Mozambique 42.30 2015
9 Dem. Rep. Congo 41.80 2017
10 Madagascar 41.60 2018
11 Malawi 40.90 2019
12 Central African Republic 40.20 2019
13 Afghanistan 38.20 2018
13 Sudan 38.20 2014
15 Libya 38.10 2014
16 Chad 37.80 2019
17 Pakistan 37.60 2018
17 Angola 37.60 2015
19 Ethiopia 36.80 2019
20 India 34.70 2017
21 Zambia 34.60 2018
21 Lesotho 34.60 2018
23 Djibouti 33.50 2012
23 Bhutan 33.50 2010
25 Rwanda 33.10 2020
25 Lao PDR 33.10 2017
27 Cambodia 32.40 2014
28 Benin 32.20 2018
29 Tanzania 31.80 2018
30 Solomon Islands 31.70 2015
31 Nigeria 31.50 2020
31 Nepal 31.50 2019
33 Comoros 31.10 2012
34 Indonesia 30.80 2018
35 Guinea 30.30 2018
35 Philippines 30.30 2018
37 Liberia 29.80 2019
38 Sierra Leone 29.50 2019
39 Cameroon 28.90 2018
39 Botswana 28.90 2007
39 Uganda 28.90 2016
39 Vanuatu 28.90 2013
43 Guinea-Bissau 28.10 2019
44 Bangladesh 28.00 2019
45 Syrian Arab Republic 27.90 2010
46 Myanmar 26.70 2018
47 Mali 26.40 2019
48 Kenya 26.20 2014
48 Equatorial Guinea 26.20 2011
50 Eswatini 25.50 2014
51 Somalia 25.30 2009
52 Nauru 24.00 2007
53 Burkina Faso 23.80 2019
53 Togo 23.80 2017
53 Vietnam 23.80 2017
56 Zimbabwe 23.50 2019
57 Ecuador 23.00 2019
58 Ukraine 22.90 2000
59 Mauritania 22.80 2018
60 Namibia 22.70 2013
61 Honduras 22.60 2012
62 Egypt 22.30 2014
63 Haiti 21.90 2017
64 Malaysia 21.80 2019
65 Côte d'Ivoire 21.60 2016
66 Cabo Verde 21.40 1994
66 South Africa 21.40 2017
68 Congo 21.20 2014
69 Brunei 19.70 2009
70 Dem. People's Rep. Korea 19.10 2017
71 Senegal 17.90 2019
72 Azerbaijan 17.80 2013
73 The Gambia 17.50 2020
73 Tajikistan 17.50 2017
73 Ghana 17.50 2017
76 Sri Lanka 17.30 2016
76 Nicaragua 17.30 2012
78 Gabon 17.00 2012
79 Lebanon 16.50 2004
80 Bolivia 16.10 2016
81 Panama 15.80 2019
82 Kiribati 15.20 2018
83 Morocco 15.10 2017
84 Belize 15.00 2015
85 Mexico 14.10 2019
86 Bahrain 13.60 1995
86 Mauritius 13.60 1995
86 El Salvador 13.60 2014
89 Thailand 13.40 2019
89 Venezuela 13.40 2009
91 Romania 12.80 2002
92 Colombia 12.70 2016
93 Iraq 12.60 2018
94 Peru 12.20 2019
95 Kyrgyz Republic 11.80 2018
96 São Tomé and Principe 11.70 2019
97 Qatar 11.60 1995
98 Oman 11.40 2017
99 Albania 11.30 2017
99 Guyana 11.30 2014
101 Uzbekistan 10.80 2017
102 Tuvalu 10.00 2007
103 Algeria 9.80 2019
104 Armenia 9.40 2016
104 Mongolia 9.40 2018
106 Jamaica 9.30 2016
106 Saudi Arabia 9.30 2004
108 Trinidad and Tobago 9.20 2011
109 Costa Rica 9.00 2018
110 Bosnia and Herzegovina 8.90 2012
111 Tunisia 8.40 2018
112 Suriname 8.30 2018
113 Kazakhstan 8.00 2015
114 Seychelles 7.90 2012
114 Argentina 7.90 2019
116 Jordan 7.80 2012
117 Barbados 7.70 2012
118 Fiji 7.50 2004
119 Samoa 7.30 2019
120 Turkmenistan 7.20 2019
120 Montenegro 7.20 2018
122 Dominican Republic 7.10 2013
122 Cuba 7.10 2019
122 Japan 7.10 2010
125 Bulgaria 7.00 2014
125 Brazil 7.00 2007
127 Uruguay 6.90 2018
128 Iran 6.80 2010
129 Moldova 6.40 2012
129 Kuwait 6.40 2017
131 Turkey 6.00 2018
132 Georgia 5.80 2018
133 Paraguay 5.60 2016
134 Serbia 5.40 2019
135 China 4.80 2017
136 Belarus 4.50 2005
137 Singapore 4.40 2000
138 North Macedonia 4.30 2019
139 United States 3.40 2018
140 Portugal 3.20 2016
141 Czech Republic 2.70 2001
142 Poland 2.60 2014
143 St. Lucia 2.50 2012
143 Korea 2.50 2009
145 Tonga 2.20 2019
146 Australia 2.00 2007
147 Chile 1.80 2014
148 Germany 1.70 2016
149 Belgium 1.60 2014
150 Greece 1.50 2003
150 Netherlands 1.50 2009
152 Estonia 1.20 2014

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Aggregation method: Linear mixed-effect model estimates

Periodicity: Annual

General Comments: Undernourished children have lower resistance to infection and are more likely to die from common childhood ailments such as diarrheal diseases and respiratory infections. Frequent illness saps the nutritional status of those who survive, locking them int