Food insecurity — all countries

Food insecurity — Mauritania

Food insecurity in Mauritania in 2023 — 66.3%. Ranked 119 in the world out of 134. Since 2015, the indicator has risen by 40 pp.

2023 66.3% +5.1 pp vs 2022
World rank 119of 134
Period maximum 66.3%2023
Period minimum 26.3%2015

Trend over time

2015–2023 · % of population

Food insecurity — Mauritania, 2015–20232030405060702015201620172018201920202021202220232015: 26.3%2016: 29.2%2017: 32.3%2018: 35.9%2019: 41.2%2020: 45.3%2021: 53.7%2022: 61.2%2023: 66.3%
Change over the period: +40 pp Annual average: 5 pp

Comparison, 2023

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Mauritania

Mauritania 66.3%
World 28.4%
Sub-Saharan Africa computed 61.9%
Western Africa computed 61.1%
Food insecurity — Mauritania, by year Mauritania All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2023 66.3 +5.1 pp
2022 61.2 +7.5 pp
2021 53.7 +8.4 pp
2020 45.3 +4.1 pp
2019 41.2 +5.3 pp
2018 35.9 +3.6 pp
2017 32.3 +3.1 pp
2016 29.2 +2.9 pp
2015 26.3

About the indicator

The share of the population that experienced moderate or severe food insecurity, on the FIES scale of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. The indicator is built not on calories but on a survey: people are asked whether over the past year they had to eat less, skip meals or go without food for a whole day because of a lack of money. That is why it catches what undernourishment by calories misses — episodic shortage in countries where the average diet is sufficient.

Important: The moderate and severe forms together, so the values are substantially higher than those of the undernourishment indicator. Based on a survey rather than on a food balance sheet — this is an independent measurement, not a refinement.

Source: FAOSTAT (FAO), license CC BY 4.0.