Starvation Deaths by Country 2024

Somalia

Somalia has the highest rate of starvation deaths by country in Africa and in the world. The rate is a sky-high 42.27 deaths per 100,000 people. This rate is often attributed to the food insecurity caused by the near-constant civil wars in the country. Food shipments have been interrupted and agricultural areas have been heavily shelled, bombed, and mined.

Guatemala

Guatemala has the highest rate of death from malnutrition in Latin America. The rate of starvation deaths in Guatemala stands at 14.81 per 100,000. While many Central American nations struggle with high rates of malnutrition, Guatemala is the worst by far. Guatemala's malnutrition problem is often attributed to the lack of infrastructure development in the country. This, in turn, is commonly attributed to rampant corruption among politicians. Guatemala has a productive agricultural sector, but much of its produce is exported to Mexico or to the United States.

Indonesia

Indonesia has the highest starvation rate in Asia. Its rate of malnutrition deaths is 11.44 per 100,000. Indonesia is a developing country with a large population. Its economy is expanding rapidly. However, Indonesia has a high level of income inequality. Most residents of large cities like Jakarta have a high standard of living. However, many poor residents of Indonesia live in rural areas. Many of these residents are subsistence farmers who are constantly at risk of food insecurity.

Haiti

Haiti has the highest rate of starvation deaths in North America. Its rate of starvation deaths is 6.67 per 100,000. It is far higher than the next-highest North American rate of 3.37 (Dominican Republic). As with many of the countries on this list, political corruption and instability are the primary causes of its food insecurity. Haiti is actually a very fertile country with a large agricultural industry. However, much of the country's produce is exported. It is often sold to the United States or to the neighboring Dominican Republic. Relatively little of the Haiti's produce is consumed by Haitians.

France

France has the highest rate of starvation deaths in Europe. While its rate of 1.52 starvation deaths per 100,000 only ranks it 88th in the world, malnutrition is still considered to be a serious problem in France. Many of the people struggling with food insecurity in France are recent immigrants from Africa. The rate of poverty among this demographic is much higher than in the country as a whole. This is widely attributed to the increased difficulties this population has in securing well-paid jobs.