The Global Hunger Index for 2024 has been released, showing a rise in Iraq’s hunger score, causing the country to fall six places compared to 2023. The report indicates that Iraq’s hunger score reached 14.9 in 2024, an increase of 1.1 points from 2023, when the score was 13.8. A higher score reflects a worsening hunger situation.
Iraq now ranks 70th globally, down six places from its 2023 rank of 64 out of 127 countries. The country falls within the “moderate hunger” category, which includes 37 nations.
Meanwhile, 53 countries are categorized as having low hunger levels, with Belarus ranking first as the least hungry nation. Somalia ranks last, with a score of 44.1, making it the hungriest country.
In the Arab world, Kuwait ranks 10th globally and first regionally as the least hungry Arab nation, while Iraq ranks 11th among Arab countries.
Iraq’s score is based on several factors, including malnutrition, which affects 16.1% of the population. Additionally, 15.5% of children under five suffer from stunted growth, 4% experience wasting, and 2.4% of children die before the age of five.
