Share of children who are underweight vs. share in extreme poverty in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Share of children who are underweight vs. share in extreme poverty was 9.6% in 2024. ▬ Flat
Share of children who are underweight vs. share in extreme poverty in Zimbabwe, 1987–2024
Source: Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME) - UNICEF, WHO, and World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of children under 5.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of children who are underweight vs. share in extreme poverty in Zimbabwe is 9.6%, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 14.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children who are underweight vs. share in extreme poverty in Zimbabwe peaked at 14.0% in 2005 and was at its lowest, 8.0%, in 1988.
Zimbabwe ranks 51st of 96 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Share of children who are underweight vs. share in extreme poverty in Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | % of children under 5 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 10.5% | — |
| 1988 | 8.0% | -23.8% |
| 1994 | 11.8% | +47.5% |
| 1999 | 11.5% | -2.5% |
| 2005 | 14.0% | +21.7% |
| 2009 | 11.7% | -16.4% |
| 2010 | 10.2% | -12.8% |
| 2012 | 11.1% | +8.8% |
| 2014 | 11.2% | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 8.5% | -24.1% |
| 2019 | 9.7% | +14.1% |
| 2024 | 9.6% | -1.0% |
Zimbabwe compared with similar countries
- Zimbabwe's 9.6% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 11.6%, 83% of the median. (38 countries reporting)
- Zimbabwe's 9.6% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 14.3%, 67% of the median. (34 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 9.2% | 8.0% | 10.5% | 2 |
| 1990s | 11.7% | 11.5% | 11.8% | 2 |
| 2000s | 12.8% | 11.7% | 14.0% | 2 |
| 2010s | 10.1% | 8.5% | 11.2% | 5 |
| 2020s | 9.6% | 9.6% | 9.6% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
More poverty & inequality data for Zimbabwe
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 2 surveys (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per person (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fertility rate vs. share living in extreme poverty 3.72 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 743.9 kg per hectare (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, annual growth rate -22.26 % change on previous year (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 14.89 (2021)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 14.9% (2021)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2021)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of children who are underweight vs. share in extreme poverty in Zimbabwe?
- Share of children who are underweight vs. share in extreme poverty in Zimbabwe was 9.6% in 2024, according to Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME) - UNICEF, WHO, and World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of children who are underweight vs. share in extreme poverty recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 14.0% in 2005.
- What is the lowest share of children who are underweight vs. share in extreme poverty recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.0% in 1988.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for share of children who are underweight vs. share in extreme poverty?
- Zimbabwe ranks 51st out of 96 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of children who are underweight vs. share in extreme poverty rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Zimbabwe data come from?
- The figures come from Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME) - UNICEF, WHO, and World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of children who are underweight vs. share in extreme poverty. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Underweight children are those less than 5 years old, whose weight for age is more than two standard deviations below the median for the international reference population. Extreme poverty is defined as living below the International Poverty Line of $3 per day.