Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted in Rwanda
Rwanda: Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted was 20,150 in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted in Rwanda, 1992–2020
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for malnutrition: number of children who are wasted in Rwanda is 20,150, measured in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 10 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 46.4% on the previous year and down 58.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, malnutrition: number of children who are wasted in Rwanda peaked at 129,590 in 1996 and was at its lowest, 20,150, in 2020.
Rwanda ranks 72nd of 99 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted in Rwanda, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 70,200 | — |
| 1996 | 129,590 | +84.6% |
| 2000 | 119,540 | -7.8% |
| 2005 | 75,840 | -36.6% |
| 2009 | 84,200 | +11.0% |
| 2010 | 48,190 | -42.8% |
| 2012 | 51,540 | +7.0% |
| 2015 | 39,170 | -24.0% |
| 2018 | 37,570 | -4.1% |
| 2020 | 20,150 | -46.4% |
Rwanda compared with similar countries
- Rwanda's 20,150 is below the median for low income countries, which is 229,410, 9% of the median. (21 countries reporting)
- Rwanda's 20,150 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 175,595, 11% of the median. (34 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 99,895 | 70,200 | 129,590 | 2 |
| 2000s | 93,193 | 75,840 | 119,540 | 3 |
| 2010s | 44,118 | 37,570 | 51,540 | 4 |
| 2020s | 20,150 | 20,150 | 20,150 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Rwanda
More environment data for Rwanda
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -5.64 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -5.05 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate -31.63 % change on previous year (2013)
- Standard Deviation 0.268 °C (2013)
- Temperature change 1.35 °C (2013)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.0359 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate -1.42 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is malnutrition: number of children who are wasted in Rwanda?
- Malnutrition: number of children who are wasted in Rwanda was 20,150 in 2020, according to World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest malnutrition: number of children who are wasted recorded in Rwanda?
- The highest recorded value was 129,590 in 1996.
- What is the lowest malnutrition: number of children who are wasted recorded in Rwanda?
- The lowest recorded value was 20,150 in 2020.
- How does Rwanda rank for malnutrition: number of children who are wasted?
- Rwanda ranks 72nd out of 99 countries with data for 2020.
- Is malnutrition: number of children who are wasted rising or falling in Rwanda?
- Over the last ten years it is down 58.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Rwanda data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 10 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Estimated number of children younger than five who are 'wasted'. Wasting is when a child’s weight is significantly lower than the average for their height, for example because of acute food shortage or disease.