Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted in Yemen
Yemen: Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted was 1.03 million in 2022. ▲ Rising
Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted in Yemen, 1991–2022
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 Yemen is 1.03 million, measured in 2022. That is the highest value across all 9 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 72.6% on the previous year and up 74.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, malnutrition: number of children who are wasted in Yemen peaked at 1.03 million in 2022 and was at its lowest, 426,870, in 1991.
Yemen ranks 9th of 99 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
Malnutrition: Number of children who are wasted in Yemen, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 426,870 | — |
| 1996 | 593,990 | +39.2% |
| 1997 | 567,680 | -4.4% |
| 2003 | 570,810 | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 537,020 | -5.9% |
| 2011 | 589,810 | +9.8% |
| 2013 | 757,160 | +28.4% |
| 2021 | 596,980 | -21.2% |
| 2022 | 1.03 million | +72.6% |
Yemen compared with similar countries
- Yemen's 1.03 million is above the median for low income countries, which is 229,410, 4.5× the median. (21 countries reporting)
- Yemen's 1.03 million is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 121,805, 8.5× the median. (16 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 529,513 | 426,870 | 593,990 | 3 |
| 2000s | 553,915 | 537,020 | 570,810 | 2 |
| 2010s | 673,485 | 589,810 | 757,160 | 2 |
| 2020s | 813,620 | 596,980 | 1.03 million | 2 |
Countries ranked near Yemen
More environment data for Yemen
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -36.73 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -31.12 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 43.43 % change on previous year (1998)
- Standard Deviation 0.393 °C (1998)
- Temperature change 1.37 °C (1998)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 1.66 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2018)
- 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 2.86 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2018)
Frequently asked questions
- What is malnutrition: number of children who are wasted in Yemen?
- Malnutrition: number of children who are wasted in Yemen was 1.03 million in 2022, 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 Yemen?
- The highest recorded value was 1.03 million in 2022.
- What is the lowest malnutrition: number of children who are wasted recorded in Yemen?
- The lowest recorded value was 426,870 in 1991.
- How does Yemen rank for malnutrition: number of children who are wasted?
- Yemen ranks 9th out of 99 countries with data for 2022.
- Is malnutrition: number of children who are wasted rising or falling in Yemen?
- Over the last ten years it is up 74.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Yemen 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 — 9 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.