Nepal ranks 72nd in Global Hunger Index, ahead of three South Asian neighbors

Nepal has ranked 72nd out of 122 countries in the Global Hunger Index 2026. According to the report, Nepal's hunger level falls in the moderate category. In South Asia, Nepal ranks ahead of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

On a scale of 100, Nepal's score, which stood at around 18.5 in 2018, has dropped to about 14.5 this year. The declining score indicates gradual improvement in the hunger situation, though further progress is still needed in nutrition and food security.

Stunting among children under five, which stood at about 56 percent in 2000, has fallen to around 26 percent now, a drop of nearly 30 percentage points over this period.

Nepal's index is calculated based on four key indicators, including the proportion of the population with inadequate caloric intake and the height-for-age of children under five.