Prevalence of stunting, height for age (% of children under 5) - Country Ranking - Asia

Definition: Prevalence of stunting is the percentage of children under age 5 whose height for age is more than two standard deviations below the median for the international reference population ages 0-59 months. For children up to two years old height is measured by recumbent length. For older children height is measured by stature while standing. The data are based on the WHO's new child growth standards released in 2006.

Source: UNICEF, WHO, World Bank: Joint child malnutrition estimates (JME). Aggregation is based on UNICEF, WHO, and the World Bank harmonized dataset (adjusted, comparable data) and methodology.

See also: Thematic map, Time series comparison

Find indicator:
Rank Country Value Year
1 Timor-Leste 51.70 2013
2 Yemen 46.40 2013
3 Afghanistan 38.20 2018
4 Pakistan 37.60 2018
5 India 34.70 2017
6 Bhutan 33.50 2010
7 Lao PDR 33.10 2017
8 Cambodia 32.40 2014
9 Nepal 31.50 2019
10 Indonesia 30.80 2018
11 Philippines 30.30 2018
12 Bangladesh 28.00 2019
13 Syrian Arab Republic 27.90 2010
14 Myanmar 26.70 2018
15 Vietnam 23.80 2017
16 Malaysia 21.80 2019
17 Brunei 19.70 2009
18 Dem. People's Rep. Korea 19.10 2017
19 Azerbaijan 17.80 2013
20 Tajikistan 17.50 2017
21 Sri Lanka 17.30 2016
22 Lebanon 16.50 2004
23 Bahrain 13.60 1995
24 Thailand 13.40 2019
25 Iraq 12.60 2018
26 Kyrgyz Republic 11.80 2018
27 Qatar 11.60 1995
28 Oman 11.40 2017
29 Uzbekistan 10.80 2017
30 Mongolia 9.40 2018
30 Armenia 9.40 2016
32 Saudi Arabia 9.30 2004
33 Kazakhstan 8.00 2015
34 Jordan 7.80 2012
35 Turkmenistan 7.20 2019
36 Japan 7.10 2010
37 Iran 6.80 2010
38 Kuwait 6.40 2017
39 Turkey 6.00 2018
40 Georgia 5.80 2018
41 China 4.80 2017
42 Singapore 4.40 2000
43 Korea 2.50 2009

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Aggregation method: Linear mixed-effect model estimates

Periodicity: Annual

General Comments: Undernourished children have lower resistance to infection and are more likely to die from common childhood ailments such as diarrheal diseases and respiratory infections. Frequent illness saps the nutritional status of those who survive, locking them int