Kathmandu, October 23, 2026 — Nepal has ranked joint 72nd among 122 countries assessed in the 2026 Global Hunger Index (GHI), with a score of 14.5, placing it in the index’s moderate hunger category.
According to the Global Hunger Index’s official ranking, Nepal shares the 72nd position with Myanmar. Its score declined from 18.4 in 2018 to 14.5 in 2026, indicating improvement in the index’s assessment of hunger.
Among the five South Asian countries highlighted in the ranking, Sri Lanka performed best, placing 53rd with a score of 10.2. Nepal ranked ahead of Bangladesh, which placed 84th with 19.2; India, 100th with 24.1; Pakistan, 106th with 25.5; and Afghanistan, 108th with 28.6.
The Global Hunger Index measures hunger using four indicators: undernourishment, child wasting, child stunting and mortality among children under five. Its scores are used to assess the severity of hunger across countries.
Although Nepal ranked ahead of several neighbouring countries, its score remains within the moderate hunger category. The index provides a comparative measure of hunger and nutrition-related challenges rather than a ranking of countries by economic performance.
