Misc
Mapped: The 3 Billion People Who Can’t Afford a Healthy Diet
VC+ members get access to our World at 8 Billion Report.
Gain access to this exclusive new report and webinar by becoming a VC+ member.
The 3 Billion People Who Can’t Afford a Healthy Diet
While they aren’t often the focus of news media, hunger and undernourishment are problems plaguing millions of people every day.
According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), more than 3 billion people could not afford a healthy diet in 2020, an additional 112 million more people than in 2019. The increase was partly because of rising food prices, with the average cost of a healthy diet rising by 3.3% from 2019 levels.
As of August 2022, the FAO food price index was up 40.6% from average 2020 levels. Unless income levels increased by a similar magnitude, the healthy diet crisis is likely to have worsened, especially in low-income countries experiencing rampant food inflation.
Using data from the FAO, the above infographic maps the share of people unable to afford a healthy diet in 138 different countries as of 2020 (latest available data).
The Cost and Affordability of a Healthy Diet
According to the FAO, a healthy diet is one that meets daily energy needs as well as requirements within the food and dietary guidelines created by the country.
The (un)affordability is measured by comparing the cost of a healthy diet to income levels in the country. If the cost exceeds 52% of an average household’s income, the diet is deemed unaffordable.
Here’s a look at the share of populations unable to afford a healthy diet, and the cost of such a diet around the world:
Country | Percent of population unable to afford a healthy diet | Cost of Healthy Diet (USD per Person per Day) |
---|---|---|
Burundi 🇧🇮 | 97.2% | $2.9 |
Madagascar 🇲🇬 | 97.0% | $3.2 |
Liberia 🇱🇷 | 96.8% | $3.9 |
Malawi 🇲🇼 | 96.6% | $3.1 |
Nigeria 🇳🇬 | 95.9% | $4.1 |
Central African Republic 🇨🇫 | 95.1% | $3.6 |
Guinea 🇬🇳 | 94.9% | $4.1 |
Angola 🇦🇴 | 94.3% | $4.5 |
Congo 🇨🇬 | 92.4% | $3.4 |
Sudan 🇸🇩 | 91.8% | $4.3 |
Mozambique 🇲🇿 | 91.5% | $3.2 |
Democratic Republic of Congo 🇨🇩 | 90.0% | $2.1 |
Sierra Leone 🇸🇱 | 89.2% | $2.9 |
Niger 🇳🇪 | 88.8% | $2.9 |
Zambia 🇿🇲 | 88.0% | $3.3 |
Tanzania 🇹🇿 | 87.6% | $2.7 |
Guinea-Bissau 🇬🇼 | 87.2% | $3.5 |
Ethiopia 🇪🇹 | 86.8% | $3.4 |
Rwanda 🇷🇼 | 86.3% | $2.7 |
Haiti 🇭🇹 | 85.9% | $4.5 |
Sao Tome and Principe 🇸🇹 | 84.7% | $3.6 |
Nepal 🇳🇵 | 84.0% | $4.4 |
Lesotho 🇱🇸 | 83.5% | $4.3 |
Pakistan 🇵🇰 | 83.5% | $3.7 |
Chad 🇹🇩 | 83.4% | $2.8 |
Benin 🇧🇯 | 82.9% | $3.7 |
Uganda 🇺🇬 | 82.2% | $2.7 |
Kenya 🇰🇪 | 81.1% | $3.0 |
Burkina Faso 🇧🇫 | 80.1% | $3.3 |
Laos 🇱🇦 | 79.8% | $4.1 |
Mali 🇲🇱 | 74.3% | $3.1 |
Bangladesh 🇧🇩 | 73.5% | $3.1 |
Egypt 🇪🇬 | 72.9% | $3.4 |
Eswatini 🇸🇿 | 71.8% | $3.4 |
India 🇮🇳 | 70.5% | $3.0 |
Indonesia 🇮🇩 | 69.1% | $4.5 |
Philippines 🇵🇭 | 68.6% | $4.1 |
Jamaica 🇯🇲 | 66.2% | $6.7 |
South Africa 🇿🇦 | 65.2% | $4.3 |
Myanmar 🇲🇲 | 65.1% | $4.2 |
Gambia 🇬🇲 | 64.0% | $3.1 |
Djibouti 🇩🇯 | 63.9% | $3.1 |
Botswana 🇧🇼 | 61.4% | $3.7 |
Ghana 🇬🇭 | 61.2% | $4.0 |
Cameroon 🇨🇲 | 60.7% | $2.8 |
Mauritania 🇲🇷 | 60.7% | $3.7 |
Fiji 🇫🇯 | 60.4% | $3.9 |
Suriname 🇸🇷 | 58.8% | $5.7 |
Namibia 🇳🇦 | 56.8% | $3.5 |
Bhutan 🇧🇹 | 53.0% | $5.0 |
Mongolia 🇲🇳 | 51.4% | $5.1 |
Honduras 🇭🇳 | 51.3% | $3.5 |
Iraq 🇮🇶 | 49.6% | $3.5 |
Kyrgyzstan 🇰🇬 | 49.6% | $3.2 |
Sri Lanka 🇱🇰 | 49.0% | $3.9 |
Senegal 🇸🇳 | 46.0% | $2.3 |
Guyana 🇬🇾 | 43.0% | $4.9 |
Armenia 🇦🇲 | 42.9% | $3.2 |
Tajikistan 🇹🇯 | 42.1% | $3.5 |
Cabo Verde 🇨🇻 | 38.1% | $3.6 |
Belize 🇧🇿 | 36.4% | $2.1 |
Gabon 🇬🇦 | 36.3% | $3.6 |
Nicaragua 🇳🇮 | 35.7% | $3.3 |
Algeria 🇩🇿 | 30.2% | $3.8 |
Vietnam 🇻🇳 | 30.0% | $4.1 |
Colombia 🇨🇴 | 26.5% | $3.1 |
Mexico 🇲🇽 | 26.3% | $3.3 |
Bolivia 🇧🇴 | 24.7% | $3.8 |
Palestine 🇵🇸 | 23.1% | $3.4 |
Ecuador 🇪🇨 | 21.4% | $2.9 |
Saint Lucia 🇱🇨 | 20.6% | $3.6 |
Peru 🇵🇪 | 20.5% | $3.3 |
Iran 🇮🇷 | 20.3% | $3.6 |
Tunisia 🇹🇳 | 20.3% | $3.6 |
Albania 🇦🇱 | 20.1% | $4.2 |
Brazil 🇧🇷 | 19.0% | $3.1 |
Dominican Republic 🇩🇴 | 18.3% | $3.9 |
Panama 🇵🇦 | 18.2% | $4.5 |
North Macedonia 🇲🇰 | 18.0% | $3.4 |
Paraguay 🇵🇾 | 17.8% | $3.5 |
Montenegro 🇲🇪 | 17.5% | $3.5 |
Thailand 🇹🇭 | 17.0% | $4.3 |
Costa Rica 🇨🇷 | 16.8% | $4.1 |
Morocco 🇲🇦 | 16.7% | $2.8 |
Serbia 🇷🇸 | 16.3% | $4.2 |
Jordan 🇯🇴 | 14.9% | $3.6 |
Mauritius 🇲🇺 | 13.5% | $3.6 |
China 🇨🇳 | 12.0% | $3.0 |
Trinidad and Tobago 🇹🇹 | 11.6% | $4.2 |
Romania 🇷🇴 | 8.8% | $3.2 |
Bulgaria 🇧🇬 | 8.5% | $4.1 |
Seychelles 🇸🇨 | 6.8% | $3.8 |
Moldova 🇲🇩 | 6.7% | $2.8 |
Chile 🇨🇱 | 3.8% | $3.4 |
Croatia 🇭🇷 | 3.8% | $4.3 |
Bosnia and Herzegovina 🇧🇦 | 3.7% | $4.0 |
Uruguay 🇺🇾 | 3.6% | $3.4 |
Russia 🇷🇺 | 3.5% | $3.4 |
Greece 🇬🇷 | 3.2% | $3.1 |
Italy 🇮🇹 | 2.9% | $3.1 |
Japan 🇯🇵 | 2.5% | $5.8 |
Hungary 🇭🇺 | 2.0% | $3.5 |
Spain 🇪🇸 | 2.0% | $2.8 |
Malaysia 🇲🇾 | 1.9% | $3.5 |
Latvia 🇱🇻 | 1.8% | $3.2 |
South Korea 🇰🇷 | 1.7% | $5.2 |
United States 🇺🇸 | 1.5% | $3.4 |
Maldives 🇲🇻 | 1.4% | $3.9 |
Estonia 🇪🇪 | 1.3% | $3.3 |
Kazakhstan 🇰🇿 | 1.2% | $2.7 |
Lithuania 🇱🇹 | 1.2% | $3.1 |
Slovakia 🇸🇰 | 1.2% | $3.2 |
Israel 🇮🇱 | 1.0% | $2.5 |
Poland 🇵🇱 | 1.0% | $3.2 |
Austria 🇦🇹 | 0.8% | $3.0 |
Australia 🇦🇺 | 0.7% | $2.6 |
Canada 🇨🇦 | 0.7% | $3.0 |
Malta 🇲🇹 | 0.7% | $3.8 |
Sweden 🇸🇪 | 0.6% | $3.3 |
Portugal 🇵🇹 | 0.5% | $2.7 |
United Kingdom 🇬🇧 | 0.5% | $1.9 |
Denmark 🇩🇰 | 0.4% | $2.5 |
Norway 🇳🇴 | 0.4% | $3.5 |
Cyprus 🇨🇾 | 0.3% | $3.0 |
Belarus 🇧🇾 | 0.2% | $3.3 |
Belgium 🇧🇪 | 0.2% | $3.1 |
Czechia | 0.2% | $3.0 |
Germany 🇩🇪 | 0.2% | $3.0 |
Netherlands 🇳🇱 | 0.2% | $3.0 |
Finland 🇫🇮 | 0.1% | $2.7 |
France 🇫🇷 | 0.1% | $3.2 |
Ireland 🇮🇪 | 0.1% | $2.2 |
Luxembourg 🇱🇺 | 0.1% | $2.7 |
Slovenia 🇸🇮 | 0.1% | $3.1 |
Azerbaijan 🇦🇿 | 0.0% | $2.5 |
Iceland 🇮🇸 | 0.0% | $2.4 |
Switzerland 🇨🇭 | 0.0% | $2.7 |
United Arab Emirates 🇦🇪 | 0.0% | $3.1 |
World 🌎 | 42.0% | $3.5 |
In 52 countries, more than half of the population cannot afford a healthy diet. The majority of these are in Africa, with the rest located across Asia, Oceania, and the Americas.
By contrast, in four countries—Azerbaijan, Iceland, Switzerland, and the UAE—everyone is able to afford a healthy diet. The picture is similar for most European and developed high-income countries, where more than 95% of the population can afford a healthy diet.
When the percentages are translated into numbers, Asia contains the most number of people unable to afford a healthy diet at 1.89 billion, of which 973 million people are in India alone. Another 1 billion people are in Africa, with around 151 million people in the Americas and Oceania.
While hunger is a worldwide concern, it is particularly acute in African countries, which cover all of the top 20 spots in the above table.
Africa’s Deepening Food Crisis
In many countries across sub-Saharan Africa, more than 90% of the population cannot afford a healthy diet.
Sub-Saharan Africa is particularly susceptible to extreme climate events and the resulting volatility in food prices. Roughly one-third of the world’s droughts occur in the region, and some sub-Saharan countries are also heavily reliant on imports for food.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has deepened the crisis, with many African countries importing over 50% of their wheat from the two countries in conflict. The rising food prices from this supply chain disruption have resulted in double-digit food inflation in many African nations, which means that more people are likely to be unable to afford healthy diets.
The Horn of Africa region at the Eastern tip of Africa is particularly in turmoil. All the countries in the region are reliant on wheat from Russia and Ukraine, with Eritrea (100%) and Somalia (>90%) high up in the import dependency chart. Additionally, the region is facing its worst drought in 40 years alongside ongoing political conflicts. As a result, 22 million people are at risk of starvation.
Population Growth and Food Insecurity
In November of 2022, the global population is projected to surpass 8 billion people, and many of the fastest growing countries are also food-insecure.
By 2050, the global population is likely to increase by 35%, and to meet the growing demand for food, crop production will need to double. Given that agriculture is one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, this increase in crop production will also need to be environmentally sustainable.
As the impacts of climate change intensify and food demand increases, reducing food waste, building climate-resilient agricultural infrastructure, and improving agricultural productivity will all play a key role in reducing the levels of food insecurity sustainably.
Misc
Charted: The End-of-Life Recycling Rates of Select Metals
End-of-life recycling rates measure the percentage of a material that is recovered at the end of its useful life, rather than being disposed of or incinerated.

Charted: The End-of-Life Recycling Rates of Select Metals
This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on Apple or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.
We visualize the end-of-life recycling rates (EOL-RR) of commonly used metals in the economy. Data is sourced from the International Energy Agency, last updated in 2021.
Tracking recycling rates helps manage resources better and make smarter policies, guiding efforts to cut down on waste.
Ranked: The End of Life Recycling Rates of Select Metals
Gold has an 86% recycling rate according to the latest available data. Per the Boston Consulting Group, one-third of total gold supply was met through recycling between 1995–2014.
Metal | End-of-life recycling rate (2021) | 🔍 Used In |
---|---|---|
Gold | 86% | 💍 Jewelry / Electronics |
Platinum/Palladium | 60% | 🔬 Optical fibers / Dental fillings |
Nickel | 60% | 🔋 Batteries / Turbine blades |
Silver | 50% | 💍 Jewelry / Mirrors |
Copper | 46% | 🔌 Electrical wiring / Industrial equipment |
Aluminum | 42% | ✈️ Aeroplane parts / Cans |
Chromium | 34% | 🍽️ Stainless steel / Leather tanning |
Zinc | 33% | 🔗 Galvanizing metal / Making rubber |
Cobalt | 32% | 🔋 Batteries / Turbine engines |
Lithium | 0.5% | 🔋 Batteries / Pacemakers |
REEs | 0.2% | 📱 Mobile phones / Hard drives |
Note: Figures are rounded.
Several factors can influence metal recycling rates. According to this International Resource Panel report, metals that are used in large quantities (steel) or have a high value (gold) tend to have higher recycling rates.
However, for materials used in small quantities in complex products (rare earth elements in electronics), recycling becomes far more challenging.
Finally, a metal’s EOL-RR is strongly influenced by the least efficient link in the recycling chain, which is typically how it’s initially collected.
Learn More on the Voronoi App 
If you enjoyed this post, check out Critical Materials: Where China, the EU, and the U.S. Overlap which shows how critical materials are classified within different jurisdictions.
Misc
Companies with the Most Fossil Fuel and Cement CO2 Emissions
Half of the world’s total fossil fuel and cement carbon dioxide emissions in 2023 came from just 36 companies.

Companies with the Most Fossil Fuel and Cement CO2 Emissions
This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.
Key Takeaways
- Half of the world’s fossil fuel and cement carbon dioxide emissions in 2023 came from just 36 entities, according to a report by the Carbon Majors Project
- If Saudi Aramco were a country, it would be the fourth-largest polluter in the world, after China, the U.S., and India.
- Five publicly traded oil companies—ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell, TotalEnergies, and BP—together accounted for 5% of global carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels.
Chinese Companies Dominate the List
This graphic is based on Carbon Majors, a database of historical production data from 180 of the world’s largest oil, gas, coal, and cement producers representing 169 active and 11 inactive entities.
In 2023, the top 20 highest carbon-producing entities were responsible for 17.5 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (GtCO₂e) in emissions, accounting for 40.8% of global fossil fuel and cement CO₂ emissions. The list is largely dominated by state-owned companies, with 16 of the top 20 being state-controlled. Notably, eight Chinese entities contributed to 17.3% of global fossil fuel and cement CO₂ emissions in 2023.
Entity | Total emissions (MtCO2e) | Global CO2 emissions (%) |
---|---|---|
1 | Saudi Aramco | 4.4% |
2 | Coal India | 3.7% |
3 | CHN Energy | 3.7% |
4 | Jinneng Group | 2.9% |
5 | Cement industry of China | 2.8% |
6 | National Iranian Oil Company | 2.8% |
7 | Gazprom | 2.3% |
8 | Rosneft | 1.9% |
9 | Shandong Energy | 1.7% |
10 | China National Coal Group | 1.7% |
11 | Abu Dhabi National Oil Company | 1.6% |
12 | CNPC | 1.6% |
13 | Shaanxi Coal and Chemical Industry Group | 1.6% |
14 | Iraq National Oil Company | 1.3% |
15 | Shanxi Coking Coal Group | 1.3% |
16 | ExxonMobil | 1.3% |
17 | Sonatrach | 1.2% |
18 | Chevron | 1.1% |
19 | Kuwait Petroleum Corp. | 1.0% |
20 | Petrobras | 1.0% |
21 | Shell | 0.9% |
22 | Pemex | 0.9% |
23 | TotalEnergies | 0.8% |
24 | QatarEnergy | 0.8% |
25 | Lukoil | 0.8% |
26 | BP | 0.8% |
27 | Glencore | 0.7% |
28 | China Huaneng Group | 0.7% |
29 | Luan Chemical Group | 0.7% |
30 | Equinor | 0.7% |
31 | Peabody Energy | 0.7% |
32 | Nigerian National Petroleum Corp. | 0.6% |
33 | CNOOC | 0.6% |
34 | ConocoPhillips | 0.6% |
35 | Eni | 0.6% |
36 | Petronas | 0.5% |
Coal continued to be the largest source of emissions in 2023, representing 41.1% of emissions in the database and continuing a steady upward trend since 2016. Coal emissions grew by 1.9% (258 megatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent – MtCO₂e) from 2022, while cement saw the largest relative increase at 6.5% (82 MtCO₂e), driven by expanding production.
In contrast, natural gas emissions fell by 3.7% (164 MtCO₂e), and oil emissions remained stable with only a slight increase of 0.3% (73 MtCO₂e).
Learn More on the Voronoi App 
To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic that shows greenhouse gas emissions by sector in 2023, according to data was compiled by the United Nations. The power sector remains the largest emissions contributor.
-
Electrification2 years ago
The Six Major Types of Lithium-ion Batteries: A Visual Comparison
-
Real Assets2 years ago
Which Countries Have the Lowest Inflation?
-
Misc3 years ago
How Is Aluminum Made?
-
Electrification3 years ago
The World’s Top 10 Lithium Mining Companies
-
Real Assets1 year ago
200 Years of Global Gold Production, by Country
-
Electrification2 years ago
Life Cycle Emissions: EVs vs. Combustion Engine Vehicles
-
Misc2 years ago
Mapped: U.S. Mineral Production Value by State in 2022
-
Energy Shift2 years ago
Mapped: Biggest Sources of Electricity by State and Province