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The Graphic Truth: Who needs food imports the most?

The head of the UN's relief agency delivered a stark warning this week that the coronavirus pandemic could produce "famines of biblical proportions." As the virus plunges more and more people into poverty, and governments respond to the crisis with protectionist policies that restrict food exports, as many as 265 million people across 30 countries could now face starvation. Here's a look at which countries are most vulnerable to food shortages based on two variables: their reliance on food imports to feed themselves, and their ranking by the Global Hunger Index, a tool designed to measure the pervasiveness of hunger and malnutrition at global, regional, and national levels.

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French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and businessman Jared Kushner, along with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and otherEuropean leaders, pose for a group photo at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, December 15, 2025.
Kay Nietfeld/Pool via REUTERS

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