<P> A famine is a widespread scarcity of food, caused by several factors including war, inflation, crop failure, population imbalance, or government policies . This phenomenon is usually accompanied or followed by regional malnutrition, starvation, epidemic, and increased mortality . Every inhabited continent in the world has experienced a period of famine throughout history . In the 19th and 20th century, it was generally Southeast and South Asia, as well as Eastern and Central Europe that suffered the most deaths from famine . The numbers dying from famine began to fall sharply from the 1970s . </P> <P> Some countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, continue to have extreme cases of famine . Since 2010, Africa has been the most affected continent in the world . As of 2017, the United Nations has warned some 20 million are at risk in South Sudan, Somalia, Nigeria and Yemen . Agricultural conditions have been fluctuating more and more due to variations in weather, and the distribution of food has been affected by conflict . Most programmes now direct their aid towards Africa . </P> <P> According to the United Nations humanitarian criteria, even if there are food shortages with large numbers of people lacking nutrition, a famine is declared only when certain measures of mortality, malnutrition and hunger are met . The criteria are: </P>

Where is the main famine effected continent in the world