The number of people experiencing chronic hunger stands at 842 million worldwide, the UN said Tuesday, citing some progress in alleviating the problem in the developing world, and quoted by dpa as reporting. The figure represents the number for 2011-13, down from 868 million in 2010-12, according to a report by the UN Food and Agricutural Organization (FAO). The agency\'s State of Food Insecurity in the World report said 826.6 million of those suffering hunger lived in underdeveloped countries. South Asia had the highest number - 295 million - while sub-Saharan Africa had the highest hunger rate of one in four people.