Poverty Rate by Country (2020)

Global Poverty Overview

The decline of extreme poverty is one of humanity's greatest achievements. In 1990, 36% of the world's population — nearly 2 billion people — lived on less than $2.15 per day (2017 PPP). Today, that figure has fallen below 9%, representing approximately 700 million people. This reduction was driven primarily by China's extraordinary economic growth, which lifted 800 million people above the poverty line in three decades — the largest poverty reduction in human history.

However, progress has been deeply uneven. Sub-Saharan Africa now accounts for over 60% of the world's extreme poor, a concentration that reflects slower economic growth, high population growth, conflict, and weak institutions. Several countries — including Madagascar, the DRC, Mozambique, and South Sudan — have poverty rates exceeding 70%, meaning the vast majority of their population lives on less than what would buy a basic meal in a wealthy country. The COVID-19 pandemic reversed years of progress, pushing an estimated 70 million additional people into extreme poverty.

Measuring poverty through income alone misses important dimensions. Access to healthcare, education, clean water, and social protection can make the real experience of poverty better or worse than the $2.15 threshold suggests. The World Bank also tracks higher poverty lines: $3.65/day (relevant for lower-middle-income countries) and $6.85/day (upper-middle-income). By the $6.85 threshold, nearly half the world's population is poor. Poverty data is inherently lagged — many countries only conduct household surveys every 3-5 years — so the rankings should be interpreted as the best available estimates rather than real-time measurements.