Ireland vs South Africa: Distribution of population between different poverty lines
Ireland
3.69 million people
in 2023
South Africa
3.70 million people
in 2022
Ireland rank
36th
South Africa rank
35th
Distribution of population between different poverty lines over time
- Ireland
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 3.70 million people against 3.69 million people in Ireland, a difference of 6,050 people.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 6 shared years of data; in 2000 it was Ireland ahead.
Ireland ranks 36th and South Africa ranks 35th of 120 countries.
South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Ireland | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 1.86 million people | 2.23 million people | 367,757 people | South Africa |
| 2010s | 2.13 million people | 3.64 million people | 1.52 million people | South Africa |
| 2020s | 3.56 million people | 3.70 million people | 132,740 people | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher distribution of population between different poverty lines, Ireland or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 3.70 million people against 3.69 million people in Ireland as of 2022.
- What is the difference in distribution of population between different poverty lines between Ireland and South Africa?
- 6,050 people, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Ireland and South Africa?
- 6 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2022.
- How do Ireland and South Africa rank globally for distribution of population between different poverty lines?
- Ireland ranks 36th and South Africa ranks 35th of 120 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Distribution of population between different poverty lines. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Number of people living in households with an income or consumption above $40 per day.