China vs Malaysia: Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line

China
19.4%
in 2022
Malaysia
19.9%
in 2021
China rank
69th
Malaysia rank
66th

Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line over time

  • China
  • Malaysia
20406080100198120012022

How they compare

Malaysia currently reports 19.9% against 19.4% in China, a difference of 0.5%.

The two have swapped places 1 time across 8 shared years of data; in 1984 it was China ahead.

China ranks 69th and Malaysia ranks 66th of 123 countries.

Across the 4 decades both report, China averaged higher in 3 and Malaysia in 1.

Head to head by decade

Decade China Malaysia Difference Ahead
1980s 86.2% 29.0% 57.2% China
2000s 36.8% 26.1% 10.7% China
2010s 26.8% 21.1% 5.7% China
2020s 18.8% 19.9% 1.1% Malaysia

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line, China or Malaysia?
Malaysia, at 19.9% against 19.4% in China as of 2021.
What is the difference in poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line between China and Malaysia?
0.5%, with Malaysia ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for China and Malaysia?
8 years are reported by both, from 1984 to 2021.
How do China and Malaysia rank globally for poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line?
China ranks 69th and Malaysia ranks 66th of 123 countries.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ, published as Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line (% of population). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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China vs Malaysia: Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line. Statizoid, drawing on World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ. Retrieved 13 September 2026, from https://poverty.statizoid.com/compare/poverty-headcount-ratio-at-societal-poverty-line-percent-of-population/china/malaysia/

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About this data

Indicator
Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line (% of population)
Unit
% of population
Source
World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
137 places, 2,860 data points, 1963–2025
Last refreshed

The poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line is the percentage of a population living in poverty according to the World Bank's Societal Poverty Line. The Societal Poverty Line is expressed in purchasing power adjusted 2021 U.S. dollars and defined as max($3.00, $1.30 + 0.5*Median). This means that when the national median is sufficiently low, the Societal Poverty line is equivalent to the extreme poverty line, $3.00. For countries with a sufficiently high national median, the Societal Poverty Line grows as countries’ median income grows.