Northern Africa (exc. Sudan) vs South Africa: Proportion of population below international poverty line

Northern Africa (exc. Sudan)
1.2%
in 2024
South Africa
17.4%
in 2022
Northern Africa (exc. Sudan) rank
31st
South Africa rank
29th

Proportion of population below international poverty line over time

  • Northern Africa (exc. Sudan)
  • South Africa
01020304050198820062024

How they compare

South Africa currently reports 17.4% against 1.2% in Northern Africa (exc. Sudan), a difference of 16.2%.

That makes South Africa's figure about 14.5 times Northern Africa (exc. Sudan)'s.

Across all 7 years both countries report, South Africa has been ahead every year.

Northern Africa (exc. Sudan) ranks 31st and South Africa ranks 29th of 42 groups.

South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Northern Africa (exc. Sudan) South Africa Difference Ahead
1990s 9.9% 44.6% 34.7% South Africa
2000s 5.1% 41.9% 36.8% South Africa
2010s 1.9% 27.9% 25.9% South Africa
2020s 1.3% 17.4% 16.1% South Africa

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher proportion of population below international poverty line, Northern Africa (exc. Sudan) or South Africa?
South Africa, at 17.4% against 1.2% in Northern Africa (exc. Sudan) as of 2022.
What is the difference in proportion of population below international poverty line between Northern Africa (exc. Sudan) and South Africa?
16.2%, with South Africa ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Northern Africa (exc. Sudan) and South Africa?
7 years are reported by both, from 1993 to 2022.
How do Northern Africa (exc. Sudan) and South Africa rank globally for proportion of population below international poverty line?
Northern Africa (exc. Sudan) ranks 31st and South Africa ranks 29th of 42 groups.
Where does this data come from?
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as Proportion of population below international poverty line (%). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Northern Africa (exc. Sudan) vs South Africa: Proportion of population below international poverty line. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 17 September 2026, from https://poverty.statizoid.com/compare/proportion-of-population-below-international-poverty-line-percent/northern-africa-exc-sudan/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Proportion of population below international poverty line (%)
Source
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database
Licence
UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested)
Coverage
174 places, 4,024 data points, 1963–2025
Last refreshed