Number of people living in extreme poverty in Bhutan
Bhutan: Number of people living in extreme poverty was 780,860 people in 2022. ▲ Rising
Number of people living in extreme poverty in Bhutan, 2003–2022
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of people living in extreme poverty in Bhutan is 780,860 people, measured in 2022. That is the highest value across all 5 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 13.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in extreme poverty in Bhutan peaked at 780,860 people in 2022 and was at its lowest, 490,417 people, in 2003.
Bhutan ranks 116th of 120 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Number of people living in extreme poverty in Bhutan, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 490,417 people | — |
| 2007 | 597,003 people | +21.7% |
| 2012 | 691,121 people | +15.8% |
| 2017 | 734,615 people | +6.3% |
| 2022 | 780,860 people | +6.3% |
Bhutan compared with similar countries
- Bhutan's 780,860 people is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 14.39 million people, 5% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
- Bhutan's 780,860 people is below the median for South Asia, which is 28.98 million people, 3% of the median. (5 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 543,710 people | 490,417 people | 597,003 people | 2 |
| 2010s | 712,868 people | 691,121 people | 734,615 people | 2 |
| 2020s | 780,860 people | 780,860 people | 780,860 people | 1 |
Countries ranked near Bhutan
- 113 Estonia 1.37 million people compare
- 114 Cyprus 1.34 million people compare
- 115 Guinea-Bissau 1.26 million people compare
- 117 Luxembourg 665,863 people compare
- 118 Montenegro 609,465 people compare
- 119 Malta 550,570 people compare
More poverty & inequality data for Bhutan
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 2 surveys (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per person (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fertility rate vs. share living in extreme poverty 1.46 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 3,552 kg per hectare (2024)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, annual growth rate 2.62 % change on previous year (2024)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 12.38 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 12.4% (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people living in extreme poverty in Bhutan?
- Number of people living in extreme poverty in Bhutan was 780,860 people in 2022, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of people living in extreme poverty recorded in Bhutan?
- The highest recorded value was 780,860 people in 2022.
- What is the lowest number of people living in extreme poverty recorded in Bhutan?
- The lowest recorded value was 490,417 people in 2003.
- How does Bhutan rank for number of people living in extreme poverty?
- Bhutan ranks 116th out of 120 countries with data for 2022.
- Is number of people living in extreme poverty rising or falling in Bhutan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Bhutan data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of people living in extreme poverty. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of people living in households with an income or consumption above $3 per day.