Number of people living in extreme poverty in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Number of people living in extreme poverty was 74.95 million people in 2021. ▲ Rising
Number of people living in extreme poverty in Ethiopia, 1995–2021
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2021, number of people living in extreme poverty in Ethiopia stood at 74.95 million people. That is the highest value across all 6 years on record.
The figure is up 30.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in extreme poverty in Ethiopia peaked at 74.95 million people in 2021 and was at its lowest, 15.37 million people, in 1995.
Ethiopia ranks 18th of 120 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
Number of people living in extreme poverty in Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 15.37 million people | — |
| 1999 | 22.65 million people | +47.4% |
| 2004 | 45.31 million people | +100.1% |
| 2010 | 57.49 million people | +26.9% |
| 2015 | 70.55 million people | +22.7% |
| 2021 | 74.95 million people | +6.2% |
Ethiopia compared with similar countries
- Ethiopia's 74.95 million people is above the median for low income countries, which is 9.33 million people, 8.0× the median. (13 countries reporting)
- Ethiopia's 74.95 million people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 10.66 million people, 7.0× the median. (26 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 19.01 million people | 15.37 million people | 22.65 million people | 2 |
| 2000s | 45.31 million people | 45.31 million people | 45.31 million people | 1 |
| 2010s | 64.02 million people | 57.49 million people | 70.55 million people | 2 |
| 2020s | 74.95 million people | 74.95 million people | 74.95 million people | 1 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
More poverty & inequality data for Ethiopia
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 1 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 3.99 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 2,632 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 -0.9299 % change on previous year (2024)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via -50 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gender Inequality Index 0.497 (2023)
- Share of government consumption in GDP vs. share of population living in extreme poverty 10.2% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people living in extreme poverty in Ethiopia?
- Number of people living in extreme poverty in Ethiopia was 74.95 million people in 2021, 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 Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 74.95 million people in 2021.
- What is the lowest number of people living in extreme poverty recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.37 million people in 1995.
- How does Ethiopia rank for number of people living in extreme poverty?
- Ethiopia ranks 18th out of 120 countries with data for 2021.
- Is number of people living in extreme poverty rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 30.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ethiopia 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.