Employed population below international poverty line, by sex and age in China
China: Employed population below international poverty line, by sex and age was 0.1% in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2021)
0.1%
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
27th
of 47 countries
All-time high
48.3%
in 2002
All-time low
0.1%
in 2019
Years of data
15
2002–2021
Employed population below international poverty line, by sex and age in China, 2002–2021
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
China recorded 0.1% for employed population below international poverty line, by sex and age in 2021. That is the lowest value across all 15 years on record.
The figure is down 99.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employed population below international poverty line, by sex and age in China peaked at 48.3% in 2002 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 2019.
That places China 27th out of 47 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Employed population below international poverty line, by sex and age in China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 48.3% | — |
| 2005 | 33.4% | -30.8% |
| 2008 | 27.1% | -18.9% |
| 2010 | 22.0% | -18.7% |
| 2011 | 17.8% | -19.3% |
| 2012 | 15.6% | -12.5% |
| 2013 | 7.3% | -53.0% |
| 2014 | 5.6% | -23.8% |
| 2015 | 3.5% | -37.2% |
| 2016 | 2.6% | -26.3% |
| 2017 | 2.0% | -24.0% |
| 2018 | 0.9% | -52.6% |
| 2019 | 0.1% | -89.2% |
| 2020 | 0.1% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 0.1% | +0.0% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 0.1% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.3%, 34% of the median. (27 countries reporting)
- China's 0.1% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.1%, 9% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 36.3% | 27.1% | 48.3% | 3 |
| 2010s | 7.7% | 0.1% | 22.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 2 |
Countries ranked near China
- 24 Dominican Republic 0.6% compare
- 25 Mongolia 0.3% compare
- 26 Montenegro 0.3% compare
- 27 Albania 0.1% compare
- 27 Azerbaijan 0.1%
- 27 Belarus 0.1% compare
- 27 Chile 0.1% compare
- 27 Costa Rica 0.1% compare
- 27 Kazakhstan 0.1% compare
- 27 Paraguay 0.1% compare
- 27 State of Palestine 0.1% compare
- 27 Thailand 0.1% compare
- 27 Türkiye 0.1% compare
- 27 Ukraine 0.1% compare
- 27 Uruguay 0.1% compare
- 27 Turkey 0.1% compare
More poverty & inequality data for China
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 7 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 0.999 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 6,418 kg per hectare (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, annual growth rate 0.5767 % change on previous year (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 22.1 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 22.1% (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employed population below international poverty line, by sex and age in China?
- Employed population below international poverty line, by sex and age in China was 0.1% in 2021, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest employed population below international poverty line, by sex and age recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 48.3% in 2002.
- What is the lowest employed population below international poverty line, by sex and age recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 2019.
- How does China rank for employed population below international poverty line, by sex and age?
- China ranks 27th out of 47 countries with data for 2021.
- Is employed population below international poverty line, by sex and age rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 99.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Employed population below international poverty line, by sex and age (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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