Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines was 33.1% in 2021. ▼ Falling
Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines in Ethiopia, 1995–2021
Source: World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are compiled from official government sources or are computed by World Bank staff using national (i.e. country–specific) poverty lines., World Bank (W. Measured in % of population.
Analysis
In 2021, poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines in Ethiopia stood at 33.1%.
The figure is up 11.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines in Ethiopia peaked at 45.5% in 1995 and was at its lowest, 23.5%, in 2015.
That places Ethiopia 9th out of 70 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top quarter.
Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines in Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | % of population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 45.5% | — |
| 1999 | 44.2% | -2.9% |
| 2004 | 38.7% | -12.4% |
| 2010 | 29.6% | -23.5% |
| 2015 | 23.5% | -20.6% |
| 2021 | 33.1% | +40.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 44.9% | 44.2% | 45.5% | 2 |
| 2000s | 38.7% | 38.7% | 38.7% | 1 |
| 2010s | 26.6% | 23.5% | 29.6% | 2 |
| 2020s | 33.1% | 33.1% | 33.1% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
- 6 Argentina 38.1% compare
- 7 South Africa 37.9% compare
- 8 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 37.7% compare
- 9 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 33.1% compare
- 11 Colombia 31.8% compare
- 12 Republic of Moldova 31.6%
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 poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines in Ethiopia?
- Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines in Ethiopia was 33.1% in 2021, according to World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are compiled from official government sources or are computed by World Bank staff using national (i.e. country–specific) poverty lines., World Bank (W.
- What is the highest poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines recorded in Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 45.5% in 1995.
- What is the lowest poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 23.5% in 2015.
- How does Ethiopia rank for poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines?
- Ethiopia ranks 9th out of 70 countries with data for 2021.
- Is poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ethiopia data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are compiled from official government sources or are computed by World Bank staff using national (i.e. country–specific) poverty lines., World Bank (W, published as part of Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines (% of population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
National poverty headcount ratio is the percentage of the population living below the national poverty line(s). National estimates are based on population-weighted subgroup estimates from household surveys. For economies for which the data are from EU-SILC, the reported year is the income reference year, which is the year before the survey year.