Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines (% of population) in Pakistan
Pakistan: Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines (% of population) was 28.9% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines in Pakistan, 2001–2024
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 2024, poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines in Pakistan stood at 28.9%.
That represents a change of down 2.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines in Pakistan peaked at 64.3% in 2001 and was at its lowest, 22.2%, in 2018.
That places Pakistan 13th out of 70 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 10 years of available data.
Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines (% of population) in Pakistan, year by year
| Year | % of population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 64.3% | — |
| 2004 | 51.7% | -19.6% |
| 2005 | 50.4% | -2.5% |
| 2007 | 44.1% | -12.5% |
| 2010 | 36.8% | -16.6% |
| 2011 | 36.3% | -1.4% |
| 2013 | 29.5% | -18.7% |
| 2015 | 24.3% | -17.6% |
| 2018 | 22.2% | -8.6% |
| 2024 | 28.9% | +30.2% |
Pakistan compared with similar countries
- Pakistan's 28.9% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 25.6%, 1.1× the median. (12 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 52.6% | 44.1% | 64.3% | 4 |
| 2010s | 29.8% | 22.2% | 36.8% | 5 |
| 2020s | 28.9% | 28.9% | 28.9% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Pakistan
More poverty & inequality data for Pakistan
- 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 3.6 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 3,634 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 4.94 % change on previous year (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 12.36 (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 poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines in Pakistan?
- Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines in Pakistan was 28.9% in 2024, 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 Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 64.3% in 2001.
- What is the lowest poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines recorded in Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 22.2% in 2018.
- How does Pakistan rank for poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines?
- Pakistan ranks 13th out of 70 countries with data for 2024.
- Is poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines rising or falling in Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Pakistan 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.