Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan: Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line was 27.0% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, 1984–2024
Source: World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ. Measured in % of population.
Analysis
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan recorded 27.0% for poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in 2024.
The figure is up 0.7% on the previous year and up 8.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan peaked at 46.7% in 1984 and was at its lowest, 24.8%, in 2013.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 41 years of available data.
Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, year by year
| Year | % of population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | 46.7% | — |
| 1985 | 46.3% | -0.9% |
| 1986 | 46.1% | -0.4% |
| 1987 | 45.9% | -0.4% |
| 1988 | 45.6% | -0.7% |
| 1989 | 45.5% | -0.2% |
| 1990 | 45.1% | -0.9% |
| 1991 | 42.9% | -4.9% |
| 1992 | 39.4% | -8.2% |
| 1993 | 39.5% | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 37.0% | -6.3% |
| 1995 | 36.5% | -1.4% |
| 1996 | 34.5% | -5.5% |
| 1997 | 34.1% | -1.2% |
| 1998 | 34.6% | +1.5% |
| 1999 | 34.9% | +0.9% |
| 2000 | 35.4% | +1.4% |
| 2001 | 36.2% | +2.3% |
| 2002 | 35.8% | -1.1% |
| 2003 | 34.1% | -4.7% |
| 2004 | 31.5% | -7.6% |
| 2005 | 30.3% | -3.8% |
| 2006 | 29.4% | -3.0% |
| 2007 | 28.8% | -2.0% |
| 2008 | 27.8% | -3.5% |
| 2009 | 27.7% | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 26.4% | -4.7% |
| 2011 | 25.8% | -2.3% |
| 2012 | 25.2% | -2.3% |
| 2013 | 24.8% | -1.6% |
| 2014 | 24.8% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 25.0% | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 25.3% | +1.2% |
| 2017 | 25.2% | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 25.2% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 25.5% | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 26.2% | +2.7% |
| 2021 | 26.8% | +2.3% |
| 2022 | 26.6% | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 26.8% | +0.8% |
| 2024 | 27.0% | +0.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 46.0% | 45.5% | 46.7% | 6 |
| 1990s | 37.9% | 34.1% | 45.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 31.7% | 27.7% | 36.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 25.3% | 24.8% | 26.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 26.7% | 26.2% | 27.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
More poverty & inequality data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
- Poverty headcount ratio at $3.00 a day (2021 PPP) 14.4% (2024)
- Poverty gap at $3.00 a day (2021 PPP) 4.1% (2024)
- Poverty headcount ratio at $4.20 a day (2021 PPP) 26.9% (2024)
- Poverty headcount ratio at $8.30 a day (2021 PPP) 59.0% (2024)
- Prosperity gap 5.4 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day (2024)
- Poverty gap at $4.20 a day (2021 PPP) 8.8% (2024)
- Poverty gap at $8.30 a day (2021 PPP) 26.4% (2024)
- Population living in slums 31.9% (2022)
All data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan →
Frequently asked questions
- What is poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan was 27.0% in 2024, according to World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ.
- What is the highest poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 46.7% in 1984.
- What is the lowest poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 24.8% in 2013.
- How does Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan rank for poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line?
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ranks 4th out of 14 groups with data for 2024.
- Is poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line rising or falling in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ, published as part of Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line (% of population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line is the percentage of a population living in poverty according to the World Bank's Societal Poverty Line. The Societal Poverty Line is expressed in purchasing power adjusted 2021 U.S. dollars and defined as max($3.00, $1.30 + 0.5*Median). This means that when the national median is sufficiently low, the Societal Poverty line is equivalent to the extreme poverty line, $3.00. For countries with a sufficiently high national median, the Societal Poverty Line grows as countries’ median income grows.