Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line was 22.8% in 2019. ▼ Falling
Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in Sri Lanka, 1985–2019
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
Sri Lanka recorded 22.8% for poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in 2019. That is the lowest value across all 9 years on record.
That represents a change of down 3.8% on the previous year and down 11.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in Sri Lanka peaked at 35.3% in 1985 and was at its lowest, 22.8%, in 2019.
Sri Lanka ranks 52nd of 123 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % of population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 35.3% | — |
| 1990 | 32.6% | -7.6% |
| 1995 | 33.0% | +1.2% |
| 2002 | 33.3% | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 28.6% | -14.1% |
| 2009 | 25.7% | -10.1% |
| 2012 | 24.9% | -3.1% |
| 2016 | 23.7% | -4.8% |
| 2019 | 22.8% | -3.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 35.3% | 35.3% | 35.3% | 1 |
| 1990s | 32.8% | 32.6% | 33.0% | 2 |
| 2000s | 29.2% | 25.7% | 33.3% | 3 |
| 2010s | 23.8% | 22.8% | 24.9% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
- 49 Bangladesh 23.1% compare
- 49 Morocco 23.1% compare
- 49 Palestine, State of 23.1% compare
- 53 Paraguay 22.7% compare
- 54 Georgia 22.6% compare
- 55 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 22.5% compare
More poverty & inequality data for Sri Lanka
- 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 1.97 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 3,804 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 25.42 % change on previous year (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 9.85 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 9.8% (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 societal poverty line in Sri Lanka?
- Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in Sri Lanka was 22.8% in 2019, 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 Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 35.3% in 1985.
- What is the lowest poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 22.8% in 2019.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line?
- Sri Lanka ranks 52nd out of 123 countries with data for 2019.
- Is poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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.
Download this data
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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.