Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line was 48.3% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1990–2024
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
Sub-Saharan Africa recorded 48.3% for poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in 2024.
The figure is down 0.8% on the previous year and down 1.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 65.9% in 1994 and was at its lowest, 48.1%, in 2019.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | % of population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 63.0% | — |
| 1991 | 64.2% | +1.9% |
| 1992 | 65.2% | +1.6% |
| 1993 | 65.6% | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 65.9% | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 65.8% | -0.2% |
| 1996 | 65.2% | -0.9% |
| 1997 | 64.9% | -0.5% |
| 1998 | 64.8% | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 64.5% | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 63.8% | -1.1% |
| 2001 | 62.6% | -1.9% |
| 2002 | 62.1% | -0.8% |
| 2003 | 61.1% | -1.6% |
| 2004 | 58.1% | -4.9% |
| 2005 | 56.7% | -2.4% |
| 2006 | 55.8% | -1.6% |
| 2007 | 54.7% | -2.0% |
| 2008 | 53.6% | -2.0% |
| 2009 | 53.3% | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 51.9% | -2.6% |
| 2011 | 51.2% | -1.3% |
| 2012 | 50.2% | -2.0% |
| 2013 | 49.5% | -1.4% |
| 2014 | 49.0% | -1.0% |
| 2015 | 49.1% | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 48.9% | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 48.6% | -0.6% |
| 2018 | 48.2% | -0.8% |
| 2019 | 48.1% | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 49.3% | +2.5% |
| 2021 | 49.3% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 48.9% | -0.8% |
| 2023 | 48.7% | -0.4% |
| 2024 | 48.3% | -0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 64.9% | 63.0% | 65.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 58.2% | 53.3% | 63.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 49.5% | 48.1% | 51.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 48.9% | 48.3% | 49.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 1 Mozambique 81.4% compare
- 2 Malawi 75.4% compare
- 3 Burundi 74.2% compare
- 4 Zambia 71.7% compare
- 5 Madagascar 69.2% compare
More poverty & inequality data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Poverty headcount ratio at $3.00 a day (2021 PPP) 45.1% (2024)
- Poverty gap at $3.00 a day (2021 PPP) 17.2% (2024)
- Poverty headcount ratio at $4.20 a day (2021 PPP) 63.3% (2024)
- Poverty headcount ratio at $8.30 a day (2021 PPP) 88.6% (2024)
- Prosperity gap 11.5 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day (2024)
- Poverty gap at $4.20 a day (2021 PPP) 27.9% (2024)
- Poverty gap at $8.30 a day (2021 PPP) 53.2% (2024)
- Population living in slums 53.7% (2022)
- Proportion of population below international poverty line 45.2% (2024)
- Employed population below international poverty line, by sex and age 40.1% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in Sub-Saharan Africa was 48.3% 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 Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 65.9% in 1994.
- What is the lowest poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 48.1% in 2019.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 2nd out of 14 groups with data for 2024.
- Is poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa 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.