Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line (% of population) in Uganda
Uganda: Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line (% of population) was 54.4% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in Uganda, 1989–2023
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
In 2023, poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in Uganda stood at 54.4%. That is the lowest value across all 11 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in Uganda peaked at 80.6% in 1999 and was at its lowest, 54.4%, in 2023.
Uganda ranks 7th of 123 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 11 years of available data.
Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line (% of population) in Uganda, year by year
| Year | % of population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 72.8% | — |
| 1992 | 79.9% | +9.8% |
| 1996 | 78.5% | -1.8% |
| 1999 | 80.6% | +2.7% |
| 2002 | 78.6% | -2.5% |
| 2005 | 72.4% | -7.9% |
| 2009 | 63.5% | -12.3% |
| 2012 | 56.2% | -11.5% |
| 2016 | 60.1% | +6.9% |
| 2019 | 59.8% | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 54.4% | -9.0% |
Uganda compared with similar countries
- Uganda's 54.4% is above the median for low income countries, which is 42.1%, 1.3× the median. (13 countries reporting)
- Uganda's 54.4% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 40.1%, 1.4× the median. (26 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 72.8% | 72.8% | 72.8% | 1 |
| 1990s | 79.7% | 78.5% | 80.6% | 3 |
| 2000s | 71.5% | 63.5% | 78.6% | 3 |
| 2010s | 58.7% | 56.2% | 60.1% | 3 |
| 2020s | 54.4% | 54.4% | 54.4% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Uganda
More poverty & inequality data for Uganda
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 3 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 4.28 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 1,920 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 -1.96 % change on previous year (2024)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 12.46 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 12.5% (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 Uganda?
- Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in Uganda was 54.4% in 2023, 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 Uganda?
- The highest recorded value was 80.6% in 1999.
- What is the lowest poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line recorded in Uganda?
- The lowest recorded value was 54.4% in 2023.
- How does Uganda rank for poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line?
- Uganda ranks 7th out of 123 countries with data for 2023.
- Is poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line rising or falling in Uganda?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Uganda 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
CSV · JSON — 11 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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.