Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line (% of population) in Uruguay
Uruguay: Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line (% of population) was 20.5% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in Uruguay, 1981–2024
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
In 2024, poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in Uruguay stood at 20.5%.
The figure is down 3.3% on the previous year and down 2.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in Uruguay peaked at 26.7% in 2004 and was at its lowest, 20.3%, in 2017.
Uruguay ranks 61st of 123 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 32 years of available data.
Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line (% of population) in Uruguay, year by year
| Year | % of population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 24.2% | — |
| 1989 | 23.2% | -4.1% |
| 1992 | 22.0% | -5.2% |
| 1995 | 22.1% | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 22.0% | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 22.5% | +2.3% |
| 1998 | 23.2% | +3.1% |
| 2000 | 23.5% | +1.3% |
| 2001 | 23.9% | +1.7% |
| 2002 | 25.5% | +6.7% |
| 2003 | 25.8% | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 26.7% | +3.5% |
| 2005 | 25.9% | -3.0% |
| 2006 | 25.5% | -1.5% |
| 2007 | 25.1% | -1.6% |
| 2008 | 23.9% | -4.8% |
| 2009 | 24.1% | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 23.5% | -2.5% |
| 2011 | 22.3% | -5.1% |
| 2012 | 21.5% | -3.6% |
| 2013 | 21.7% | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 21.1% | -2.8% |
| 2015 | 21.5% | +1.9% |
| 2016 | 20.8% | -3.3% |
| 2017 | 20.3% | -2.4% |
| 2018 | 20.3% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 20.8% | +2.5% |
| 2020 | 21.7% | +4.3% |
| 2021 | 21.4% | -1.4% |
| 2022 | 21.4% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 21.2% | -0.9% |
| 2024 | 20.5% | -3.3% |
Uruguay compared with similar countries
- Uruguay's 20.5% is above the median for high income countries, which is 13.2%, 1.5× the median. (42 countries reporting)
- Uruguay's 20.5% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 23.9%, 86% of the median. (20 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 23.7% | 23.2% | 24.2% | 2 |
| 1990s | 22.4% | 22.0% | 23.2% | 5 |
| 2000s | 25.0% | 23.5% | 26.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.4% | 20.3% | 23.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 21.2% | 20.5% | 21.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Uruguay
- 58 Indonesia 21.9% compare
- 59 Iran 21.8% compare
- 60 Montenegro 20.9% compare
- 62 Dominican Republic 20.3% compare
- 63 Nepal 20.2% compare
- 63 United States 20.2% compare
More poverty & inequality data for Uruguay
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 9 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 1.41 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 5,058 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 10.1 % change on previous year (2024)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 25.88 (2021)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 25.9% (2021)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2021)
Frequently asked questions
- What is poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in Uruguay?
- Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line in Uruguay was 20.5% 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 Uruguay?
- The highest recorded value was 26.7% in 2004.
- What is the lowest poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line recorded in Uruguay?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.3% in 2017.
- How does Uruguay rank for poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line?
- Uruguay ranks 61st out of 123 countries with data for 2024.
- Is poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line rising or falling in Uruguay?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Uruguay 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.