Poverty: Share of population living on less than $30 a day … 2011 in South Africa
South Africa: Poverty: Share of population living on less than $30 a day … 2011 was 90.8% in 2014. ▼ Falling
Poverty: Share of population living on less than $30 a day (2011 prices) in South Africa, 1993–2014
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 90.8% for poverty: share of population living on less than $30 a day (2011 prices) in 2014.
That represents a change of down 2.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, poverty: share of population living on less than $30 a day (2011 prices) in South Africa peaked at 97.1% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 89.9%, in 2010.
That places South Africa 67th out of 119 countries with data for 2014, putting it in the middle of the range.
Poverty: Share of population living on less than $30 a day … 2011 in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 95.8% | — |
| 2000 | 97.1% | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 92.9% | -4.3% |
| 2008 | 90.6% | -2.5% |
| 2010 | 89.9% | -0.8% |
| 2014 | 90.8% | +0.9% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 90.8% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 95.3%, 95% of the median. (35 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 90.8% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 99.8%, 91% of the median. (26 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 95.8% | 95.8% | 95.8% | 1 |
| 2000s | 93.5% | 90.6% | 97.1% | 3 |
| 2010s | 90.3% | 89.9% | 90.8% | 2 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More poverty & inequality data for South Africa
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 1 surveys (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per person (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fertility rate vs. share living in extreme poverty 2.22 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 4,562 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 -20.01 % change on previous year (2024)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 28.13 (2022)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 28.1% (2022)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is poverty: share of population living on less than $30 a day (2011 prices) in South Africa?
- Poverty: share of population living on less than $30 a day (2011 prices) in South Africa was 90.8% in 2014, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest poverty: share of population living on less than $30 a day (2011 prices) recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 97.1% in 2000.
- What is the lowest poverty: share of population living on less than $30 a day (2011 prices) recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 89.9% in 2010.
- How does South Africa rank for poverty: share of population living on less than $30 a day (2011 prices)?
- South Africa ranks 67th out of 119 countries with data for 2014.
- Is poverty: share of population living on less than $30 a day (2011 prices) rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Poverty: Share of population living on less than $30 a day (2011 prices). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of population living in households with an income or consumption below $30 per day.