Proportion of population below international poverty line in Asia

Asia: Proportion of population below international poverty line was 4.6% in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
4.6%
Change on year
down 8.0%
Rank
11th
of 19 groups
All-time high
67.4%
in 1981
All-time low
4.6%
in 2024
Years of data
44
1981–2024

Proportion of population below international poverty line in Asia, 1981–2024

02040601981200220241981: 67.41982: 66.41983: 64.51984: 63.21985: 61.91986: 60.81987: 59.51988: 57.21989: 59.61990: 58.71991: 57.91992: 56.41993: 55.21994: 52.71995: 50.51996: 48.11997: 47.61998: 47.81999: 46.42000: 452001: 43.72002: 41.32003: 38.92004: 36.42005: 33.52006: 31.82007: 29.32008: 27.62009: 25.92010: 22.92011: 19.92012: 182013: 14.32014: 12.72015: 10.82016: 9.32017: 7.92018: 6.82019: 6.12020: 6.62021: 6.22022: 5.52023: 52024: 4.6

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.

Analysis

Asia recorded 4.6% for proportion of population below international poverty line in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 44 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 8.0% on the previous year and down 63.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, proportion of population below international poverty line in Asia peaked at 67.4% in 1981 and was at its lowest, 4.6%, in 2024.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Proportion of population below international poverty line in Asia, year by year

Annual values for Proportion of population below international poverty line (%) in Asia, 1981 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1981 67.4%
1982 66.4% -1.5%
1983 64.5% -2.9%
1984 63.2% -2.0%
1985 61.9% -2.1%
1986 60.8% -1.8%
1987 59.5% -2.1%
1988 57.2% -3.9%
1989 59.6% +4.2%
1990 58.7% -1.5%
1991 57.9% -1.4%
1992 56.4% -2.6%
1993 55.2% -2.1%
1994 52.7% -4.5%
1995 50.5% -4.2%
1996 48.1% -4.8%
1997 47.6% -1.0%
1998 47.8% +0.4%
1999 46.4% -2.9%
2000 45.0% -3.0%
2001 43.7% -2.9%
2002 41.3% -5.5%
2003 38.9% -5.8%
2004 36.4% -6.4%
2005 33.5% -8.0%
2006 31.8% -5.1%
2007 29.3% -7.9%
2008 27.6% -5.8%
2009 25.9% -6.2%
2010 22.9% -11.6%
2011 19.9% -13.1%
2012 18.0% -9.5%
2013 14.3% -20.6%
2014 12.7% -11.2%
2015 10.8% -15.0%
2016 9.3% -13.9%
2017 7.9% -15.1%
2018 6.8% -13.9%
2019 6.1% -10.3%
2020 6.6% +8.2%
2021 6.2% -6.1%
2022 5.5% -11.3%
2023 5.0% -9.1%
2024 4.6% -8.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 62.3% 57.2% 67.4% 9
1990s 52.1% 46.4% 58.7% 10
2000s 35.3% 25.9% 45.0% 10
2010s 12.9% 6.1% 22.9% 10
2020s 5.6% 4.6% 6.6% 5

Countries ranked near Asia

  1. 8 Kenya 45.5% compare
  2. 9 Burkina Faso 42.1% compare
  3. 10 Nigeria 41.8% compare
  4. 11 Guinea-Bissau 39.9% compare
  5. 12 Ghana 39.0% compare
  6. 13 Ethiopia 38.6% compare
  7. 13 Rwanda 38.6% compare

See the full ranking of 164 places →

More poverty & inequality data for Asia

All data for Asia →

Frequently asked questions

What is proportion of population below international poverty line in Asia?
Proportion of population below international poverty line in Asia was 4.6% in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
What is the highest proportion of population below international poverty line recorded in Asia?
The highest recorded value was 67.4% in 1981.
What is the lowest proportion of population below international poverty line recorded in Asia?
The lowest recorded value was 4.6% in 2024.
How does Asia rank for proportion of population below international poverty line?
Asia ranks 11th out of 19 groups with data for 2024.
Is proportion of population below international poverty line rising or falling in Asia?
Over the last ten years it is down 63.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Asia data come from?
The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Proportion of population below international poverty line (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Proportion of population below international poverty line in Asia. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 30 August 2026, from https://poverty.statizoid.com/stat/proportion-of-population-below-international-poverty-line-percent/asia/

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About this data

Indicator
Proportion of population below international poverty line (%)
Source
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database
Licence
UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested)
Coverage
164 places, 3,780 data points, 1963–2025
Last refreshed