Proportion of population below international poverty line in Central and Southern Asia

Central and Southern Asia: Proportion of population below international poverty line was 6.7% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
6.7%
Change on year
down 8.2%
Rank
20th
of 42 groups
All-time high
56.5%
in 1981
All-time low
6.7%
in 2024
Years of data
34
1981–2024

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

1020304050601981200220241981: 56.5 %1982: 55.1 %1983: 52.1 %1984: 52 %1985: 51.9 %1986: 52 %1987: 52.5 %1988: 52.3 %1989: 51.7 %1990: 50.9 %1991: 50.1 %1992: 48.8 %1993: 48.4 %1994: 47.3 %1995: 46.9 %1996: 46.1 %2002: 46.2 %2003: 45.1 %2004: 43.7 %2005: 42.1 %2006: 39.4 %2007: 37 %2008: 35.2 %2009: 33.7 %2010: 29.7 %2011: 27.2 %2012: 25.1 %2013: 21.6 %2014: 19.3 %2020: 10.6 %2021: 9.7 %2022: 8.3 %2023: 7.3 %2024: 6.7 %

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in %.

Analysis

Central and Southern Asia recorded 6.7% for proportion of population below international poverty line in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 34 years on record.

That represents a change of down 8.2% on the previous year and down 65.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, proportion of population below international poverty line in Central and Southern Asia peaked at 56.5% in 1981 and was at its lowest, 6.7%, in 2024.

That places Central and Southern Asia 20th out of 42 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 34 years of available data.

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

Annual values for Proportion of population below international poverty line (%) in Central and Southern Asia, 1981 to 2024.
Year % Change
1981 56.5%
1982 55.1% -2.5%
1983 52.1% -5.4%
1984 52.0% -0.2%
1985 51.9% -0.2%
1986 52.0% +0.2%
1987 52.5% +1.0%
1988 52.3% -0.4%
1989 51.7% -1.1%
1990 50.9% -1.5%
1991 50.1% -1.6%
1992 48.8% -2.6%
1993 48.4% -0.8%
1994 47.3% -2.3%
1995 46.9% -0.8%
1996 46.1% -1.7%
2002 46.2% +0.2%
2003 45.1% -2.4%
2004 43.7% -3.1%
2005 42.1% -3.7%
2006 39.4% -6.4%
2007 37.0% -6.1%
2008 35.2% -4.9%
2009 33.7% -4.3%
2010 29.7% -11.9%
2011 27.2% -8.4%
2012 25.1% -7.7%
2013 21.6% -13.9%
2014 19.3% -10.6%
2020 10.6% -45.1%
2021 9.7% -8.5%
2022 8.3% -14.4%
2023 7.3% -12.0%
2024 6.7% -8.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 52.9% 51.7% 56.5% 9
1990s 48.4% 46.1% 50.9% 7
2000s 40.3% 33.7% 46.2% 8
2010s 24.6% 19.3% 29.7% 5
2020s 8.5% 6.7% 10.6% 5

Countries ranked near Central and Southern Asia

  1. 17 Mali 36.1% compare
  2. 18 Togo 34.7% compare
  3. 19 Benin 27.2% compare
  4. 20 Cameroon 26.7% compare
  5. 21 Pakistan 23.0% compare
  6. 22 Gambia 22.0% compare
  7. 23 Botswana 21.4% compare

See the full ranking of 174 places →

More poverty & inequality data for Central and Southern Asia

All data for Central and Southern Asia →

Frequently asked questions

What is proportion of population below international poverty line in Central and Southern Asia?
Proportion of population below international poverty line in Central and Southern Asia was 6.7% in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
What is the highest proportion of population below international poverty line recorded in Central and Southern Asia?
The highest recorded value was 56.5% in 1981.
What is the lowest proportion of population below international poverty line recorded in Central and Southern Asia?
The lowest recorded value was 6.7% in 2024.
How does Central and Southern Asia rank for proportion of population below international poverty line?
Central and Southern Asia ranks 20th out of 42 groups with data for 2024.
Is proportion of population below international poverty line rising or falling in Central and Southern Asia?
Over the last ten years it is down 65.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Central and Southern 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.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 34 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).

Share, cite or embed this page

Cite this page

Proportion of population below international poverty line in Central and Southern Asia. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 08 September 2026, from https://poverty.statizoid.com/stat/proportion-of-population-below-international-poverty-line-percent/central-and-southern-asia/

Embed or link this data

Paste this into a page to link back to these figures. The data itself is free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested); please keep the attribution.

<a href="https://poverty.statizoid.com/stat/proportion-of-population-below-international-poverty-line-percent/central-and-southern-asia/">Proportion of population below international poverty line in Central and Southern Asia</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
Proportion of population below international poverty line (%)
Unit
%
Source
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database
Licence
UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested)
Coverage
174 places, 4,024 data points, 1963–2025
Last refreshed