Proportion of population below international poverty line (%) in China
China: Proportion of population below international poverty line (%) was 0.0% in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Proportion of population below international poverty line in China, 1981–2022
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
In 2022, proportion of population below international poverty line in China stood at 0.0%. That is the lowest value across all 23 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 100.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of population below international poverty line in China peaked at 97.0% in 1981 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 2019.
China ranks 123rd of 133 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Proportion of population below international poverty line (%) in China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 97.0% | — |
| 1984 | 91.3% | -5.9% |
| 1987 | 81.1% | -11.2% |
| 1990 | 83.1% | +2.5% |
| 1993 | 77.3% | -7.0% |
| 1996 | 62.6% | -19.0% |
| 1999 | 58.5% | -6.5% |
| 2002 | 47.8% | -18.3% |
| 2005 | 32.9% | -31.2% |
| 2008 | 26.1% | -20.7% |
| 2010 | 20.6% | -21.1% |
| 2011 | 15.3% | -25.7% |
| 2012 | 12.9% | -15.7% |
| 2013 | 6.0% | -53.5% |
| 2014 | 4.6% | -23.3% |
| 2015 | 2.9% | -37.0% |
| 2016 | 2.1% | -27.6% |
| 2017 | 1.6% | -23.8% |
| 2018 | 0.7% | -56.2% |
| 2019 | 0.0% | -100.0% |
| 2020 | 0.0% | — |
| 2021 | 0.0% | — |
| 2022 | 0.0% | — |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 0.0% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.2%. (36 countries reporting)
- China's 0.0% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.9%. (11 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 89.8% | 81.1% | 97.0% | 3 |
| 1990s | 70.4% | 58.5% | 83.1% | 4 |
| 2000s | 35.6% | 26.1% | 47.8% | 3 |
| 2010s | 6.7% | 0.0% | 20.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 3 |
Countries ranked near China
More poverty & inequality data for China
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 7 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 0.999 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 6,418 kg per hectare (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, annual growth rate 0.5767 % change on previous year (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 22.1 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 22.1% (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is proportion of population below international poverty line in China?
- Proportion of population below international poverty line in China was 0.0% in 2022, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest proportion of population below international poverty line recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 97.0% in 1981.
- What is the lowest proportion of population below international poverty line recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 2019.
- How does China rank for proportion of population below international poverty line?
- China ranks 123rd out of 133 countries with data for 2022.
- Is proportion of population below international poverty line rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 100.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China 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
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