Proportion of population below international poverty line in Latin America and the Caribbean
Latin America and the Caribbean: Proportion of population below international poverty line was 4.3% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Proportion of population below international poverty line in Latin America and the Caribbean, 1981–2024
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
In 2024, proportion of population below international poverty line in Latin America and the Caribbean stood at 4.3%. That is the lowest value across all 44 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 6.5% on the previous year and down 33.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of population below international poverty line in Latin America and the Caribbean peaked at 23.8% in 1983 and was at its lowest, 4.3%, in 2024.
That places Latin America and the Caribbean 23rd 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 44 years of available data.
Proportion of population below international poverty line in Latin America and the Caribbean, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 20.0% | — |
| 1982 | 20.7% | +3.5% |
| 1983 | 23.8% | +15.0% |
| 1984 | 23.4% | -1.7% |
| 1985 | 21.8% | -6.8% |
| 1986 | 16.7% | -23.4% |
| 1987 | 19.5% | +16.8% |
| 1988 | 20.0% | +2.6% |
| 1989 | 19.2% | -4.0% |
| 1990 | 20.7% | +7.8% |
| 1991 | 20.1% | -2.9% |
| 1992 | 20.2% | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 20.1% | -0.5% |
| 1994 | 19.5% | -3.0% |
| 1995 | 18.5% | -5.1% |
| 1996 | 19.9% | +7.6% |
| 1997 | 19.4% | -2.5% |
| 1998 | 19.2% | -1.0% |
| 1999 | 19.5% | +1.6% |
| 2000 | 18.1% | -7.2% |
| 2001 | 17.9% | -1.1% |
| 2002 | 17.1% | -4.5% |
| 2003 | 16.6% | -2.9% |
| 2004 | 15.3% | -7.8% |
| 2005 | 14.2% | -7.2% |
| 2006 | 12.0% | -15.5% |
| 2007 | 10.8% | -10.0% |
| 2008 | 9.9% | -8.3% |
| 2009 | 9.5% | -4.0% |
| 2010 | 8.5% | -10.5% |
| 2011 | 7.7% | -9.4% |
| 2012 | 7.5% | -2.6% |
| 2013 | 6.8% | -9.3% |
| 2014 | 6.5% | -4.4% |
| 2015 | 6.0% | -7.7% |
| 2016 | 6.2% | +3.3% |
| 2017 | 6.2% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 6.1% | -1.6% |
| 2019 | 6.2% | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 5.8% | -6.5% |
| 2021 | 6.2% | +6.9% |
| 2022 | 5.0% | -19.4% |
| 2023 | 4.6% | -8.0% |
| 2024 | 4.3% | -6.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 20.6% | 16.7% | 23.8% | 9 |
| 1990s | 19.7% | 18.5% | 20.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 14.1% | 9.5% | 18.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.8% | 6.0% | 8.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.2% | 4.3% | 6.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Latin America and the Caribbean
- 20 Cameroon 26.7% compare
- 21 Pakistan 23.0% compare
- 22 Gambia 22.0% compare
- 23 Botswana 21.4% compare
- 24 Côte d'Ivoire 20.8% compare
- 24 Côte d'Ivoire 20.8% compare
- 26 Syrian Arab Republic 18.0% compare
- 26 Syrian Arab Republic 18.0% compare
More poverty & inequality data for Latin America and the Caribbean
Frequently asked questions
- What is proportion of population below international poverty line in Latin America and the Caribbean?
- Proportion of population below international poverty line in Latin America and the Caribbean was 4.3% in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest proportion of population below international poverty line recorded in Latin America and the Caribbean?
- The highest recorded value was 23.8% in 1983.
- What is the lowest proportion of population below international poverty line recorded in Latin America and the Caribbean?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.3% in 2024.
- How does Latin America and the Caribbean rank for proportion of population below international poverty line?
- Latin America and the Caribbean ranks 23rd out of 42 groups with data for 2024.
- Is proportion of population below international poverty line rising or falling in Latin America and the Caribbean?
- Over the last ten years it is down 33.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Latin America and the Caribbean 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 — 44 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).