Proportion of population below international poverty line in Sub-Saharan Africa (inc. Sudan)

Sub-Saharan Africa (inc. Sudan): Proportion of population below international poverty line was 45.1% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
45.1%
Change on year
down 1.1%
Rank
4th
of 42 groups
All-time high
64.6%
in 1994
All-time low
43.9%
in 2019
Years of data
35
1990–2024

Proportion of population below international poverty line in Sub-Saharan Africa (inc. Sudan), 1990–2024

02040601990200720241990: 61.51991: 62.71992: 63.81993: 64.51994: 64.61995: 64.41996: 63.81997: 63.41998: 63.41999: 63.12000: 62.42001: 61.22002: 60.82003: 59.82004: 56.92005: 55.32006: 54.22007: 53.12008: 51.82009: 51.42010: 49.42011: 48.42012: 47.12013: 46.12014: 45.32015: 45.42016: 45.12017: 44.62018: 44.12019: 43.92020: 462021: 46.22022: 45.72023: 45.62024: 45.1

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.

Analysis

Sub-Saharan Africa (inc. Sudan) recorded 45.1% for proportion of population below international poverty line in 2024.

That represents a change of down 1.1% on the previous year and down 0.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, proportion of population below international poverty line in Sub-Saharan Africa (inc. Sudan) peaked at 64.6% in 1994 and was at its lowest, 43.9%, in 2019.

That places Sub-Saharan Africa (inc. Sudan) 4th out of 42 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.

Proportion of population below international poverty line in Sub-Saharan Africa (inc. Sudan), year by year

Annual values for Proportion of population below international poverty line (%) in Sub-Saharan Africa (inc. Sudan), 1990 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1990 61.5%
1991 62.7% +2.0%
1992 63.8% +1.8%
1993 64.5% +1.1%
1994 64.6% +0.2%
1995 64.4% -0.3%
1996 63.8% -0.9%
1997 63.4% -0.6%
1998 63.4% +0.0%
1999 63.1% -0.5%
2000 62.4% -1.1%
2001 61.2% -1.9%
2002 60.8% -0.7%
2003 59.8% -1.6%
2004 56.9% -4.8%
2005 55.3% -2.8%
2006 54.2% -2.0%
2007 53.1% -2.0%
2008 51.8% -2.4%
2009 51.4% -0.8%
2010 49.4% -3.9%
2011 48.4% -2.0%
2012 47.1% -2.7%
2013 46.1% -2.1%
2014 45.3% -1.7%
2015 45.4% +0.2%
2016 45.1% -0.7%
2017 44.6% -1.1%
2018 44.1% -1.1%
2019 43.9% -0.5%
2020 46.0% +4.8%
2021 46.2% +0.4%
2022 45.7% -1.1%
2023 45.6% -0.2%
2024 45.1% -1.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 63.5% 61.5% 64.6% 10
2000s 56.7% 51.4% 62.4% 10
2010s 45.9% 43.9% 49.4% 10
2020s 45.7% 45.1% 46.2% 5

Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa (inc. Sudan)

  1. 1 Mozambique 81.4% compare
  2. 2 Malawi 75.4% compare
  3. 3 Burundi 74.2% compare
  4. 4 Zambia 71.7% compare
  5. 5 Madagascar 69.2% compare
  6. 6 Niger 60.5% compare
  7. 7 Uganda 59.8% compare

See the full ranking of 174 places →

Frequently asked questions

What is proportion of population below international poverty line in Sub-Saharan Africa (inc. Sudan)?
Proportion of population below international poverty line in Sub-Saharan Africa (inc. Sudan) was 45.1% in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
What is the highest proportion of population below international poverty line recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (inc. Sudan)?
The highest recorded value was 64.6% in 1994.
What is the lowest proportion of population below international poverty line recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (inc. Sudan)?
The lowest recorded value was 43.9% in 2019.
How does Sub-Saharan Africa (inc. Sudan) rank for proportion of population below international poverty line?
Sub-Saharan Africa (inc. Sudan) ranks 4th out of 42 groups with data for 2024.
Is proportion of population below international poverty line rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (inc. Sudan)?
Over the last ten years it is down 0.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa (inc. Sudan) 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 Sub-Saharan Africa (inc. Sudan). Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 12 September 2026, from https://poverty.statizoid.com/stat/proportion-of-population-below-international-poverty-line-percent/sub-saharan-africa-inc-sudan/

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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
174 places, 4,024 data points, 1963–2025
Last refreshed