Proportion of population below international poverty line in World
World: Proportion of population below international poverty line was 10.4% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Proportion of population below international poverty line in World, 1981–2024
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
World recorded 10.4% for proportion of population below international poverty line in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 43 years on record.
The figure is down 1.9% on the previous year and down 28.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of population below international poverty line in World peaked at 47.1% in 1981 and was at its lowest, 10.4%, in 2024.
World ranks 13th of 35 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 43 years of available data.
Proportion of population below international poverty line in World, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 47.1% | — |
| 1982 | 46.7% | -0.8% |
| 1983 | 46.1% | -1.3% |
| 1984 | 45.5% | -1.3% |
| 1985 | 44.7% | -1.8% |
| 1986 | 43.8% | -2.0% |
| 1987 | 43.3% | -1.1% |
| 1988 | 42.1% | -2.8% |
| 1989 | 43.6% | +3.6% |
| 1990 | 43.4% | -0.5% |
| 1991 | 43.1% | -0.7% |
| 1992 | 42.5% | -1.4% |
| 1993 | 42.1% | -0.9% |
| 1994 | 40.7% | -3.3% |
| 1995 | 39.4% | -3.2% |
| 1996 | 38.1% | -3.3% |
| 1997 | 37.7% | -1.0% |
| 1998 | 37.9% | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 37.3% | -1.6% |
| 2000 | 36.2% | -2.9% |
| 2001 | 35.3% | -2.5% |
| 2002 | 33.7% | -4.5% |
| 2003 | 32.2% | -4.5% |
| 2004 | 30.3% | -5.9% |
| 2005 | 28.3% | -6.6% |
| 2006 | 27.0% | -4.6% |
| 2007 | 25.3% | -6.3% |
| 2008 | 24.1% | -4.7% |
| 2009 | 23.1% | -4.1% |
| 2010 | 21.0% | -9.1% |
| 2011 | 19.1% | -9.0% |
| 2012 | 17.8% | -6.8% |
| 2013 | 15.5% | -12.9% |
| 2014 | 14.5% | -6.5% |
| 2015 | 13.4% | -7.6% |
| 2016 | 12.6% | -6.0% |
| 2017 | 11.8% | -6.3% |
| 2018 | 11.1% | -5.9% |
| 2020 | 11.4% | +2.7% |
| 2021 | 11.3% | -0.9% |
| 2022 | 10.9% | -3.5% |
| 2023 | 10.6% | -2.8% |
| 2024 | 10.4% | -1.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 44.8% | 42.1% | 47.1% | 9 |
| 1990s | 40.2% | 37.3% | 43.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 29.6% | 23.1% | 36.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.2% | 11.1% | 21.0% | 9 |
| 2020s | 10.9% | 10.4% | 11.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near World
More poverty & inequality data for World
- Poverty headcount ratio at $3.00 a day (2021 PPP) 10.4% (2024)
- Poverty gap at $3.00 a day (2021 PPP) 3.6% (2024)
- Poverty headcount ratio at $4.20 a day (2021 PPP) 18.9% (2024)
- Poverty headcount ratio at $8.30 a day (2021 PPP) 46.1% (2024)
- Prosperity gap 4.6 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day (2024)
- Poverty gap at $4.20 a day (2021 PPP) 6.7% (2024)
- Poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line 24.9% (2024)
- Poverty gap at $8.30 a day (2021 PPP) 20.1% (2024)
- Out-of-pocket expenditure (OOP) per capita in US$ 268.21 (2023)
- Proportion of total government spending on essential services, social 22.4% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is proportion of population below international poverty line in World?
- Proportion of population below international poverty line in World was 10.4% in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest proportion of population below international poverty line recorded in World?
- The highest recorded value was 47.1% in 1981.
- What is the lowest proportion of population below international poverty line recorded in World?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.4% in 2024.
- How does World rank for proportion of population below international poverty line?
- World ranks 13th out of 35 groups with data for 2024.
- Is proportion of population below international poverty line rising or falling in World?
- Over the last ten years it is down 28.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this World 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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