Prosperity gap (average shortfall from a prosperity standard) in China
China: Prosperity gap (average shortfall from a prosperity standard) was 2.4 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
2.4 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
66th
of 123 countries
All-time high
27.5 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day
in 1981
All-time low
2.4 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day
in 2021
Years of data
23
1981–2022
Prosperity gap in China, 1981–2022
Source: World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ. Measured in average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day.
Analysis
In 2022, prosperity gap in China stood at 2.4 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day. That is the lowest value across all 23 years on record.
The figure is down 52.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prosperity gap in China peaked at 27.5 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day in 1981 and was at its lowest, 2.4 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day, in 2021.
That places China 66th out of 123 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Prosperity gap (average shortfall from a prosperity standard) in China, year by year
| Year | average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 27.5 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | — |
| 1984 | 20.3 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -26.2% |
| 1987 | 17.4 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -14.3% |
| 1990 | 18.1 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +4.0% |
| 1993 | 16.6 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -8.3% |
| 1996 | 13.1 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -21.1% |
| 1999 | 12.8 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -2.3% |
| 2002 | 11 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -14.1% |
| 2005 | 8.3 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -24.5% |
| 2008 | 7.2 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -13.3% |
| 2010 | 6.3 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -12.5% |
| 2011 | 5.6 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -11.1% |
| 2012 | 5.1 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -8.9% |
| 2013 | 4.2 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -17.6% |
| 2014 | 3.8 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -9.5% |
| 2015 | 3.5 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -7.9% |
| 2016 | 3.3 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -5.7% |
| 2017 | 3.1 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -6.1% |
| 2018 | 2.9 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -6.5% |
| 2019 | 2.7 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -6.9% |
| 2020 | 2.7 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 2.4 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -11.1% |
| 2022 | 2.4 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 2.4 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 2.65 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day, 91% of the median. (38 countries reporting)
- China's 2.4 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 2.4 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day, 1.0× the median. (11 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 21.73 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 17.4 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 27.5 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 3 |
| 1990s | 15.15 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 12.8 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 18.1 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 4 |
| 2000s | 8.83 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 7.2 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 11 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 3 |
| 2010s | 4.05 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 2.7 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 6.3 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.5 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 2.4 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 2.7 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 3 |
Countries ranked near China
- 66 Belize 2.4 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day compare
- 66 Bolivia 2.4 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day compare
- 66 Kazakhstan 2.4 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day compare
- 66 Panama 2.4 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day compare
- 66 Uzbekistan 2.4 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day compare
More poverty & inequality data for China
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 7 surveys (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per person (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per US$ 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 prosperity gap in China?
- Prosperity gap in China was 2.4 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day in 2022, according to World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ.
- What is the highest prosperity gap recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 27.5 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day in 1981.
- What is the lowest prosperity gap recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.4 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day in 2021.
- How does China rank for prosperity gap?
- China ranks 66th out of 123 countries with data for 2022.
- Is prosperity gap rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 52.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ, published as part of Prosperity gap (average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 23 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
The average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28 per day (adjusted for differences in purchasing power parity across countries). It is measured as the average factor by which incomes fall short of $28.