Relative poverty: Share of population below 50% of the median in Belarus

Belarus: Relative poverty: Share of population below 50% of the median was 3.9% in 2020. ▼ Falling

Latest (2020)
3.9%
Change on year
down 30.0%
World rank
117th
of 120 countries
All-time high
12.2%
in 1999
All-time low
3.9%
in 2020
Years of data
23
1998–2020

Relative poverty: Share of population below 50% of the median in Belarus, 1998–2020

46810121998200920201998: 10.7 %1999: 12.2 %2000: 11.1 %2001: 10.1 %2002: 9.7 %2003: 9.3 %2004: 7.5 %2005: 8.8 %2006: 9.3 %2007: 8.7 %2008: 8.5 %2009: 7.9 %2010: 8.5 %2011: 8.1 %2012: 7.1 %2013: 6.6 %2014: 6.8 %2015: 6.2 %2016: 5.9 %2017: 5.2 %2018: 5.2 %2019: 5.5 %2020: 3.9 %

Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2020, relative poverty: share of population below 50% of the median in Belarus stood at 3.9%. That is the lowest value across all 23 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 30.0% on the previous year and down 54.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, relative poverty: share of population below 50% of the median in Belarus peaked at 12.2% in 1999 and was at its lowest, 3.9%, in 2020.

Belarus ranks 117th of 120 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 23 years of available data.

Relative poverty: Share of population below 50% of the median in Belarus, year by year

Annual values for Relative poverty: Share of population below 50% of the median in Belarus, 1998 to 2020.
Year % Change
1998 10.7%
1999 12.2% +13.4%
2000 11.1% -9.0%
2001 10.1% -8.2%
2002 9.7% -4.2%
2003 9.3% -4.5%
2004 7.5% -18.9%
2005 8.8% +17.5%
2006 9.3% +5.0%
2007 8.7% -5.9%
2008 8.5% -2.9%
2009 7.9% -6.4%
2010 8.5% +6.5%
2011 8.1% -4.0%
2012 7.1% -12.8%
2013 6.6% -7.2%
2014 6.8% +3.9%
2015 6.2% -8.9%
2016 5.9% -5.0%
2017 5.2% -12.8%
2018 5.2% +0.8%
2019 5.5% +6.4%
2020 3.9% -30.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 11.4% 10.7% 12.2% 2
2000s 9.1% 7.5% 11.1% 10
2010s 6.5% 5.2% 8.5% 10
2020s 3.9% 3.9% 3.9% 1

Countries ranked near Belarus

  1. 114 Kyrgyzstan 4.6% compare
  2. 115 Egypt 4.4% compare
  3. 116 Republic of Moldova 4.3% compare
  4. 118 India 3.4% compare
  5. 119 Kazakhstan 3.1% compare
  6. 120 Azerbaijan 0.9% compare

See the full ranking of 120 places →

More poverty & inequality data for Belarus

All data for Belarus →

Frequently asked questions

What is relative poverty: share of population below 50% of the median in Belarus?
Relative poverty: share of population below 50% of the median in Belarus was 3.9% in 2020, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest relative poverty: share of population below 50% of the median recorded in Belarus?
The highest recorded value was 12.2% in 1999.
What is the lowest relative poverty: share of population below 50% of the median recorded in Belarus?
The lowest recorded value was 3.9% in 2020.
How does Belarus rank for relative poverty: share of population below 50% of the median?
Belarus ranks 117th out of 120 countries with data for 2020.
Is relative poverty: share of population below 50% of the median rising or falling in Belarus?
Over the last ten years it is down 54.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Belarus data come from?
The figures come from World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Relative poverty: Share of population below 50% of the median. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Relative poverty: Share of population below 50% of the median in Belarus. Statizoid, drawing on World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 03 September 2026, from https://poverty.statizoid.com/stat/relative-poverty-share-of-people-below-50-of-the-median/belarus/

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About this data

Indicator
Relative poverty: Share of population below 50% of the median
Unit
%
Source
World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
120 places, 2,148 data points, 1963–2025
Last refreshed

Percentage of population living in households with an income or consumption below 50% of the median.