Share in poverty relative to different poverty lines in China
China: Share in poverty relative to different poverty lines was 0.0% in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Share in poverty relative to different poverty lines in China, 1981–2022
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share in poverty relative to different poverty lines in China is 0.0%, measured in 2022. That is the lowest value across all 23 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 100.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share in poverty relative to different poverty lines in China peaked at 97.0% in 1981 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 2019.
China ranks 115th of 120 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share in poverty relative to different poverty lines in China, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 97.0% | — |
| 1984 | 91.3% | -5.9% |
| 1987 | 81.1% | -11.1% |
| 1990 | 83.1% | +2.5% |
| 1993 | 77.3% | -7.0% |
| 1996 | 62.6% | -19.0% |
| 1999 | 58.5% | -6.6% |
| 2002 | 47.8% | -18.3% |
| 2005 | 32.9% | -31.1% |
| 2008 | 26.1% | -20.8% |
| 2010 | 20.6% | -21.0% |
| 2011 | 15.3% | -25.7% |
| 2012 | 12.9% | -15.8% |
| 2013 | 6.0% | -53.1% |
| 2014 | 4.6% | -23.8% |
| 2015 | 2.9% | -38.0% |
| 2016 | 2.1% | -26.8% |
| 2017 | 1.6% | -24.7% |
| 2018 | 0.7% | -52.4% |
| 2019 | 0.0% | -100.0% |
| 2020 | 0.0% | — |
| 2021 | 0.0% | — |
| 2022 | 0.0% | — |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 0.0% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.6%. (35 countries reporting)
- China's 0.0% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.9%. (11 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 89.8% | 81.1% | 97.0% | 3 |
| 1990s | 70.4% | 58.5% | 83.1% | 4 |
| 2000s | 35.6% | 26.1% | 47.8% | 3 |
| 2010s | 6.7% | 0.0% | 20.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 3 |
Countries ranked near China
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 share in poverty relative to different poverty lines in China?
- Share in poverty relative to different poverty lines in China was 0.0% in 2022, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share in poverty relative to different poverty lines recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 97.0% in 1981.
- What is the lowest share in poverty relative to different poverty lines recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 2019.
- How does China rank for share in poverty relative to different poverty lines?
- China ranks 115th out of 120 countries with data for 2022.
- Is share in poverty relative to different poverty lines rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 100.0%. 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 (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share in poverty relative to different poverty lines. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of population living in households with an income or consumption below $3 per day.