The share and number of people living in extreme poverty in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: The share and number of people living in extreme poverty was 38.6% in 2021. ▼ Falling
The share and number of people living in extreme poverty in Ethiopia, 1995–2021
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for the share and number of people living in extreme poverty in Ethiopia is 38.6%, measured in 2021.
That represents a change of up 3.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, the share and number of people living in extreme poverty in Ethiopia peaked at 73.5% in 1995 and was at its lowest, 33.0%, in 2015.
Ethiopia ranks 14th of 120 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The share and number of people living in extreme poverty in Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 73.5% | — |
| 1999 | 65.9% | -10.4% |
| 2004 | 41.3% | -37.3% |
| 2010 | 37.4% | -9.5% |
| 2015 | 33.0% | -11.8% |
| 2021 | 38.6% | +17.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 69.7% | 65.9% | 73.5% | 2 |
| 2000s | 41.3% | 41.3% | 41.3% | 1 |
| 2010s | 35.2% | 33.0% | 37.4% | 2 |
| 2020s | 38.6% | 38.6% | 38.6% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
More poverty & inequality data for Ethiopia
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 1 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 3.99 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 2,632 kg per hectare (2024)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, annual growth rate -0.9299 % change on previous year (2024)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via -50 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gender Inequality Index 0.497 (2023)
- Share of government consumption in GDP vs. share of population living in extreme poverty 10.2% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is the share and number of people living in extreme poverty in Ethiopia?
- The share and number of people living in extreme poverty in Ethiopia was 38.6% in 2021, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest the share and number of people living in extreme poverty recorded in Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 73.5% in 1995.
- What is the lowest the share and number of people living in extreme poverty recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 33.0% in 2015.
- How does Ethiopia rank for the share and number of people living in extreme poverty?
- Ethiopia ranks 14th out of 120 countries with data for 2021.
- Is the share and number of people living in extreme poverty rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ethiopia 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 The share and number of people living in extreme poverty. 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.