Total population in extreme poverty in South Africa
South Africa: Total population in extreme poverty was 11.00 million in 2022. βΌ Falling
Latest (2022)
11.00 million
World rank
16th
of 120 countries
All-time high
22.74 million
in 2000
All-time low
11.00 million
in 2022
Years of data
7
1993β2022
Total population in extreme poverty in South Africa, 1993β2022
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for total population in extreme poverty in South Africa is 11.00 million, measured in 2022. That is the lowest value across all 7 years on record.
The figure is down 24.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total population in extreme poverty in South Africa peaked at 22.74 million in 2000 and was at its lowest, 11.00 million, in 2022.
South Africa ranks 16th of 120 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 19.32 million | 19.32 million | 19.32 million | 1 |
| 2000s | 20.65 million | 19.07 million | 22.74 million | 3 |
| 2010s | 15.17 million | 14.57 million | 15.77 million | 2 |
| 2020s | 11.00 million | 11.00 million | 11.00 million | 1 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 13 Philippines 13.25 million compare
- 14 Ghana 11.65 million compare
- 15 Indonesia 11.53 million compare
- 17 Bangladesh 10.01 million compare
- 18 Burundi 9.40 million compare
- 19 Burkina Faso 9.40 million compare
More poverty & inequality data for South Africa
- Data deprivation poverty surveys per decade 1 (2025)
- Fertility rate vs the share living in extreme poverty 2.22 (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty 4,562 (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 -20.01 % change on previous year (2024)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 28.13 (2022)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality 28.13 (2022)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2022)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, annual growth rate 0.8444 % change on previous year (2022)
- Gender inequality index from the human development report 0.388 (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total population in extreme poverty in South Africa?
- Total population in extreme poverty in South Africa was 11.00 million in 2022, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest total population in extreme poverty recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 22.74 million in 2000.
- What is the lowest total population in extreme poverty recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.00 million in 2022.
- How does South Africa rank for total population in extreme poverty?
- South Africa ranks 16th out of 120 countries with data for 2022.
- Is total population in extreme poverty rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 24.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Total population in extreme poverty. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV Β· JSON β 7 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).