Total shortfall from extreme poverty in Australia
Australia: Total shortfall from extreme poverty was 178.21 million international-$ in 2021 prices in 2020. ▲ Rising
Total shortfall from extreme poverty in Australia, 1981–2020
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in international-$ in 2021 prices.
Analysis
The most recent figure for total shortfall from extreme poverty in Australia is 178.21 million international-$ in 2021 prices, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 13 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 57.3% on the previous year and up 116.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total shortfall from extreme poverty in Australia peaked at 178.21 million international-$ in 2021 prices in 2020 and was at its lowest, 82.22 million international-$ in 2021 prices, in 2010.
Australia ranks 49th of 120 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.
Total shortfall from extreme poverty in Australia, year by year
| Year | international-$ in 2021 prices | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 96.48 million international-$ in 2021 prices | — |
| 1985 | 113.19 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +17.3% |
| 1989 | 93.82 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -17.1% |
| 1995 | 130.07 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +38.6% |
| 2001 | 131.95 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.4% |
| 2003 | 165.21 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +25.2% |
| 2004 | 105.10 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -36.4% |
| 2008 | 83.95 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -20.1% |
| 2010 | 82.22 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -2.1% |
| 2014 | 97.78 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +18.9% |
| 2016 | 88.76 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -9.2% |
| 2018 | 113.30 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +27.6% |
| 2020 | 178.21 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +57.3% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 178.21 million international-$ in 2021 prices is above the median for high income countries, which is 21.17 million international-$ in 2021 prices, 8.4× the median. (42 countries reporting)
- Australia's 178.21 million international-$ in 2021 prices is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 130.94 million international-$ in 2021 prices, 1.4× the median. (11 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 101.16 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 93.82 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 113.19 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 3 |
| 1990s | 130.07 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 130.07 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 130.07 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 1 |
| 2000s | 121.55 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 83.95 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 165.21 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 4 |
| 2010s | 95.52 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 82.22 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 113.30 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 4 |
| 2020s | 178.21 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 178.21 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 178.21 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 1 |
Countries ranked near Australia
- 46 Egypt 219.90 million international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 47 United Kingdom 208.75 million international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 48 Ecuador 198.96 million international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 50 Gambia 161.53 million international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 51 Botswana 158.57 million international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 52 Tajikistan 131.02 million international-$ in 2021 prices compare
More poverty & inequality data for Australia
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 3 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 1.64 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 2,690 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 -0.0446 % change on previous year (2024)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 30.36 (2022)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 30.4% (2022)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total shortfall from extreme poverty in Australia?
- Total shortfall from extreme poverty in Australia was 178.21 million international-$ in 2021 prices in 2020, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest total shortfall from extreme poverty recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 178.21 million international-$ in 2021 prices in 2020.
- What is the lowest total shortfall from extreme poverty recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 82.22 million international-$ in 2021 prices in 2010.
- How does Australia rank for total shortfall from extreme poverty?
- Australia ranks 49th out of 120 countries with data for 2020.
- Is total shortfall from extreme poverty rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 116.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Australia 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 Total shortfall from extreme poverty. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
This is the amount of money that would be theoretically needed to lift the income or consumption of all people in poverty up to $3 per day. However, this is not a measure of the actual cost of eliminating poverty, since it does not take into account the costs involved in making the necessary transfers nor any changes in behavior they would bring about.