Total shortfall from extreme poverty in China
China: Total shortfall from extreme poverty was 0 international-$ in 2021 prices in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Total shortfall from extreme poverty in China, 1981–2022
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in international-$ in 2021 prices.
Analysis
China recorded 0 international-$ in 2021 prices for total shortfall from extreme poverty 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, total shortfall from extreme poverty in China peaked at 617.09 billion international-$ in 2021 prices in 1981 and was at its lowest, 0 international-$ in 2021 prices, in 2019.
That places China 116th out of 120 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Total shortfall from extreme poverty in China, year by year
| Year | international-$ in 2021 prices | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 617.09 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | — |
| 1984 | 499.76 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -19.0% |
| 1987 | 416.98 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -16.6% |
| 1990 | 477.05 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +14.4% |
| 1993 | 444.19 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -6.9% |
| 1996 | 322.01 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -27.5% |
| 1999 | 319.24 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -0.9% |
| 2002 | 255.56 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -19.9% |
| 2005 | 147.56 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -42.3% |
| 2008 | 118.58 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -19.6% |
| 2010 | 89.32 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -24.7% |
| 2011 | 63.41 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -29.0% |
| 2012 | 52.27 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -17.6% |
| 2013 | 16.01 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -69.4% |
| 2014 | 10.85 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -32.3% |
| 2015 | 5.29 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -51.2% |
| 2016 | 3.26 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -38.5% |
| 2017 | 2.00 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -38.6% |
| 2018 | 551.97 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -72.4% |
| 2019 | 0 international-$ in 2021 prices | -100.0% |
| 2020 | 0 international-$ in 2021 prices | — |
| 2021 | 0 international-$ in 2021 prices | — |
| 2022 | 0 international-$ in 2021 prices | — |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 0 international-$ in 2021 prices is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 34.83 million international-$ in 2021 prices. (35 countries reporting)
- China's 0 international-$ in 2021 prices is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 130.94 million international-$ in 2021 prices. (11 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 511.28 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 416.98 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 617.09 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 3 |
| 1990s | 390.62 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 319.24 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 477.05 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 4 |
| 2000s | 173.90 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 118.58 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 255.56 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 3 |
| 2010s | 24.30 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 0 international-$ in 2021 prices | 89.32 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 2020s | 0 international-$ in 2021 prices | 0 international-$ in 2021 prices | 0 international-$ in 2021 prices | 3 |
Countries ranked near China
- 113 Luxembourg 213,382 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 114 Cyprus 104,217 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 115 Bhutan 7,229 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 116 Azerbaijan 0 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 116 Belarus 0 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 116 Czechia 0 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 116 Slovenia 0 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
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 total shortfall from extreme poverty in China?
- Total shortfall from extreme poverty in China was 0 international-$ in 2021 prices in 2022, 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 China?
- The highest recorded value was 617.09 billion international-$ in 2021 prices in 1981.
- What is the lowest total shortfall from extreme poverty recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 international-$ in 2021 prices in 2019.
- How does China rank for total shortfall from extreme poverty?
- China ranks 116th out of 120 countries with data for 2022.
- Is total shortfall from extreme poverty 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 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.