Total shortfall from extreme poverty in South Africa
South Africa: Total shortfall from extreme poverty was 3.52 billion international-$ in 2021 prices in 2022. ▼ Falling
Total shortfall from extreme poverty in South Africa, 1993–2022
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in international-$ in 2021 prices.
Analysis
In 2022, total shortfall from extreme poverty in South Africa stood at 3.52 billion international-$ in 2021 prices. That is the lowest value across all 7 years on record.
That represents a change of down 36.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total shortfall from extreme poverty in South Africa peaked at 11.38 billion international-$ in 2021 prices in 2000 and was at its lowest, 3.52 billion international-$ in 2021 prices, in 2022.
South Africa ranks 15th of 120 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
Total shortfall from extreme poverty in South Africa, year by year
| Year | international-$ in 2021 prices | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 9.16 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | — |
| 2000 | 11.38 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +24.3% |
| 2005 | 8.36 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -26.5% |
| 2008 | 8.03 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -4.0% |
| 2010 | 5.52 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -31.3% |
| 2014 | 6.08 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | +10.3% |
| 2022 | 3.52 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | -42.1% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 3.52 billion international-$ in 2021 prices is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 34.83 million international-$ in 2021 prices, 101.1× the median. (35 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 3.52 billion international-$ in 2021 prices is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3.29 billion international-$ in 2021 prices, 1.1× the median. (26 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 9.16 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 9.16 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 9.16 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 1 |
| 2000s | 9.26 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 8.03 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 11.38 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 3 |
| 2010s | 5.80 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 5.52 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 6.08 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 2 |
| 2020s | 3.52 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 3.52 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 3.52 billion international-$ in 2021 prices | 1 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 12 Ghana 5.18 billion international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 13 Niger 5.08 billion international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 14 Burundi 4.50 billion international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 16 United States 3.06 billion international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 17 Burkina Faso 3.06 billion international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 18 Philippines 2.84 billion international-$ in 2021 prices compare
More poverty & inequality data for South Africa
- 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 2.22 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 4,562 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 -20.01 % change on previous year (2024)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 28.13 (2022)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 28.1% (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 South Africa?
- Total shortfall from extreme poverty in South Africa was 3.52 billion 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 South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 11.38 billion international-$ in 2021 prices in 2000.
- What is the lowest total shortfall from extreme poverty recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.52 billion international-$ in 2021 prices in 2022.
- How does South Africa rank for total shortfall from extreme poverty?
- South Africa ranks 15th out of 120 countries with data for 2022.
- Is total shortfall from extreme poverty rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 36.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa 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.