List of countries by percentage of population living in poverty

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This article contains a list of countries by percentage of the population living below poverty line and a list of countries by population living under $2 a day and $1 a day. Only countries for which data is available are listed.

List of countries by percentage of the population living below the national poverty line

National estimates of the percentage of the population falling below the poverty line are based on surveys of sub-groups, with the results weighted by the number of people in each group. Definitions of the poverty line vary considerably among nations. For example, rich nations generally employ more generous standards of poverty than poor nations.

Country Population living below
national poverty line (%) Year
Gaza Strip 81 2004 est.*
Liberia 80 *
Moldova 80 2001 est.*
Zambia 72.9 / 86* 1993*
Madagascar 71.3 / 50* 2004 est.*
Angola 70 2003 est.*
Suriname 70 2002 est.*
Mozambique 69.4 / 70* 2001 est.*
Burundi 68 2002 est.*
Sierra Leone 68
Malawi 65.3 / 55* 2004 est.*
Haiti 65 / 80* 2003 est.*
Chad 64 / 80* 2001 est.*
Colombia 64 / 49.2* 2005*
Gambia 64
Mali 63.8 / 64* 2001 est.*
Niger 63
Bolivia 62.7 / 64* 2004 est.*
Comoros 60 2002 est.*
Tajikistan 64 2004 est.*
Turkmenistan 58 2003 est.*
Guatemala 56.2 / 75* 2004 est.*
Uganda 55 / 35* 2001 est.*
Georgia 54 2001 est.*
São Tomé and Príncipe 54 2004 est.*
Afghanistan 53 2003*
Eritrea 53 / 50* 2004 est.*
Honduras 53
Rwanda 51.2 / 60* 2001 est.*
Vietnam 50.9 / 19.5* 2004 est.*
Namibia 50 2002 est.*
South Africa 50 2000 est.*
Bangladesh 49.8 / 45* 2004 est.*
Lesotho 49.2 / 49* 1999*
Azerbaijan 49 2002 est.*
Peru 49 / 54* 2003 est.*
Guinea-Bissau 48.7
El Salvador 48.3 / 34.6* 2004 est.*
Nicaragua 47.9 / 50* 2001 est.*
Mauritania 46.3 / 40* 2004 est.*
West Bank 46% including Gaza Strip 2004 est.*
Burkina Faso 45.3 / 45* 2003 est.*
Djibouti 45.1 / 50* 2001 est.*
Ethiopia 44.2 / 50* 2004 est.*
Armenia 43 2003 est.*
East Timor 42 2003 est.*
Kenya 42 / 50* 2000 est.*
Nepal 42 / 31* 2003-2004*
Yemen 41.8 / 45.2* 2003*
Cameroon 40.2 / 48* 2000 est.*
Guinea 40
Iran 40 2002 est.*
Kyrgyzstan 40 2004 est.*
Sudan 40 2004 est.*
Swaziland 40 / 69* 2005*
Ghana 39.5 / 31.4* 1992 est.*
Laos 38.6 / 40* 2002 est.*
Argentina 38.5 June 2005*
Papua New Guinea 37.5 / 37* 2002 est.*
Panama 37.3 / 37* 1999 est.*
Côte d'Ivoire 36.8 / 37* 1995*
Philippines 36.8 / 40* 2001 est.*
Mongolia 36.3 / 36.1* 2004 est.*
Cambodia 36.1 / 40* 2004 est.*
Tanzania 35.7 / 36* 2002 est.*
Ecuador 35 / 52* 2006*
Guyana 35
Zimbabwe 34.9 / 80* 2004 est.*
Nigeria 34.1 / 60* 2000 est.*
Senegal 33.4 / 54* 2001 est.*
Belize 33 1999 est.*
Benin 33
Pakistan 32.6 / 32* Fiscal year 2000-01 est.*
Togo 32.3 / 32* 1989 est.*
Grenada 32 2000*
Venezuela 31.3 / 47* 1998 est.*
Botswana 30.3 2003*
Cape Verde 30 2000*
Dominica 30 2002 est.*
Serbia and Montenegro 30 1999 est.*
Macedonia 29.6 2004 est.*
Ukraine 29 2003 est.*
Dominican Republic 28.6 / 25*
India 28.6 / 25* 2002 est.*
Lebanon 28 1999 est.*
Uzbekistan 28 2004 est.*
Belarus 27.1 2003 est.*
Indonesia 27.1
Federated States of Micronesia 26.7 *
Fiji 25.5 1990-91*
Albania 25 2004 est.*
Bosnia and Herzegovina 25 2004 est.*
Burma 25 2000 est.*
Romania 25 2005 est.*
Sri Lanka 25 / 22* 1997 est.*
Anguilla 23 2002*
Guam 23 2001 est.*
Costa Rica 22 / 18* 2004 est.*
Uruguay 22% of households 2004*
Paraguay 21.8 / 32* 2005 est.*
Israel 21 2005*
Trinidad and Tobago 21
Syria 20 2004 est.*
Turkey 20 2002*
Bermuda 19 2000*
Morocco 19
Kazakhstan 19 2004 est.*
Jamaica 18.7 / 19.1* 2003 est.*
Russia 17.8 2004 est.*
Brazil 17.4 / 22* 1998 est.*
Chile 17 / 18.2* 2005*
Poland 17 2003 est.*
United Kingdom 17 2002 est.*
Egypt 16.7 / 20* 2005 est.*
Canada 15.9 2003*¹
Malaysia 15.5 / 8* 1998 est.*
South Korea 15 2003 est.*
Bulgaria 13.4 2002 est.*
Thailand 13.1 / 10* 2004 est.*
Algeria 12.2 / 25* 2005 est.*
United States 12 2004 est.*
Jordan 11.7 / 30* 2001 est.*
Croatia 11 2003*
Mexico 10.1 / 40* 2003 est.*
Ireland 10 1997 est.*
Mauritius 10 2001 est.*
The Bahamas 9.3 2004*
Hungary 8.6 1993 est.*
Tunisia 7.6 / 7.4* 2005 est.*
France 6.5 2000*
Austria 5.9 2004*
People's Republic of China 4.6 / 10* 2001 est.*
Belgium 4 1989 est.*
Republic of China (Taiwan) 0.9 2005*

Country	Population living below national poverty line (%)	Year
Gaza Strip	81	2004 est.*
Liberia	80	*
Moldova	80	2001 est.*
Zambia	72.9 / 86*	1993*
Madagascar	71.3 / 50*	2004 est.*
Angola	70	2003 est.*
Suriname	70	2002 est.*
Mozambique	69.4 / 70*	2001 est.*
Burundi	68	2002 est.*
Sierra Leone	68
Malawi	65.3 / 55*	2004 est.*
Haiti	65 / 80*	2003 est.*
Chad	64 / 80*	2001 est.*
Colombia	64 / 49.2*	2005*
Gambia	64
Mali	63.8 / 64*	2001 est.*
Niger	63
Bolivia	62.7 / 64*	2004 est.*
Comoros	60	2002 est.*
Tajikistan	64	2004 est.*
Turkmenistan	58	2003 est.*
Guatemala	56.2 / 75*	2004 est.*
Uganda	55 / 35*	2001 est.*
Georgia	54	2001 est.*
São Tomé and Príncipe	54	2004 est.*
Afghanistan	53	2003*
Eritrea	53 / 50*	2004 est.*
Honduras	53
Rwanda	51.2 / 60*	2001 est.*
Vietnam	50.9 / 19.5*	2004 est.*
Namibia	50	2002 est.*
South Africa	50	2000 est.*
Bangladesh	49.8 / 45*	2004 est.*
Lesotho	49.2 / 49*	1999*
Azerbaijan	49	2002 est.*
Peru	49 / 54*	2003 est.*
Guinea-Bissau	48.7
El Salvador	48.3 / 34.6*	2004 est.*
Nicaragua	47.9 / 50*	2001 est.*
Mauritania	46.3 / 40*	2004 est.*
West Bank	46% including Gaza Strip	2004 est.*
Burkina Faso	45.3 / 45*	2003 est.*
Djibouti	45.1 / 50*	2001 est.*
Ethiopia	44.2 / 50*	2004 est.*
Armenia	43	2003 est.*
East Timor	42	2003 est.*
Kenya	42 / 50*	2000 est.*
Nepal	42 / 31*	2003-2004*
Yemen	41.8 / 45.2*	2003*
Cameroon	40.2 / 48*	2000 est.*
Guinea	40
Iran	40	2002 est.*
Kyrgyzstan	40	2004 est.*
Sudan	40	2004 est.*
Swaziland	40 / 69*	2005*
Ghana	39.5 / 31.4*	1992 est.*
Laos	38.6 / 40*	2002 est.*
Argentina	38.5	June 2005*
Papua New Guinea	37.5 / 37*	2002 est.*
Panama	37.3 / 37*	1999 est.*
Côte d'Ivoire	36.8 / 37*	1995*
Philippines	36.8 / 40*	2001 est.*
Mongolia	36.3 / 36.1*	2004 est.*
Cambodia	36.1 / 40*	2004 est.*
Tanzania	35.7 / 36*	2002 est.*
Ecuador	35 / 52*	2006*
Guyana	35
Zimbabwe	34.9 / 80*	2004 est.*
Nigeria	34.1 / 60*	2000 est.*
Senegal	33.4 / 54*	2001 est.*
Belize	33	1999 est.*
Benin	33
Pakistan	32.6 / 32*	Fiscal year 2000-01 est.*
Togo	32.3 / 32*	1989 est.*
Grenada	32	2000*
Venezuela	31.3 / 47*	1998 est.*
Botswana	30.3	2003*
Cape Verde	30	2000*
Dominica	30	2002 est.*
Serbia and Montenegro	30	1999 est.*
Macedonia	29.6	2004 est.*
Ukraine	29	2003 est.*
Dominican Republic	28.6 / 25*
India	28.6 / 25*	2002 est.*
Lebanon	28	1999 est.*
Uzbekistan	28	2004 est.*
Belarus	27.1	2003 est.*
Indonesia	27.1
Federated States of Micronesia	26.7	*
Fiji	25.5	1990-91*
Albania	25	2004 est.*
Bosnia and Herzegovina	25	2004 est.*
Burma	25	2000 est.*
Romania	25	2005 est.*
Sri Lanka	25 / 22*	1997 est.*
Anguilla	23	2002*
Guam	23	2001 est.*
Costa Rica	22 / 18*	2004 est.*
Uruguay	22% of households	2004*
Paraguay	21.8 / 32*	2005 est.*
Israel	21	2005*
Trinidad and Tobago	21
Syria	20	2004 est.*
Turkey	20	2002*
Bermuda	19	2000*
Morocco	19
Kazakhstan	19	2004 est.*
Jamaica	18.7 / 19.1*	2003 est.*
Russia	17.8	2004 est.*
Brazil	17.4 / 22*	1998 est.*
Chile	17 / 18.2*	2005*
Poland	17	2003 est.*
United Kingdom	17	2002 est.*
Egypt	16.7 / 20*	2005 est.*
Canada	15.9	2003*¹
Malaysia	15.5 / 8*	1998 est.*
South Korea	15	2003 est.*
Bulgaria	13.4	2002 est.*
Thailand	13.1 / 10*	2004 est.*
Algeria	12.2 / 25*	2005 est.*
United States	12	2004 est.*
Jordan	11.7 / 30*	2001 est.*
Croatia	11	2003*
Mexico	10.1 / 40*	2003 est.*
Ireland	10	1997 est.*
Mauritius	10	2001 est.*
The Bahamas	9.3	2004*
Hungary	8.6	1993 est.*
Tunisia	7.6 / 7.4*	2005 est.*
France	6.5	2000*
Austria	5.9	2004*
People's Republic of China	4.6 / 10*	2001 est.*
Belgium	4	1989 est.*
Republic of China (Taiwan)	0.9	2005*

¹ This figure is the [Low Income Cut-Off] (LICO), a calculation that results in higher figures than found in many comparable economies; Canada does not have an official poverty line.

List by population living under $2 a day and $1 a day

Data refer to the most recent year available during the period 1990-2003.

Country Population living under
a day (%) Population living under
a day (%)
Nigeria 90.8 70.2
Mali 90.6 72.3
Burundi 89.2 58.4
Zambia 87.4 63.7
Niger 85.3 61.4
Madagascar 85.1 61
Central African Republic 84 66.6
Rwanda 83.7 51.7
Zimbabwe 83 56.1
Gambia 82.9 59.3
Bangladesh 82.8 36
Nepal 82.5 37.7
Burkina Faso 81 44.9
Ethiopia 80.7 26.3
Nicaragua 79.9 45.1
India 79.9 34.7
Ghana 78.5 44.8
Mozambique 78.4 37.9
Cambodia 77.7 34.1
Malawi 76.1 41.7
Mongolia 74.9 27
Sierra Leone 74.5 57
Laos 73.2 26.3
Senegal 67.8 26.3
Pakistan 65.6 13.4
Mauritania 63.1 25.9
Tanzania 59.7 19.9
Kenya 58.3 22.8
El Salvador 58 31.1
Lesotho 56.1 36.4
Namibia 55.8 34.9
Indonesia 52.4 7.5
Sri Lanka 50.7 7.6
Cameroon 50.6 17.1
Botswana 50.1 23.5
People's Republic of China 46.7 16.6
Philippines 46.4 14.6
Yemen 45.2 15.7
Honduras 44 20.7
Egypt 43.9 3.1
Ecuador 40.8 17.7
Trinidad and Tobago 39 12.4
Côte d'Ivoire 38.4 10.8
Peru 37.7 18.1
Guatemala 37.4 16
Bolivia 34.3 14.4
South Africa 34.1 10.7
Paraguay 33.2 16.4
Thailand 32.5 <2
Venezuela 32 15
Mexico 26.3 9.9
Colombia 22.6 8.2
Brazil 22.4 8.2
Panama 17.6 7.2
Algeria 15.1 <2
Argentina 14.3 3.3
Morocco 14.3 <2
Jamaica 13.3 <2
Turkey 10.3 <2
Chile 9.6 <2
Costa Rica 9.5 2
Malaysia 9.3 <2
Jordan 7.4 <2
Iran 7.3 <2
Tunisia 6.6 <2
Uruguay 3.9 <2
Dominican Republic <2 <2
South Korea <2 <2

Country	Population living under a day (%)	Population living under a day (%)
Nigeria	90.8	70.2
Mali	90.6	72.3
Burundi	89.2	58.4
Zambia	87.4	63.7
Niger	85.3	61.4
Madagascar	85.1	61
Central African Republic	84	66.6
Rwanda	83.7	51.7
Zimbabwe	83	56.1
Gambia	82.9	59.3
Bangladesh	82.8	36
Nepal	82.5	37.7
Burkina Faso	81	44.9
Ethiopia	80.7	26.3
Nicaragua	79.9	45.1
India	79.9	34.7
Ghana	78.5	44.8
Mozambique	78.4	37.9
Cambodia	77.7	34.1
Malawi	76.1	41.7
Mongolia	74.9	27
Sierra Leone	74.5	57
Laos	73.2	26.3
Senegal	67.8	26.3
Pakistan	65.6	13.4
Mauritania	63.1	25.9
Tanzania	59.7	19.9
Kenya	58.3	22.8
El Salvador	58	31.1
Lesotho	56.1	36.4
Namibia	55.8	34.9
Indonesia	52.4	7.5
Sri Lanka	50.7	7.6
Cameroon	50.6	17.1
Botswana	50.1	23.5
People's Republic of China	46.7	16.6
Philippines	46.4	14.6
Yemen	45.2	15.7
Honduras	44	20.7
Egypt	43.9	3.1
Ecuador	40.8	17.7
Trinidad and Tobago	39	12.4
Côte d'Ivoire	38.4	10.8
Peru	37.7	18.1
Guatemala	37.4	16
Bolivia	34.3	14.4
South Africa	34.1	10.7
Paraguay	33.2	16.4
Thailand	32.5	<2
Venezuela	32	15
Mexico	26.3	9.9
Colombia	22.6	8.2
Brazil	22.4	8.2
Panama	17.6	7.2
Algeria	15.1	<2
Argentina	14.3	3.3
Morocco	14.3	<2
Jamaica	13.3	<2
Turkey	10.3	<2
Chile	9.6	<2
Costa Rica	9.5	2
Malaysia	9.3	<2
Jordan	7.4	<2
Iran	7.3	<2
Tunisia	6.6	<2
Uruguay	3.9	<2
Dominican Republic	<2	<2
South Korea	<2	<2

References

All values from the 2005 United Nations Human Development Report [link]; data followed by an asterisk (*) provided by the CIA World Factbook [link], accessed May 21 2006

Lists of countries with rankings *Includes map
Geography
Area* · Coastline · Highest point* · Compactness · Coast/Area ratio · Northernmost point

Demographics
Population · (graphical) · Population density* · Life expectancy* · Infant mortality rate · Fertility rate* · Birth rate* · Death rate* · Human Development Index* · Income equality* · Literacy rate* · HIV/AIDS adult prevalence rate* · People living with HIV/AIDS* · Suicide rate · Unemployment rate* · Percentage of population below the national poverty line* · Percentage of population living under a day and a day

Economy
GDP (nominal) * · GDP (PPP) * · GDP (nominal) per capita* · GDP (PPP) per capita* · past GDP (nominal), past GDP (PPP) · Current account balance* · Imports* · Exports* · External debt* · Public debt* · Agricultural output*

Politics
Political rights and civil liberties* · Press freedom* · Capital punishment* · Homosexuality law* · Abortion law* · Date of nationhood* · UN peacekeepers currently deployed* · Possession of nuclear weapons* · Military expenditures* · Number of active troops* · Conscription* · Perception of corruption* · Economic freedom*

Emissions
Carbon dioxide emissions* (Per capita)* · GDP per emissions* · Emissions per GDP per capita

Consumption
Electricity consumption* · Natural gas consumption

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	Lists of countries with rankings	*Includes map
Geography	Area* · Coastline · Highest point* · Compactness · Coast/Area ratio · Northernmost point

Demographics	Population · (graphical) · Population density* · Life expectancy* · Infant mortality rate · Fertility rate* · Birth rate* · Death rate* · Human Development Index* · Income equality* · Literacy rate* · HIV/AIDS adult prevalence rate* · People living with HIV/AIDS* · Suicide rate · Unemployment rate* · Percentage of population below the national poverty line* · Percentage of population living under a day and a day

Economy	GDP (nominal) * · GDP (PPP) * · GDP (nominal) per capita* · GDP (PPP) per capita* · past GDP (nominal), past GDP (PPP) · Current account balance* · Imports* · Exports* · External debt* · Public debt* · Agricultural output*

Politics	Political rights and civil liberties* · Press freedom* · Capital punishment* · Homosexuality law* · Abortion law* · Date of nationhood* · UN peacekeepers currently deployed* · Possession of nuclear weapons* · Military expenditures* · Number of active troops* · Conscription* · Perception of corruption* · Economic freedom*

Emissions	Carbon dioxide emissions* (Per capita)* · GDP per emissions* · Emissions per GDP per capita

Consumption	Electricity consumption* · Natural gas consumption