South Asia Poverty Rate 1981-2024

Poverty headcount ratio at $5.50 a day is the percentage of the population living on less than $5.50 a day at 2011 international prices. As a result of revisions in PPP exchange rates, poverty rates for individual countries cannot be compared with poverty rates reported in earlier editions.
  • South Asia poverty rate for 2022 was 78.80%, a 2.1% decline from 2021.
  • South Asia poverty rate for 2021 was 80.90%, a 1% decline from 2020.
  • South Asia poverty rate for 2020 was 81.90%, a 1.5% increase from 2019.
  • South Asia poverty rate for 2019 was 80.40%, a 1.9% decline from 2018.
Data Source: World Bank

MLA Citation:
Similar Country Ranking
Country Name % Under US $5.50 Per Day
South Asia 78.80%
World 44.90%
East Asia & Pacific 27.40%
Latin America & Caribbean 25.20%
South Asia Poverty Rate - Historical Data
Year % Under US $5.50 Per Day Change
2022 78.80% -2.10%
2021 80.90% -1.00%
2020 81.90% 1.50%
2019 80.40% -1.90%
2018 82.30% -2.60%
2017 84.90% -2.20%
2016 87.10% -0.40%
2015 87.50% -0.50%
2014 88.00% -0.50%
2013 88.50% -0.70%
2012 89.20% -0.90%
2011 90.10% -1.40%
2010 91.50% -0.80%
2009 92.30% -0.30%
2008 92.60% -0.30%
2007 92.90% -0.30%
2006 93.20% -0.40%
2005 93.60% -0.40%
2004 94.00% -0.50%
2003 94.50% -0.30%
2002 94.80% -0.80%
1996 95.60% -0.30%
1995 95.90% -0.20%
1994 96.10% -0.30%
1993 96.40% 0.00%
1992 96.40% -0.20%
1991 96.60% -0.10%
1990 96.70% 0.00%
1989 96.70% 0.00%
1988 96.70% -0.10%
1987 96.80% -0.10%
1986 96.90% -0.10%
1985 97.00% -0.20%
1984 97.20% -0.20%
1983 97.40% -0.20%
1982 97.60% -0.10%
1981 97.70% -0.10%