The Highest Rates of Extreme Poverty by Country
Key Takeaways
- Africa is home to 23 of the top 30 countries with the highest rates of extreme poverty.
- Kosovo ranks in 19th globally in 2024, seeing the highest rates outside of Africa—a country that faces high unemployment rates and ongoing conflict.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) produces roughly three-quarters of the world’s cobalt, it is also among Africa’s most populous nations.
Yet despite this vast mineral wealth, it has the highest extreme poverty rate in the world. Weak governance, armed conflict, and multinational human rights abuses have all contributed to entrenched poverty in the country for decades.
This graphic shows extreme poverty rates by country in 2024, based on data from the World Bank via Our World in Data.
Extreme Poverty by Country in 2024
Here are the 30 countries with the highest share of people living on less than $3 per day, adjusted for purchasing power.
Today, Africa is home to eight countries where more than half of the population lives in extreme poverty led by the DRC, Mozambique, and Malawi.
The post-conflict territory of Kosovo, meanwhile, has the highest level of extreme poverty outside of Africa. Across its population of 1.6 million, one in four live under $3 per day.
In Latin America, Honduras faces the highest levels of extreme poverty, ranking 24th globally. While poverty has declined in recent years, it remains the most unequal country in the region.
When it comes to Asia, the Philippines ranks among the poorest, with about 11% of its 110 million population facing extreme poverty. Although the poverty rate has dropped by nearly two-thirds since 1985, many citizens continue to lack reliable access to electricity, clean water, and education.
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