31 Countries with the Highest Poverty Rates in the World in 2017

Looking at the indicators of economic stability worldwide, one can notice that there are huge disparities and in this article, Insider Monkey provides you a list of 31 countries with the highest poverty rates in the world in 2017.

One of the most inspirational thinkers and undoubtedly one of the most prominent historical figures, Mahatma Gandhi, equated poverty with the most severe form of violence. There is no denying that poverty undermines human opportunities to develop their full potential. Personally, I think it’s a form of human rights abuse. While there is an ongoing theoretical debate as to whether economic, social and cultural rights fit into the prism of human rights, there is no questioning that right to health, housing, education, and an adequate standard of living are of paramount importance to human life. Unfortunately, we all know too well that while everyone is entitled to these rights, as proclaimed by numerous international human rights treaties and conventions, not everyone realizes them. In this article, we are focusing on countries with the highest poverty rates in 2017, where the conditions for the full realization of economic, social and cultural rights are pretty much nonexistent. It just shows a grim reality of the world we live in.

Not that long ago, I wrote about top 25 richest, healthiest and most advanced countries in the world. Utopias do not exist. However, countries on the list really do come close to being utopian places to live in. I did the research for the article imagining what it would be like living in some of the countries which made it to the list. All the countries on the list are among top 100 richest countries in the world. To make things more interesting, they were also on the list of top 100 richest countries in the world in 2015. It appears that they have all developed a high standard of living, providing for an optimal quality of life, and they are intent on keeping it. They remain my safe place when daydreaming, trying to avoid thinking about the issues of the 3^rd world.

Life looks quite different in countries which made it to the list of top 100 poorest countries in the world. Most of the countries on this list are those located on the African continent. Tanzania, Somalia, and Ethiopia are among top 10 poorest countries in Africa. However, it is not only African countries that have very high poverty indexes. Haiti, for example, has a poverty index ranking it very high on the list of the poorest countries in the world. Mexico, Guatemala, Suriname, and Honduras are also non-African countries which are ranked among top 20 poorest countries in the world. We have already published an article on poorest countries in South America. We have established that some of them are Peru, Ecuador, Guyana, etc. Check out which country ranked at the top of that list.

To create today’s list of countries with the highest poverty rates in the world in 2017, I have used data provided by a couple of relevant sources. My primary sources of information were the report published by the Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative (OPHI), which provided the ranking of countries with regards to the Global Multidimensional Poverty Index and the data on the World Development Indicators provided by the World Bank. Furthermore, I have referred to country reports provided by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the World Bank, where available.

31. Cameroon

Poverty is very much present in the rural areas of Cameroon. Data shows a small decrease in poverty rate which is currently close to 40%.

30. Afghanistan

The country is ranked 25^th in 2017 OPHI report.  Close to 40% of the population are unable to afford the necessities such as food and housing.

29. Yemen

It is estimated that more than 40% of the population of Yemen is poor. It is one of the poorest countries in Asia.

28. Kenya

Around 42% of Kenya’s population lives below the poverty line which is why this country is on our list of countries with the highest poverty rates in the world in 2017.

27. Niger

The World Bank estimates that the poverty rate in Niger is 44.1%, making it one of the poorest countries in the world. The country ranks 2^nd in 2017 OPHI report.

26. Chad

45% of Chad’s population lives close to or below the poverty line. Due to food shortage, the malnutrition levels of children are very high.

25. Mozambique

Poverty rates in Mozambique vary throughout the country. It is estimated that around 45% of the population lives below the poverty line.

24. Burkina Faso

Around 45% of the country’s population lives on an income less than 1.25 USD per day. Poor living conditions favor outbreaks of cholera and diarrhoeal diseases, worsening the state of public health.

23. Senegal

Two-thirds of people living in the rural areas of Senegal, the number 23 on our list of countries with the highest poverty rates in the world in 2017, suffer from extreme poverty. The country’s poverty rate is estimated to be around 46%.

22. Suriname

Suriname is one of the poorest countries in the South American continent. Poverty affects every one out of two people. According to the Human Development Report, 47.2% of the population in Suriname lives in multidimensional poverty.

21. Guatemala

More than half the population of Guatemala lives in poverty. Somewhat more than 20% of the population lives in the conditions of extreme poverty.

20. Angola

While Angola experienced economic growth in the 2000s, poverty remains a serious issue. Poverty is common in rural areas of the country.

19. Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire)

Data shows that the poverty rate in Ivory Coast, the number 19 on our list of countries with the highest poverty rates in the world in 2017, has significantly increased from 1985 to 2011. More than 50% of the population lives in poverty.

18. Lesotho

Multiple issues are to be tackled in Lesotho: high crime rate, high poverty rate, and HIV/AIDS pandemic. With regards to poverty, more than half the population lives in the conditions of extreme poverty.

17. Liberia

According to the official data provided by the World Bank, the poverty rate in Liberia is 54%, which is why this country is ranked 17th on our list of 31 countries with the highest poverty rates in the world in 2017.

16. Mali

According to the data provided by the UNDP, around 60% of the population lives below the poverty line, most of whom are women and children living in rural areas of the country.

15. Malawi

When it comes to rural areas, the poverty rate is close to 60%. The poverty rate in urban areas is lower, around 20%.

14. Nigeria

Close to 61% of Nigerians live in the conditions of extreme poverty, living on less than 1 USD per day.

13. Sierra Leone

The armed conflict which lasted for 11 years has had dramatic consequences on the economy of Sierra Leone. According to the UNDP, more than 60% of the population lives on less than 1.25 USD per day.

12. Honduras

The data provided by the World Bank suggests that 62.2% of Hondurans live in poverty. Furthermore, 6 out of 10 households earn less than 2.5 USD per day.

11. Burundi

Burundi is one of the most densely populated countries, but at the same time, one of the poorest in the world. The poverty rate is close to 65 %.

10. Zambia

As the official data indicates, close to 70% of the population of Zambia live on an income which is insufficient to provide for their basic needs. This number is even higher in rural areas.

9. Tanzania

Close to 70% of the population in Tanzania lives below the poverty line. Around 80% of this population lives in rural areas.

8. Madagascar

Madagascar’s poverty rate of 70% makes it one of the poorest countries in the world. 59% of Madagascar’s population is extremely poor.

7. The Democratic Republic of Congo

While the country has an abundance of natural resources, it remains one of the poorest in the world. For some years now, it has been ranked among top 50 poorest countries in the world.

6. Somalia

The latest data provided by the UNDP shows that Somalia has a poverty rate of 73%. No wonder it is ranked 6^th in 2017 OPHI report.

5. The Central African Republic

Central African Republic is grouped among the poorest African countries. As the World Bank suggests, more than 70% of the population lives in extreme poverty. Poverty rates increased following the political crisis in 2012.

4. Guinea Bissau

While the data provided by the World Bank give a reason to be optimistic with regards to poverty reduction in Guinea Bissau, much of the country’s population lives in poverty. I just hope the positive indicators on the paper are soon to be seen in the way people live their lives in Guinea Bissau.

3. Ethiopia

As the World Bank suggests, Ethiopia has seen the reduction in poverty rates over the past decade. Despite this, it remains one of the poorest countries in the world. The country is ranked 3^rd in 2017 OPHI report.

2. Haiti

According to the official data, Haiti is the poorest country in America. It is estimated that around 80% of the rural population live in the conditions of extreme poverty.

1. South Sudan

South Sudan is ranked 1st on our list of countries with the highest poverty rates in the world in 2017. As the report provided by the UNDP suggests, much of the population of South Sudan live in rural areas. At least 80% of the population lives on the income less than 1 USD per day. These staggering data make South Sudan the poorest country in the world in 2017.

This was Insider Monkey’s list of 31 countries with the highest poverty rates in the world in 2017.