Burundi Poverty Rate
Poverty headcount ratio at $2.15/day SI.POV.DDAY
Burundi's poverty rate was 74.20% in 2020, ranked 68th globally. This represents a 2.1% decrease from 2019. Data from World Bank, covering 1992–2020.
Overview
Burundi's poverty rate stood at 74.20% in 2020, a decline of +1.60pp from 2013. Burundi ranked 68th globally.
Burundi’s poverty rate has fallen markedly from an all‑time peak of 87.60 % in 1998 to a trough of 74.20 % in 2020, the most recent World Bank estimate and the 68th highest level globally. The decline of 13.40 percentage points over roughly two decades reflects modest gains in agricultural productivity and limited expansion of social safety‑net programmes, yet the country remains far behind regional peers such as Kenya, where the poverty share stands at 44.40 %. The early 1990s figure of 85.00 % underscores how entrenched deprivation has been since the post‑civil‑war period, while the 2020 trough suggests that recent macro‑economic stability and modest foreign assistance have begun to curb extreme poverty. Continued investment in rural infrastructure, diversification of the economy and improved governance could deepen the downward trajectory, potentially moving Burundi’s poverty rate below the regional average within the next decade.
Data & projection
| Year | Poverty Rate | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 74.20% | −1.60pp | #68 |
| 2013 | 75.80% | −5.70pp | #77 |
| 2006 | 81.50% | −6.10pp | #81 |
| 1998 | 87.60% | +2.60pp | #53 |
| 1992 | 85.00% | – | #39 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Burundi matched the Fiscal Dominance Trap pattern in 2023. Historically, 72% of countries showing this pattern (278 out of 386) saw poverty rate improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Burundi's poverty rate was 74.20% in 2020. Ranked 68th globally. This represents a 2.1% decrease from the previous year.
Burundi's poverty rate peaked at 87.60% in 1998.
The lowest poverty rate in Burundi was 74.20% in 2020.
Burundi ranks 68th globally in poverty rate as of 2020.
The World Bank indicator code is SI.POV.DDAY. Data sourced from World Bank.
The poverty rate of Burundi in 2020 was 74.20%. This ranks 68th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_burundi_poverty-rate,
title = {Burundi Poverty Rate},
url = {https://historysaid.com/burundi/poverty-rate/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}