Guinea-Bissau Poverty Rate
Poverty headcount ratio at $2.15/day SI.POV.DDAY
Guinea-Bissau's poverty rate was 39.90% in 2021, ranked 73rd globally. This represents a 7.5% increase from 2020. Data from World Bank, covering 1991–2021.
Overview
Guinea-Bissau's poverty rate stood at 39.90% in 2021, a rise of +2.80pp from 2018. Guinea-Bissau ranked 73rd globally.
Guinea‑Bissau’s poverty rate has shown a volatile trajectory since the early 1990s, falling from an early‑record 50.80 % in 1991 to a historic low of 37.10 % in 2018, before rising again to 39.90 % in 2021, placing the country 73rd globally. The sharpest surge occurred in 2010, when the share of people living below the national poverty line peaked at 75.70 %, reflecting the combined impact of political instability, drought‑related agricultural losses and a collapse in export revenues. The subsequent decline to the 2018 trough coincided with modest improvements in governance and targeted social assistance programmes, yet the modest rebound by 2021 suggests that these gains remain fragile. Compared with regional peers, Guinea‑Bissau’s poverty incidence is higher than Mali’s 36.10 % and lower than Kenya’s 46.40 %, underscoring divergent development paths within West Africa. Continued investment in resilient agriculture, diversification of the export base and sustained fiscal consolidation will be crucial to sustain the downward trend and prevent a reversal of recent progress.
Data & projection
| Year | Poverty Rate | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 39.90% | +2.80pp | #73 |
| 2018 | 37.10% | −38.60pp | #86 |
| 2010 | 75.70% | +7.50pp | #85 |
| 2002 | 68.20% | +15.40pp | #64 |
| 1993 | 52.80% | +2.00pp | #30 |
| 1991 | 50.80% | – | #17 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Guinea-Bissau matched the Fiscal Dominance Trap pattern in 2008. Historically, 72% of countries showing this pattern (278 out of 386) saw poverty rate improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Guinea-Bissau's poverty rate was 39.90% in 2021. Ranked 73rd globally. This represents a 7.5% increase from the previous year.
Guinea-Bissau's poverty rate peaked at 75.70% in 2010.
The lowest poverty rate in Guinea-Bissau was 37.10% in 2018.
Guinea-Bissau ranks 73rd globally in poverty rate as of 2021.
The World Bank indicator code is SI.POV.DDAY. Data sourced from World Bank.
The poverty rate of Guinea-Bissau in 2021 was 39.90%. This ranks 73rd in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_guinea-bissau_poverty-rate,
title = {Guinea-Bissau Poverty Rate},
url = {https://historysaid.com/guinea-bissau/poverty-rate/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}