South Africa Poverty Rate
Poverty headcount ratio at $2.15/day SI.POV.DDAY
South Africa's poverty rate was 31.20% in 2014, ranked 77th globally. This represents a 5.8% increase from 2013. Data from World Bank, covering 1993–2014.
Overview
South Africa's poverty rate stood at 31.20% in 2014, a rise of +1.70pp from 2010. South Africa ranked 77th globally.
South Africa's poverty rate has exhibited fluctuations over the years, with a notable decline from its all-time peak of 47.90% in 2000 to a trough of 29.50% in 2010. However, the poverty rate rebounded, reaching 31.20% in 2014, positioning the country at the 77th place globally in terms of poverty rate. In comparison, a peer country such as Liberia experienced a higher poverty rate of 31.70% in 2014. The country's recent poverty rate is now closer to that of Cameroon, which had a poverty rate of 29.00% in the same year. South Africa's poverty rate remains higher than that of Indonesia, which had a poverty rate of 25.70% in 2014. The trend may continue to improve with a stable economic environment and effective implementation of poverty reduction policies, potentially leading to a decline in the poverty rate in the coming years.
Data & projection
| Year | Poverty Rate | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 31.20% | +1.70pp | #77 |
| 2010 | 29.50% | −0.80pp | #77 |
| 2008 | 30.30% | −11.80pp | #75 |
| 2005 | 42.10% | −5.80pp | #71 |
| 2000 | 47.90% | +3.30pp | #51 |
| 1993 | 44.60% | – | #27 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
South Africa matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 1994. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw poverty rate improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
South Africa's poverty rate was 31.20% in 2014. Ranked 77th globally. This represents a 5.8% increase from the previous year.
South Africa's poverty rate peaked at 47.90% in 2000.
The lowest poverty rate in South Africa was 29.50% in 2010.
South Africa ranks 77th globally in poverty rate as of 2014.
The World Bank indicator code is SI.POV.DDAY. Data sourced from World Bank.
The poverty rate of South Africa in 2014 was 31.20%. This ranks 77th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_south-africa_poverty-rate,
title = {South Africa Poverty Rate},
url = {https://historysaid.com/south-africa/poverty-rate/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}