How poor is the world?
In 2013, 10.7%[1] of the world’s population lived on less than US$1.90 a day. By fall 2015, for the first time in history, less than 10% of the world’s population[2] was living in extreme poverty — down from 37% in 1990 and 44% in 1981[3]. For its latest estimates, The World Bank used an updated international poverty line of US $1.90 a day, which incorporates new information on differences in the cost of living across countries(the PPP exchange rates). The new line, however, preserves the real purchasing power of the previous line(of $1.25 a day in 2005 prices) in the world’s poorest countries.
While poverty rates have declined in all regions, The World Bank emphasizes that the progress has been uneven[4]:
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The reduction in extreme poverty between 2012 and 2013 was mainly driven by East Asia and Pacific (71 million fewer poor) — notably China and Indonesia — and South Asia (37 million fewer poor) — notably India.
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Half of the extremely poor live in Sub-Saharan Africa. The number of poor in the region fell only by 4 million with 389 million people living on less than US$1.90 a day in 2013, more than all the other regions combined.
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A vast majority of the global poor live in rural areas and are poorly educated, mostly employed in the agricultural sector, and over half are under 18 years of age.
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As for the US — more than 45 million[5] Americans are still living below the
