There are multiple international poverty lines. Which one should I use?

← Poverty Data

The different values of the international poverty lines represent different standards of what poverty means. The $1.90 a day (in 2011 PPP $) is the extreme poverty line and represents the poverty line typical of the world’s poorest countries. Other poverty lines for developing countries usually represents a slightly higher standard of living. The $1.90 a day poverty line can generally be used to measure poverty globally and to compare poverty across countries in less developed regions.

In more developed regions, higher international poverty lines are more appropriate. 

For a detailed discussion of historical international poverty lines, see “Dollar a Day Revisited”.

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Poverty Data

  1. Why did the World Bank decide to update the International Poverty Line?
  2. What is the $1.90 poverty line, and based on this new measure, how many people are living in extreme poverty in the world?
  3. How is the global poverty line derived? How is it different from national poverty lines?
  4. Should I use national or international poverty lines?
  5. Why raise the poverty line to $1.90 a day? What was wrong with the $1.25 a day line that we are all used to?
  6. What does the new $1.90 a day poverty line mean for previous estimates?
  7. Should the $1.90 a day poverty line be used to plan programs and policies in a specific country?
  8. Doesn’t the international poverty line put too much emphasis on money? What about the other dimensions of poverty?
  9. There are multiple international poverty lines. Which one should I use?
  10. If poverty rates are not available for all countries in a given year, how are global and regional poverty statistics calculated?

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