Times of Better Bharat

India, measured — every morning · est. 2026

Extreme poverty

Share of the population living on less than $2.15 a day at 2017 prices — the World Bank's international extreme-poverty line. India's fall on this measure is the largest reduction in absolute poverty in human history, and the single strongest number on this site. Surveys are irregular, so the line is sparse.

Position from worst
5.3
2022
Published by
World Bank
irregular

Extreme poverty over time

0.0%20.0%40.0%60.0%19771985199320012009201720225.3%
1977–2022 · 8 observations · lower is better · % below $2.15/day
View as table
PeriodExtreme poverty
20225.3%
201127.1%
200934.6%
200446.4%
199347.5%
198751.8%
198350.9%
197759.7%

Compared with

China
0.0%
Germany
0.7%
United States
1.1%
Japan
1.2%
Vietnam
1.6%
Nepal
2.4%
Sri Lanka
2.7%
Brazil
3.0%
Indonesia
4.0%
India
5.3%
Bangladesh
5.9%
South Africa
17.4%
Pakistan
23.0%
Latest available year for each country · % below $2.15/day · lower is better

Source

World Bank — https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SI.POV.DDAY