• Credit Cards
    • Balance Transfer
    • Purchase
    • Balance Transfer & Purchase
    • Credit Building
    • Bad Credit
    • Cashback
    • Rewards
    • Foreign Use
    • Money Transfer
  • Loans
    • Car Finance
  • Savings
  • Current Accounts
  • Mortgages
  • Utilities
  • Insurance
    • Life Insurance
  • Investing
  • Money Transfer
    • Send Money Abroad
Sign In
  • Best Buys
  • Household Money
  • Banking & Borrowing
  • Mortgages & Home
  • Saving & Making Money
  • Rights, Scams & Politics
  • Motoring & Travel
  • Investing & Pensions
  • Savings & ISAs
  • Features
  • Compare
  • Credit Cards
    • Balance Transfer
    • Purchase
    • Balance Transfer & Purchase
    • Credit Building
    • Bad Credit
    • Cashback
    • Rewards
    • Foreign Use
    • Money Transfer
  • Loans
    • Car Finance
  • Savings
  • Current Accounts
  • Mortgages
  • Utilities
  • Insurance
    • Life Insurance
  • Investing
  • Money Transfer
    • Send Money Abroad

The world’s richest countries with the highest poverty levels revealed

Wealthy nations with rampant poverty
Belgium: 8.1% of the population in poverty
Netherlands: 8.2% of the population in poverty
Norway: 8.4% of the population in poverty
France: 8.4% of the population in poverty
Sweden: 8.9% of the population in poverty
Hungary: 9.2% of the population in poverty
Poland: 9.8% of the population in poverty
Germany: 9.8% of the population in poverty
Switzerland: 9.9% of the population in poverty
Austria: 10% of the population in poverty
Luxembourg: 10.5% of the population in poverty
Portugal: 10.6% of the population in poverty
Greece: 11.5% of the population in poverty
Canada: 11.6% of the population in poverty
United Kingdom: 12.4% of the population in poverty
New Zealand: 12.4% of the population in poverty
Australia: 12.4% of the population in poverty
Italy: 14.2% of the population in poverty
Türkiye: 14.4% of the population in poverty
Spain: 14.7% of the population in poverty
Estonia: 14.9% of the population in poverty
South Korea: 15.3% of the population in poverty
Lithuania: 15.4% of the population in poverty
Japan: 15.7% of the population in poverty
Chile: 16.5% of the population in poverty
Mexico: 16.6% of the population in poverty
Latvia: 16.9% of the population in poverty
Israel: 17.3% of the population in poverty
USA: 18% of the population in poverty
South Africa: 27.7% of the population in poverty
1 of 31
Lucky Photographer/Shutterstock

Wealthy nations with rampant poverty

Nearly 10% of the world's population is forced to live on less than $1.90 (£1.56) a day. As the super-rich get richer, millions of people are struggling to survive in extreme poverty, even in some of the wealthiest nations on the planet. Using the most recent OECD figures, which range from 2017 to 2021, we reveal the rich nations with the highest rates of poverty, based on the percentage of their citizens whose income is less than half the national median income. Is your country on the list? Read on to find out.

All dollar values in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

Gallery view |
List View

Alice Cattley

17 August 2022

Features

See more on this topic

Share the love