Revealed: world’s richest countries with the highest poverty levels

Wealthy nations with the highest number of people in poverty

Andrii Zhezhera/Shutterstock

Over 9% 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 latest OECD figures, we reveal the rich countries with the highest rates of poverty, based on the number of inhabitants whose income falls below the poverty line. Is yours on the list?

Belgium: 8.1%

Philip Lang/Shutterstock

Compared to other advanced economies, the gap between rich and poor is narrow in Belgium. Various factors, from the country's high minimum wage of €13.60 an hour ($13.91/£11.46) to its well-funded welfare system, keep the overall rate of poverty comparatively low.

Netherlands: 8.2%

Shutterstock

Between 2013 and 2017, the number of people living in poverty in the Netherlands decreased from 787,000 to 618,000. However, the latest figures from the OECD suggest the country's poverty rate is now 8.2%, which represents a small but steady increase over the last few years. The Netherlands currently doesn't have a universal basic income but is renowned for its social security system, which provides a safety net for those who fall on hard times.

Norway: 8.4%

Marina J/Shutterstock

Like the Netherlands, Norway has a robust social security system in place. This is bankrolled by high taxation rates, part of a transparent taxation system that's designed to discourage wealth inequality.

France: 8.4%

Woe/Shutterstock

The poverty rate in France is low despite the country's relatively high unemployment rate, which has trended around 8% since 2019 before dropping to 7.2% as of 2022. Again, this comes down to the nation's comprehensive welfare system, which provides decent benefits for out-of-work citizens.

Sweden: 8.9%

CDRin/Shutterstock

Like its fellow Scandinavian nations, Sweden has a comprehensive social security system that aims to keep poverty rates low. According to The Borgen Project, the country boasts over 100 trade unions and almost all employees belong to one, helping to protect citizens' careers despite the lack of a national minimum wage. Meanwhile, high taxes fund a free universal healthcare sector.

Hungary: 9.2%

Izabela23/Shutterstock

With a poverty rate of 9.2%, Hungary is the 25th most impoverished nation on our list. The number of citizens at risk of poverty has actually fallen over the years, from a record 34.8% in 2013 to 17.8% in 2020.

Poland: 9.8%

Marek Szandurski/Shutterstock

Poverty in Poland has been on the decline for decades, falling from 11.1% to 9.8% in just the last few years. Data from Statista shows that the groups most at risk of falling into poverty are children and students.

Germany: 9.8%

Romas_Photo/Shutterstock

In 2020 Germany's poverty rate reached its highest level ever, according to the German Paritätische Wohlfahrtsverband (Paritätische Welfare Association). It's currently dropped down to 9.8%

Finland: 6.3%

Shutterstock

Finland's percentage of people in poverty is relatively low. The country's high rates of taxation fund one of the planet's most generous welfare systems, with citizens enjoying everything from subsidised childcare to lavish unemployment benefits and a bumper state pension.

Czech Republic: 6.4%

Vereshchagin Dmitry/Shutterstock

When it comes to wealth equality, the egalitarian Czech Republic scores highly on a number of key indicators. A throwback to the Communist era, wages across the country are less disparate than in other advanced economies and so the gap between the rich and poor is narrower.

Slovak Republic: 8.4%

Trabantos/Shutterstock

Though the Slovak Republic is far from being the wealthiest of the 'richest' countries in the world, relative poverty is reasonably scarce, but pockets of severe poverty do exist, particularly among the country's Roma population.

Austria: 8.7%

Reidl/Shutterstock

One of the most affluent countries in the world, Austria has a low rate of poverty. Unemployment is uncommon in the country, while job security and wages are high, which prevent the vast majority of citizens from falling below the breadline.

Slovenia: 9.2%

RossHelen/Shutterstock

The standard of living for the average Slovenian citizen has improved in a big way since the 1990s, and poverty continues to decline in the country, with Slovenia enjoying one of the lowest rates in the EU25 group of countries.

United Kingdom: 10.9%

Willy Barton/Shutterstock

The poverty gap is relatively large in the UK, but poverty per se is reasonably low in the country thanks to an exceptionally low rate of employment and extensive welfare system, which provides universal healthcare and more.

Portugal: 12.6%

Richard Cavalleri/Shutterstock

Youth unemployment is high in Portugal and, as a result, poverty is higher among younger people in the country. To make matters worse, unemployment benefit is only available to citizens who have actually worked and payments cease after a set period of time.

South Korea: 13.8%

Meeh/Shutterstock

In contrast to Portugal, the poverty rate in South Korea is especially high among the over-65s at a jaw-dropping 45.7%. This can be explained in part by the country's meagre state pension, which is estimated to cover just 16% of the minimum cost of living.

Canada: 14.2%

Lucky Photographer/Shutterstock

Canada may be an affluent, resource-rich country, but the North American nation has a relatively high rate of poverty compared to other advanced economies, which isn't helped by Canada's low social assistance rates.

Greece: 14.9%

Shutterstock

The devastating economic crisis of recent years has hit the Greek people hard, and the rate of poverty has increased as wages have fallen, unemployment has risen and social security benefits have been cut.

Spain: 15.3%

Bumble Dee/Shutterstock

Like its neighbour Portugal, Spain is struggling with an exceptionally high rate of unemployment in the under-25s so, as you might expect, poverty in the country is concentrated among the younger generation.

Chile: 16.1%

Marako/Shutterstock

Chile may be one of the wealthiest countries in South America, but a significant proportion of its population lives below the breadline. Income inequality is high in the country and the public education system is poor, trapping many citizens in a cycle of poverty.

Estonia: 16.1%

Guillaume Speurt/Flickr CC

Poverty is a big problem in Estonia. An inadequate education system, lack of good jobs and negligible state benefits for citizens who are unable to work have pushed a relatively large section of society into chronic poverty.

Latvia: 16.2%

Andrii Zhezhera/Shutterstock

Estonia's neighbour Latvia has similar deep-seated issues with poverty. The average salary in the country is super-low and highly paid jobs are rare, while the nation's welfare system is severely lacking.

Lithuania: 16.5%

Concept Photo/Shutterstock

Another Baltic country with high levels of poverty and low wages. Though wealth inequality and unemployment in the country are relatively low, rural poverty is shockingly prevalent.

USA: 16.8%

Travelview/Shutterstock

The USA is one of the most unequal countries on the planet in terms of wealth distribution, with a huge gap between the rich and poor, and low social security benefits and lack of universal healthcare only add to the country's poverty problem.

Turkey: 17.2%

Shutterstock

A cavernous gap between the urban rich and rural poor is evident in Turkey. In many rural areas of the country, education is poor, jobs are hard to come by and social security is virtually non-existent, fuelling the country's poverty rate.

Israel: 19.5%

ChameleonsEye/Shutterstock

The rate of poverty is declining in Israel but many people are still living below the breadline in the country, as is evident in the latest figures, which are supplied by the relevant authorities without prejudice to the status of the Golan Heights, East Jerusalem and Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

Costa Rica: 20.6%

Zippy/Shutterstock

The educated urban population controls the lion's share of wealth in Costa Rica, while much of the rural population of the central American country lack basic literacy skills and live in abject poverty, which is similar to the situation in Turkey.

South Africa: 26.6%

Moobatto.Shutterstock

Still recovering from the enormous wealth inequalities precipitated by apartheid, South Africa has the highest percentage of people living in poverty of the OECD countries. Mediocre education, high unemployment and a limited welfare system continue to blight the country and trap many of its citizens in poverty.