Poverty & Inequality · Glossary
Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines (% of population)
SI.POV.NAHC
Definition
National poverty headcount ratio is the percentage of the population living below the national poverty line(s). National estimates are based on population-weighted subgroup estimates from household surveys. For economies for which the data are from EU-SILC, the reported year is the income reference year, which is the year before the survey year.
Methodology for Poverty & Inequality indicators
Poverty and inequality measures use household income or consumption surveys (LSMS, EU-SILC, national equivalents), which are typically conducted every 3–5 years. Between survey years, figures are interpolated or projected. The international poverty line is set at $2.15/day in 2017 PPP — a real (purchasing-power) threshold, not a nominal one. Gini coefficients have wide confidence intervals; small year-over-year changes are usually not meaningful.
How to interpret
- Always check the unit and reporting year before comparing values across countries.
- NULL or "Not available" means the World Bank did not publish a value — we never estimate.
- Year-over-year changes can be driven by methodology updates, not just real economic shifts.