Africa Now Has More Poor People Than South Asia

The number of people living in poverty in sub-Saharan Africa has overtaken that in South Asia, says a new study. Nearly 579 million Africans live in what the study calls "acute multidimensional poverty".

This year's Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI), released on Monday (October 19, 2022) by a United Nations agency and an Oxford University research centre, says it is the first time since the index was compiled that the number of poor in Africa has overtaken the figure for South Asia. This is partly because newer statistics have become available for South Asia - where 385 million people now live in poverty - but also because India has made substantial progress in improving the lives of its people.

Nevertheless, India remains the country with the most poor people - 229 million - while Nigeria has the next highest number - 97 million.

The index is published by the United Nations Development Programme and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative in the United Kingdom. It is based on household surveys in 111 countries across the world.

InFocus

Many people in South Sudan are living in poverty after years of underdevelopment, corruption and conflict (file photo).

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