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Headline data

Proportion of population living below the national poverty line
Year Value GeoCode UNIT_MEASURE SERIES
2000 58.9 Percent Proportion of population living below the national poverty line
2005 56.7 Percent Proportion of population living below the national poverty line
2011 44.9 Percent Proportion of population living below the national poverty line
2014 39.1 Percent Proportion of population living below the national poverty line
2017 38.2 Percent Proportion of population living below the national poverty line
2024 27.4 Percent Proportion of population living below the national poverty line

Source: National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR)

Geographical Area: Rwanda

Unit of Measurement: Percentage (%)

This table provides metadata for the actual indicator available from Rwanda statistics closest to the corresponding global SDG indicator. Please note that even when the global SDG indicator is fully available from Rwandan statistics, this table should be consulted for information on national methodology and other Rwandan-specific metadata information.

Indicator available

Proportion of population living below the national poverty line, by sex, age, geographical area, and degree of urbanisation
Indicator description

The poverty line in Rwanda is defined as the threshold of annual household consumption per adult equivalent below which an individual is considered poor, based on a cost-of-basic-needs approach. For the latest data, the poverty line is set at RWF 560,127 per adult equivalent per year in the prices of January 2024. Note that previous years used different benchmarks.
Geographical coverage

Rwanda
Unit of measurement

Percentage (%)
Definitions

In Rwanda, the poverty line is computed using a cost-of-basic-needs approach that estimates the minimum consumption required to meet essential food and non-food needs. The food (extreme) poverty line reflects the cost of achieving a minimum caloric intake—revised from 2,500 to 2,400 kcal in the latest series—based on the consumption patterns of a reference group (now the second quintile), using a semi-normative food basket. The total poverty line is then derived by adjusting this food line to include basic non-food needs, using the typical share of food expenditure among households near the poverty threshold. These poverty lines underpin key indicators such as the headcount poverty rate and poverty gap, which measure the incidence and depth of poverty.
Calculations

Population (adult equivalent) living below the poverty line / Total population * 100
Other information

This indicator includes disaggregation by sex, age, geographical area (National, Province, District), and degree of urbanisation (Urban/Rural). Sex and age disaggregations are conjoint; in order to view these, please select the desired sex categories first, then also select the desired age categories. Without selecting an age category, no sex disaggregations will be shown.
Comments and limitations

EICV surveys do not collect information on the intrahousehold distribution of consumption. Thus, the consumption-based standard of living measure is based on the assumption that individuals are represented in the distribution by the consumption measure of the household they belong to. This fails to take account of inequality in distribution within the household. Additionally, reflecting the evolving best practice in poverty measurement, a number of important methodological changes were made for EICV7 (2023-2024). Please see the linked data source for more information on methodology.
Data last updated

12/05/2026
Metadata last updated

12/05/2026

This table provides information on metadata for SDG indicators as defined by the UN Statistical Commission. Complete global metadata is provided by the UN Statistics Division.

Indicator name

Proportion of population living below the national poverty line, by sex and age
Indicator number

1.2.1
Target name

By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions
Target number

1.2
Global indicator description

The national poverty rate is the percentage of the total population living below the national poverty line. National poverty lines are used to make more accurate estimates of poverty consistent with the country’s specific economic and social circumstances and are not intended for international comparisons of poverty rates.
UN designated tier

Tier I
UN custodian agency

World Bank (WB)
Link to UN metadata United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Metadata (pdf 894kB) opens in a new window

Source 1

Organisation

National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR)
Periodicity

Every 3 years
Earliest available data

2000
Geographical coverage

Rwanda
Link to data source Integrated Household Living Conditions Survey (EICV) - Main Indicators Report opens in a new window
Release date 2024
Next release

2027
Statistical classification

Official statistics
Contact details

info@statistics.gov.rw
Other information

The Integrated Household Living Conditions Survey, commonly known by its French acronym EICV (Enquête Intégrale sur les Conditions de Vie des Ménages), is a large-scale national survey designed and conducted by the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR). Poverty in Rwanda is measured using the EICV survey series through a monetary approach based on real household consumption per adult equivalent, adjusted for household composition and price differences. While the core methodology—consumption aggregation, equivalence scaling, and deflation—remains consistent, poverty lines have evolved across three series to reflect changing conditions and improved methods: in the 2001 series, the total and extreme poverty lines were 64,000 and 45,000 RWF per adult equivalent per year; in the 2014 series, they increased to 159,375 and 105,064 RWF; and in the 2024 series (EICV7), following major methodological improvements, they rose to 560,127 and 356,432 RWF. These revisions enhance measurement accuracy but limit strict comparability across periods.
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