Photo: Arensond · CC0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 14 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Mali: Poverty & Inequality
How is a country’s income shared, and how many live below a line?
Mali is placed 122nd of 159 countries on poverty & inequality in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 3 key statistics. Readings behind it: Gini Index 35.65 (2023); Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day 9.61 (2023).
Share
Poverty & Inequality
122nd
of 159 countries placed
Placed from 3 of 3 key statistics
01The evidence
The 3 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Mali on poverty & inequality — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used — or, for a survey-based key, each country’s latest reading; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.
Key 1 of 3
Gini Index
World Bank Group
Latest reading per country, 2013–2023 · Mali’s is from 2021 · CC BY 4.0
35.65
Gini index (0 = perfect equality, 100 = perfect inequality)
Lower is better
Mali: 35.65. Across the 159 countries at their latest reading, values run from 23 (India) to 59.07 (Namibia); the world median is 33.72.
- World median
- 33.72
- Best in Western Africa
- 29.59 Guinea
- Land neighbours
- Burkina Faso 37.39 · Côte d’Ivoire 35.28 · Guinea 29.59 · Mauritania 32 · Niger 32.86 · Senegal 36.16
Key 2 of 3
Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day
World Bank Group
Latest reading per country, 2013–2023 · Mali’s is from 2021 · CC BY 4.0
9.61
Poverty gap at $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP (%)
Lower is better
Mali: 9.61. Across the 159 countries at their latest reading, values run from 0 (Czechia) to 48.69 (DR Congo); the world median is 0.345.
- World median
- 0.345
- Best in Western Africa
- 2.46 Guinea
- Land neighbours
- Burkina Faso 12.49 · Côte d’Ivoire 4.7 · Guinea 2.46 · Mauritania 2.48 · Niger 18.63 · Senegal 4.2
Key 3 of 3
Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY 4.0
60.8
Share of the population unable to afford a healthy diet (%)
Lower is better
Mali: 60.8. Across the 145 countries in this edition, values run from 0.6 (Belarus) to 93.9 (South Sudan); the world median is 26.4.
- World median
- 26.4
- Best in Western Africa
- 43.7 Gambia
- Land neighbours
- Burkina Faso 65.5 · Côte d’Ivoire 46.6 · Algeria 38.8 · Guinea 50.3 · Mauritania 50.9 · Niger 85.8 · Senegal 45.5
02Over time
Which way Mali is moving
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
Gini Index
Gini index (0 = perfect equality, 100 = perfect inequality) · lower is better
MaliWorld median
Mali fell from 38.93 in 2006 to 35.65 in 2021; the world median went from 35.63 to 34.03.
Every year’s figures
Year Mali World median 2023 — 33.72 2022 — 33.91 2021 35.7 34.04 2020 — 34.18 2019 — 33.51 2018 36.0 35.25 2017 — 34.86 2016 — 34.47 2015 — 35.52 2014 — 34.79 2013 — 36.16 2012 — 35.40 2011 — 33.96 2010 — 33.71 2009 33.0 34.91 2008 — 34.60 2007 — 34.26 2006 38.9 35.63 2005 — 36.28 2004 — 34.29 2003 — 35.46 2002 — 37.14 Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day
Poverty gap at $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP (%) · lower is better
MaliWorld median
Mali fell from 25.74 in 2006 to 9.61 in 2021; the world median went from 0.465 to 0.335.
Every year’s figures
Year Mali World median 2023 — 0.345 2022 — 0.420 2021 10 0.335 2020 — 0.280 2019 — 0.380 2018 7 0.460 2017 — 0.300 2016 — 0.440 2015 — 0.500 2014 — 0.635 2013 — 0.515 2012 — 0.640 2011 — 0.430 2010 — 0.530 2009 24 0.600 2008 — 0.350 2007 — 0.360 2006 26 0.465 2005 — 1.250 2004 — 0.790 2003 — 1.650 2002 — 3.010 Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet
Share of the population unable to afford a healthy diet (%) · lower is better
MaliWorld median
Mali rose from 59.2 in 2017 to 60.8 in 2025; the world median went from 32.4 to 26.4.
Every year’s figures
Year Mali World median 2025 60.8 26.40 2024 61.4 27.10 2023 61.8 27.15 2022 62.4 27.90 2021 59.4 29.65 2020 56.6 31.80 2019 51.3 29.05 2018 53.8 29.85 2017 59.2 32.40
03In context
Mali beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 159 countries on poverty & inequality, never a place within the region.
Mali and the countries it borders
Standing among all 159; the key columns are the publishers’ own values.
| Country | Standing | Gini IndexGini index (0 = perfect equality, 100 = perfect inequality) | Poverty Gap at $3.00 a DayPoverty gap at $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP (%) | Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy DietShare of the population unable to afford a healthy diet (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Guinea | 81st | 29.59 | 2.46 | 50.3 |
 Mauritania | 95th | 32 | 2.48 | 50.9 |
 Côte d’Ivoire | 106th | 35.28 | 4.7 | 46.6 |
 Senegal | 108th | 36.16 | 4.2 | 45.5 |
| Mali | 122nd | 35.65 | 9.61 | 60.8 |
 Niger | =125th | 32.86 | 18.63 | 85.8 |
 Burkina Faso | 134th | 37.39 | 12.49 | 65.5 |
 Algeria | not placed | — | — | 38.8 |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across Western Africa
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 159.
Placed either side on poverty & inequality
The countries immediately above and below Mali in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Mali is ahead of the world, and behind
21 more statistics filed under poverty & inequality, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Ahead of the world median1
Statistics on which Mali does better than the middle country measured.
Prevalence of Moderate or Severe Food InsecurityFAO · 2024 · world median 20.920.620.9▲ Improved since 2017
Mali: 20.6 · world median 20.9 · Population in moderate or severe food insecurity (%). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 1 to 88.8; lower is better.
Position 69th of 135 · derived, 1st = worst.
Behind the world median17
Statistics on which Mali does worse than the middle country measured.
Adequacy of Social Protection and Labour BenefitsWorld Bank Group · 2023 · world median 18.6515.1618.65No earlier reading
Mali: 15.16 · world median 18.65 · Benefits received as a share of beneficiaries' total income or consumption (%). World Bank Group, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.455 to 90.86; higher is better.
Gini Index of Disposable Income (SWIID)Frederick Solt, University of Iowa · 2023 · world median 3335.833▼ Worsened since 2013
Mali: 35.8 · world median 33 · Gini index of disposable household income (0–100), SWIID estimate. Frederick Solt, University of Iowa, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 22.3 to 51.2; lower is better.
Position 31st of 79 · derived, 1st = worst.
Exclusion by Socio-Economic GroupV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2023 · world median 0.4130.6420.413▲ Improved since 2013
Mali: 0.642 · world median 0.413 · Exclusion by socio-economic group index (0–1; higher = more exclusion). V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.014 to 0.969; lower is better.
Position 39th of 174 · derived, 1st = worst.
Working Poverty RateILO · 2025 · world median 4.88534.354.885▲ Improved since 2015
Mali: 34.35 · world median 4.885 · Employed people living in extreme poverty (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.007 to 86.02; lower is better.
Coefficient of Human InequalityUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 17.0532.5417.05▲ Improved since 2013
Mali: 32.54 · world median 17.05 · Coefficient of Human Inequality (%). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 4.865 to 43.08; lower is better.
Position 34th of 169 · derived, 1st = worst.
Poverty Headcount at $3.00 a Day, Line-up EstimatesWorld Bank Group · 2024 · world median 2.134.382.1▲ Improved since 2014
Mali: 34.38 · world median 2.1 · Population below $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP, World Bank line-up estimate (%). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 89.54; lower is better.
Low Pay RateILO · 2024 · world median 17.8933.7617.89▲ Improved since 2014
Mali: 33.76 · world median 17.89 · Employees paid less than two-thirds of the median hourly earnings (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 3.395 to 41.69; lower is better.
Position 9th of 71 · derived, 1st = worst.
Actual Individual Consumption per Capita (PPP)World Bank Group · 2021 · world median 12,8002,45612,800No real change since 2017
Mali: 2,456 · world median 12,800 · Actual individual consumption per capita (PPP, current international $). World Bank Group, 2021 edition, data for 2021.
Published values in that edition run from 688.7 to 52,654; higher is better.
Position 154th of 173 · derived.
Coefficient of Variation of Habitual Caloric ConsumptionFAO · 2024 · world median 0.250.350.25▼ Worsened since 2014
Mali: 0.35 · world median 0.25 · Coefficient of variation of habitual calorie consumption across the population (standard deviation ÷ mean). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.17 to 0.4; lower is better.
Gini Index of Monthly EarningsILO · 2024 · world median 0.3370.50.337▼ Worsened since 2014
Mali: 0.5 · world median 0.337 · Gini index of employees’ monthly earnings (0 = all paid the same, 1 = maximum inequality). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.182 to 0.643; lower is better.
Position 9th of 75 · derived, 1st = worst.
Multidimensional Poverty MeasureWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 4.25256.084.252No earlier reading
Mali: 56.08 · world median 4.252 · Multidimensional poverty headcount ratio (%). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 87.96; lower is better.
Position 17th of 157 · derived, 1st = worst.
Severe Child Food Poverty, Children Aged 6–23 MonthsUNICEF · 2024 · world median 21.2641.8521.26No earlier reading
Mali: 41.85 · world median 21.26 · Children aged 6-23 months fed from at most 2 of 8 food groups (%). UNICEF, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 1.169 to 63.08; lower is better.
Position 10th of 113 · derived, 1st = worst.
Global Multidimensional Poverty IndexOPHI · 2025 · world median 0.0390.3760.039▼ Worsened since 2018
Mali: 0.376 · world median 0.039 · MPI (0–1). Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 0.517; lower is better.
Position 6th of 109 · derived, 1st = worst.
Wealth Parity Index, Lower Secondary CompletionUIS · 2024 · world median 0.5290.0550.529No earlier reading
Mali: 0.055 · world median 0.529 · Adjusted wealth parity index, lower secondary completion (poorest vs richest fifth; 1 = parity). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.032 to 1.022; higher is better.
Inequality-adjusted Human Development IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 0.6090.2810.609No real change since 2013
Mali: 0.281 · world median 0.609 · IHDI (0–1). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.226 to 0.923; higher is better.
Position 162nd of 169 · derived.
Intergenerational Persistence in EducationWorld Bank Group · 2017 · world median 0.4460.6040.446No earlier reading
Mali: 0.604 · world median 0.446 · Correlation between own and parents' years of schooling, born 1980–89 (0–1). World Bank Group, 2017 edition, data for 2017.
Published values in that edition run from 0.123 to 0.66; lower is better.
Position 6th of 153 · derived, 1st = worst.
Income Growth of the Poorest 40%World Bank Group · 2024 · world median 1.841-3.3271.841▼ Worsened since 2014
Mali: -3.327 · world median 1.841 · Annualized growth in real income or consumption per person of the bottom 40% (%). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from -4.185 to 14.51; higher is better.
No better end3
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
Poverty Headcount at National Poverty LinesWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 21.845.521.8No earlier reading
Mali: 45.5 · world median 21.8 · Population below the national poverty line (%). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 82.3.
Cost of a Healthy DietFAO · 2025 · world median 4.553.984.55Moved since 2017
Mali: 3.98 · world median 4.55 · Cost of the cheapest locally available healthy diet, PPP dollars per person per day. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 2.66 to 8.27.
Catastrophic Out-of-Pocket Health SpendingWorld Bank Group · 2019 · world median 6.882.0616.88No earlier reading
Mali: 2.061 · world median 6.88 · Population in households spending more than 10% of their budget on health out of pocket (%). World Bank Group, 2019 edition, data for 2019.
Published values in that edition run from 0.133 to 31.21.
No current reading for Mali
Gini Index (last 2021), Income Share Held by Lowest 20% (last 2021), Income Share Held by Richest 10% (last 2021), Median Daily Income or Consumption per Person (last 2021), Palma Ratio (last 2021), Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day (last 2021), Poverty Headcount Ratio at $3.00 a Day (last 2021), Poverty Headcount Ratio at $4.20 a Day (last 2021), Poverty Headcount Ratio at $8.30 a Day (last 2021), Poverty Severity (Squared Poverty Gap) at $3.00 a Day (last 2021), Prosperity Gap (last 2021) and Societal Poverty Rate (last 2021). Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.
“Position · derived” is this site’s ordering of the published values, 1st = best unless the row says otherwise; the publisher ranks no country on it. Rank, position and standing
05Country Index 2026
Poverty & Inequality among Mali’s 15 topics
Poverty & Inequality is Mali’s 8th best-placed topic of 15. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Environment & Sustainability94th of 1864/4 keys
- Work & Labour105th of 1824/4 keys
- Energy103rd of 1652/3 keys
- Governance & Institutions133rd of 1944/4 keys
- Digital & Technologyjoint 143rd of 1984/4 keys
- Health & Wellbeing151st of 2004/4 keys
- Risk & Resilience148th of 1934/4 keys
- Poverty & Inequality122nd of 1593/3 keys
- Gender & Equality153rd of 1834/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Liberties168th of 1984/4 keys
- Food & Agriculture161st of 1843/4 keys
- Education & Knowledgejoint 174th of 1984/4 keys
- Economy & Innovation158th of 1764/4 keys
- Peace & Securityjoint 160th of 1774/4 keys
- Development & Human Capital185th of 1963/3 keys
No standing on Mobility & Trade: too few of those topics’ key statistics are published for this country.
06The top of the list
Who leads on poverty & inequality
The three countries placed highest of 159, and the leaders Mali can most readily be measured against.
1
BelarusEastern Europe
1st of 159 · 3 of 3 keys
Photo: zedlik , cropped by Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
2
SloveniaSouthern Europe
2nd of 159 · 3 of 3 keys
Photo: Z.K. derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY 3.0, greyscale
=3
UkraineEastern Europe
Joint 3rd of 159 · 2 of 3 keys
Photo: uploaded by Chern038 · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
Placed highest nearby
Highest in Africa
Tunisia43rd3/3 keysHighest in Western Africa
Guinea81st3/3 keysThis page
Mali122nd3/3 keys
Positions out of 159 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Questions
Mali on poverty & inequality: questions answered
Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.
How does Mali rank on poverty & inequality?
Mali is placed 122nd of 159 countries on Poverty & Inequality in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 3 key statistics (Gini Index, Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day and Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
What is the latest Gini Index figure for Mali?
35.65 in 2023 (gini index (0 = perfect equality, 100 = perfect inequality)), according to World Bank Group. The world median in the same edition was 33.72.
What is the latest Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day figure for Mali?
9.61 in 2023 (poverty gap at $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP (%)), according to World Bank Group. The world median in the same edition was 0.345.
How does Mali compare with Algeria on poverty & inequality?
Algeria is not placed on Poverty & Inequality, holding too few of its key statistics, and Mali 122nd. Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet: Algeria 38.8, Mali 60.8.
How have Mali’s poverty & inequality figures changed?
Gini Index fell from 38.93 in 2006 to 35.65 in 2021; Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day fell from 25.74 in 2006 to 9.61 in 2021; Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet rose from 59.2 in 2017 to 60.8 in 2025.
Which poverty & inequality statistics are missing for Mali?
No current reading is published for Mali on Gini Index, Income Share Held by Lowest 20%, Income Share Held by Richest 10%, Median Daily Income or Consumption per Person, Palma Ratio, Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day, Poverty Headcount Ratio at $3.00 a Day, Poverty Headcount Ratio at $4.20 a Day, Poverty Headcount Ratio at $8.30 a Day, Poverty Severity (Squared Poverty Gap) at $3.00 a Day, Prosperity Gap and Societal Poverty Rate. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.
08Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
These figures come from household surveys, which most countries run every few years rather than every year. So the subject's standing is read from each country's most recent survey of the last decade, with the year of every reading shown, rather than from one year in which only a minority of countries were surveyed. Two readings decide it — how unequally income is shared and how deep extreme poverty runs — because the other poverty and inequality measures here largely repeat one of those two or repeat average income, which already counts under Economy and Development. Countries with no survey in the last decade have no standing here. What work pays is under Work & Labour; wealth, as opposed to income, has no global source this site is permitted to republish.
How the Poverty & Inequality standing is decided
A standing is this site’s ordering, named with its edition — never a publisher’s rank. 3 key statistics vote, one vote each; every country’s published value becomes a place within that key’s own field, the places are averaged, and the average is never published. A country needs 2 of the 3 keys to be placed.
The poverty & inequality method, step by stepHow every standing on this site is built
The key statistics and their licences
- Gini Index — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
- Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
- Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet — Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), CC BY 4.0
The other 21 statistics on this page come from 9 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photographs
Mali’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Mali (banner) — Arensond, CC0
- Belarus — zedlik , cropped by Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Slovenia — Z.K. derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY 3.0
- Ukraine — uploaded by Chern038, CC BY-SA 3.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Mali: Poverty & Inequality — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/mali/poverty