Photo: Peace Batuma · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 14 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Rwanda: Poverty & Inequality
How is a country’s income shared, and how many live below a line?
Rwanda is placed 140th of 159 countries on poverty & inequality in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 3 key statistics. Readings behind it: Gini Index 39.36 (2023); Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day 10.2 (2023).
Share
Poverty & Inequality
140th
of 159 countries placed
Placed from 3 of 3 key statistics
01The evidence
The 3 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Rwanda 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 · Rwanda’s is from 2023 · CC BY 4.0
39.36
Gini index (0 = perfect equality, 100 = perfect inequality)
Lower is better
Rwanda: 39.36. 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 Eastern Africa
- 31.14 Ethiopia
- Land neighbours
- Burundi 37.46 · DR Congo 44.67 · Tanzania 40.49 · Uganda 38.15
Key 2 of 3
Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day
World Bank Group
Latest reading per country, 2013–2023 · Rwanda’s is from 2023 · CC BY 4.0
10.2
Poverty gap at $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP (%)
Lower is better
Rwanda: 10.2. 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 Eastern Africa
- 0.09 Mauritius
- Land neighbours
- Burundi 32.44 · DR Congo 48.69 · Tanzania 16.74 · Uganda 19.95
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
69.7
Share of the population unable to afford a healthy diet (%)
Lower is better
Rwanda: 69.7. 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 Eastern Africa
- 17.8 Mauritius
- Land neighbours
- Burundi 90.9 · DR Congo 90.1 · Tanzania 73 · Uganda 73.6
02Over time
Which way Rwanda 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
RwandaWorld median
Rwanda fell from 52.02 in 2005 to 39.36 in 2023; the world median went from 36.28 to 33.72.
Every year’s figures
Year Rwanda World median 2023 39 33.72 2022 — 33.91 2021 — 34.04 2020 — 34.18 2019 — 33.51 2018 — 35.25 2017 — 34.86 2016 44 34.47 2015 — 35.52 2014 — 34.79 2013 45 36.16 2012 — 35.40 2011 — 33.96 2010 47 33.71 2009 — 34.91 2008 — 34.60 2007 — 34.26 2006 — 35.63 2005 52 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
RwandaWorld median
Rwanda fell from 36.98 in 2005 to 10.2 in 2023; the world median went from 1.25 to 0.345.
Every year’s figures
Year Rwanda World median 2023 10.2 0.345 2022 — 0.420 2021 — 0.335 2020 — 0.280 2019 — 0.380 2018 — 0.460 2017 — 0.300 2016 25.8 0.440 2015 — 0.500 2014 — 0.635 2013 26.4 0.515 2012 — 0.640 2011 — 0.430 2010 30.7 0.530 2009 — 0.600 2008 — 0.350 2007 — 0.360 2006 — 0.465 2005 37.0 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
RwandaWorld median
Rwanda fell from 81.6 in 2017 to 69.7 in 2025; the world median went from 32.4 to 26.4.
Every year’s figures
Year Rwanda World median 2025 69.7 26.40 2024 72.2 27.10 2023 76.8 27.15 2022 74.9 27.90 2021 74.6 29.65 2020 79.1 31.80 2019 75.1 29.05 2018 77.7 29.85 2017 81.6 32.40
03In context
Rwanda 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.
Rwanda 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 (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rwanda | 140th | 39.36 | 10.2 | 69.7 |
 Uganda | 144th | 38.15 | 19.95 | 73.6 |
 Burundi | 146th | 37.46 | 32.44 | 90.9 |
 Tanzania | 148th | 40.49 | 16.74 | 73 |
 DR Congo | 157th | 44.67 | 48.69 | 90.1 |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across Eastern 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 Rwanda in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Rwanda is ahead of the world, and behind
29 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 median3
Statistics on which Rwanda does better than the middle country measured.
Intergenerational Persistence in EducationWorld Bank Group · 2017 · world median 0.4460.3970.446No earlier reading
Rwanda: 0.397 · 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 106th of 153 · derived, 1st = worst.
Severe Child Food Poverty, Children Aged 6–23 MonthsUNICEF · 2024 · world median 21.2612.421.26No earlier reading
Rwanda: 12.4 · 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 74th of 113 · derived, 1st = worst.
Income Share Held by Lowest 20%World Bank Group · 2023 · world median 7.127.377.12▲ Improved since 2013
Rwanda: 7.37 · world median 7.12 · Share of national income held by the poorest fifth (%). World Bank Group, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 3.24 to 11.07; higher is better.
Position 28th of 60 · derived.
Behind the world median23
Statistics on which Rwanda does worse than the middle country measured.
Palma RatioWorld Bank Group · 2023 · world median 1.3321.8291.332▲ Improved since 2013
Rwanda: 1.829 · world median 1.332 · Palma ratio (income share of the richest 10% ÷ share of the poorest 40%). World Bank Group, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.771 to 4.193; lower is better.
Position 15th of 60 · derived, 1st = worst.
Coefficient of Human InequalityUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 17.0530.1917.05No real change since 2013
Rwanda: 30.19 · 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 40th of 169 · derived, 1st = worst.
Multidimensional Poverty MeasureWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 4.25241.44.252No earlier reading
Rwanda: 41.4 · 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 37th of 157 · derived, 1st = worst.
Global Multidimensional Poverty IndexOPHI · 2025 · world median 0.0390.2310.039No real change since 2018
Rwanda: 0.231 · 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 25th of 109 · derived, 1st = worst.
Inequality-adjusted Human Development IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 0.6090.3990.609▲ Improved since 2013
Rwanda: 0.399 · 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 132nd of 169 · derived.
Wealth Parity Index, Lower Secondary CompletionUIS · 2024 · world median 0.5290.1230.529No earlier reading
Rwanda: 0.123 · 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.
Coefficient of Variation of Habitual Caloric ConsumptionFAO · 2024 · world median 0.250.330.25▲ Improved since 2014
Rwanda: 0.33 · 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.
Poverty Headcount at $3.00 a Day, Line-up EstimatesWorld Bank Group · 2024 · world median 2.137.842.1▲ Improved since 2014
Rwanda: 37.84 · 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 17.8932.0917.89▲ Improved since 2014
Rwanda: 32.09 · 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 11th of 71 · derived, 1st = worst.
Working Poverty RateILO · 2025 · world median 4.88542.34.885▲ Improved since 2015
Rwanda: 42.3 · 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.
Income Share Held by Richest 10%World Bank Group · 2023 · world median 26.1833.4126.18▲ Improved since 2013
Rwanda: 33.41 · world median 26.18 · Share of national income or consumption held by the richest tenth (%). World Bank Group, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 18.79 to 43.08; lower is better.
Position 8th of 60 · derived, 1st = worst.
Actual Individual Consumption per Capita (PPP)World Bank Group · 2021 · world median 12,8002,40412,800▲ Improved since 2017
Rwanda: 2,404 · 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 155th of 173 · derived.
Adequacy of Social Protection and Labour BenefitsWorld Bank Group · 2023 · world median 18.654.92518.65No earlier reading
Rwanda: 4.925 · 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 Monthly EarningsILO · 2024 · world median 0.3370.5280.337No real change since 2014
Rwanda: 0.528 · 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 6th of 75 · derived, 1st = worst.
Exclusion by Socio-Economic GroupV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2023 · world median 0.4130.8570.413▼ Worsened since 2013
Rwanda: 0.857 · 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 12th of 174 · derived, 1st = worst.
Gini Index of Disposable Income (SWIID)Frederick Solt, University of Iowa · 2023 · world median 334733▼ Worsened since 2013
Rwanda: 47 · 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 4th of 79 · derived, 1st = worst.
Poverty Severity (Squared Poverty Gap) at $3.00 a DayWorld Bank Group · 2023 · world median 0.1853.810.185▲ Improved since 2013
Rwanda: 3.81 · world median 0.185 · Squared poverty gap at $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP (0–100). World Bank Group, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 9.74; lower is better.
Median Daily Income or Consumption per PersonWorld Bank Group · 2023 · world median 22.763.5122.76No real change since 2013
Rwanda: 3.51 · world median 22.76 · Median income or consumption per person, 2021 PPP dollars a day. World Bank Group, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 2.803 to 89.49; higher is better.
Position 59th of 60 · derived.
Poverty Headcount Ratio at $3.00 a DayWorld Bank Group · 2023 · world median 0.9338.550.93No real change since 2013
Rwanda: 38.55 · world median 0.93 · Population below $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP (%). World Bank Group, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 54.36; lower is better.
Position 2nd of 58 · derived, 1st = worst.
Poverty Headcount Ratio at $4.20 a DayWorld Bank Group · 2023 · world median 1.3462.211.34No real change since 2013
Rwanda: 62.21 · world median 1.34 · Population below $4.20 a day, 2021 PPP (%). World Bank Group, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.02 to 72.3; lower is better.
Position 2nd of 59 · derived, 1st = worst.
Poverty Headcount Ratio at $8.30 a DayWorld Bank Group · 2023 · world median 7.8289.797.82No real change since 2013
Rwanda: 89.79 · world median 7.82 · Population below $8.30 a day, 2021 PPP (%). World Bank Group, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.07 to 93.58; lower is better.
Position 2nd of 59 · derived, 1st = worst.
Prosperity GapWorld Bank Group · 2023 · world median 1.7548.7731.754No real change since 2013
Rwanda: 8.773 · world median 1.754 · Average factor incomes must rise by to reach $28 a day. World Bank Group, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.406 to 12.06; lower is better.
Position 2nd of 60 · derived, 1st = worst.
Societal Poverty RateWorld Bank Group · 2023 · world median 17.239.9217.2No real change since 2013
Rwanda: 39.92 · world median 17.2 · Population below the societal poverty line, 2021 PPP (%). World Bank Group, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 7 to 54.36; lower is better.
Position 2nd of 60 · derived, 1st = worst.
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 21.827.421.8No earlier reading
Rwanda: 27.4 · 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 4.554.584.55Moved since 2017
Rwanda: 4.58 · 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 6.881.1516.88No earlier reading
Rwanda: 1.151 · 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 Rwanda
Income Growth of the Poorest 40% (last 2021) and Prevalence of Moderate or Severe Food Insecurity. 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 Rwanda’s 15 topics
Poverty & Inequality is Rwanda’s 15th best-placed topic of 15. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Environment & Sustainability35th of 1864/4 keys
- Gender & Equality60th of 1834/4 keys
- Energy62nd of 1652/3 keys
- Governance & Institutions81st of 1944/4 keys
- Digital & Technology83rd of 1984/4 keys
- Education & Knowledge100th of 1984/4 keys
- Risk & Resilience135th of 1933/4 keys
- Economy & Innovationjoint 125th of 1763/4 keys
- Peace & Securityjoint 128th of 1774/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Liberties153rd of 1984/4 keys
- Health & Wellbeing164th of 2003/4 keys
- Food & Agriculturejoint 151st of 1844/4 keys
- Development & Human Capitaljoint 168th of 1963/3 keys
- Work & Labourjoint 158th of 1824/4 keys
- Poverty & Inequality140th of 1593/3 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 Rwanda 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 Eastern Africa
Mauritius61st3/3 keysThis page
Rwanda140th3/3 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
Rwanda 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 Rwanda rank on poverty & inequality?
Rwanda is placed 140th 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 Rwanda?
39.36 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 Rwanda?
10.2 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 Rwanda compare with DR Congo on poverty & inequality?
DR Congo is placed 157th of 159, and Rwanda 140th. Gini Index: DR Congo 44.67, Rwanda 39.36; Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day: DR Congo 48.69, Rwanda 10.2; Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet: DR Congo 90.1, Rwanda 69.7.
How have Rwanda’s poverty & inequality figures changed?
Gini Index fell from 52.02 in 2005 to 39.36 in 2023; Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day fell from 36.98 in 2005 to 10.2 in 2023; Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet fell from 81.6 in 2017 to 69.7 in 2025.
Which poverty & inequality statistics are missing for Rwanda?
No current reading is published for Rwanda on Income Growth of the Poorest 40% and Prevalence of Moderate or Severe Food Insecurity. 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 29 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
Rwanda’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Rwanda (banner) — Peace Batuma, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 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). Rwanda: Poverty & Inequality — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/rwanda/poverty