Photo: WiDi · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 14 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Suriname: Poverty & Inequality
How is a country’s income shared, and how many live below a line?
Suriname is placed 90th of 159 countries on poverty & inequality in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 3 key statistics. Readings behind it: Gini Index 39.18 (2023); Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day 0.47 (2023).
Share
Poverty & Inequality
90th
of 159 countries placed
Placed from 3 of 3 key statistics
01The evidence
The 3 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Suriname 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 · Suriname’s is from 2022 · CC BY 4.0
39.18
Gini index (0 = perfect equality, 100 = perfect inequality)
Lower is better
Suriname: 39.18. 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 South America
- 39.18 Suriname
- Land neighbours
- Brazil 51.49 · France 31.81
Key 2 of 3
Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day
World Bank Group
Latest reading per country, 2013–2023 · Suriname’s is from 2022 · CC BY 4.0
0.47
Poverty gap at $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP (%)
Lower is better
Suriname: 0.47. 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 South America
- 0.06 Uruguay
- Land neighbours
- Brazil 1.34 · France 0.05
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
23.7
Share of the population unable to afford a healthy diet (%)
Lower is better
Suriname: 23.7. 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 South America
- 9.3 Guyana
- Land neighbours
- Brazil 21.1 · France 3.5 · Guyana 9.3
02Over time
Which way Suriname 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.
Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet
Share of the population unable to afford a healthy diet (%) · lower is better
SurinameWorld median
Suriname rose from 21.6 in 2017 to 23.7 in 2025; the world median went from 32.4 to 26.4.
Every year’s figures
Year Suriname World median 2025 23.7 26.40 2024 25.6 27.10 2023 27.2 27.15 2022 26.8 27.90 2021 27.3 29.65 2020 26.2 31.80 2019 20.9 29.05 2018 20.4 29.85 2017 21.6 32.40
03In context
Suriname 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.
Suriname 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 (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 France | 23rd | 31.81 | 0.05 | 3.5 |
| Suriname | 90th | 39.18 | 0.47 | 23.7 |
 Brazil | 113th | 51.49 | 1.34 | 21.1 |
 Guyana | not placed | — | — | 9.3 |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across South America
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 159.
Placed either side on poverty & inequality
The countries immediately above and below Suriname in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Suriname is ahead of the world, and behind
12 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 median5
Statistics on which Suriname does better than the middle country measured.
Working Poverty RateILO · 2025 · world median 4.8850.3294.885▼ Worsened since 2015
Suriname: 0.329 · 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.
Global Multidimensional Poverty IndexOPHI · 2025 · world median 0.0390.0110.039▲ Improved since 2018
Suriname: 0.011 · 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 77th of 109 · derived, 1st = worst.
Coefficient of Variation of Habitual Caloric ConsumptionFAO · 2024 · world median 0.250.240.25▲ Improved since 2014
Suriname: 0.24 · 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.
Exclusion by Socio-Economic GroupV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2023 · world median 0.4130.3440.413▲ Improved since 2013
Suriname: 0.344 · 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 98th of 174 · derived, 1st = worst.
Multidimensional Poverty MeasureWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 4.2523.0254.252No earlier reading
Suriname: 3.025 · 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 86th of 157 · derived, 1st = worst.
Behind the world median4
Statistics on which Suriname does worse than the middle country measured.
Poverty Headcount at $3.00 a Day, Line-up EstimatesWorld Bank Group · 2024 · world median 2.12.162.1▼ Worsened since 2014
Suriname: 2.16 · 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.
Actual Individual Consumption per Capita (PPP)World Bank Group · 2021 · world median 12,80011,50812,800▼ Worsened since 2017
Suriname: 11,508 · 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 92nd of 173 · derived.
Severe Child Food Poverty, Children Aged 6–23 MonthsUNICEF · 2024 · world median 21.2623.4421.26No earlier reading
Suriname: 23.44 · 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 48th of 113 · derived, 1st = worst.
Wealth Parity Index, Lower Secondary CompletionUIS · 2024 · world median 0.5290.3020.529No earlier reading
Suriname: 0.302 · 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.
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.
Cost of a Healthy DietFAO · 2025 · world median 4.555.944.55Moved since 2017
Suriname: 5.94 · 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 6.884.6396.88No earlier reading
Suriname: 4.639 · 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.
Poverty Headcount at National Poverty LinesWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 21.817.621.8No earlier reading
Suriname: 17.6 · 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.
No current reading for Suriname
Adequacy of Social Protection and Labour Benefits, Coefficient of Human Inequality, Gini Index (last 2022), Gini Index of Disposable Income (SWIID) (last 2022), Gini Index of Monthly Earnings (last 2016), Income Growth of the Poorest 40%, Income Share Held by Lowest 20% (last 2022), Income Share Held by Richest 10% (last 2022), Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index, Intergenerational Persistence in Education, Low Pay Rate, Median Daily Income or Consumption per Person (last 2022), Palma Ratio (last 2022), Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day (last 2022), Poverty Headcount Ratio at $3.00 a Day (last 2022), Poverty Headcount Ratio at $4.20 a Day (last 2022), Poverty Headcount Ratio at $8.30 a Day (last 2022), Poverty Severity (Squared Poverty Gap) at $3.00 a Day (last 2022), Prevalence of Moderate or Severe Food Insecurity (last 2022), Prosperity Gap (last 2022) and Societal Poverty Rate (last 2022). 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 Suriname’s 16 topics
Poverty & Inequality is Suriname’s 9th best-placed topic of 16. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Gender & Equality38th of 1833/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Liberties64th of 1984/4 keys
- Peace & Securityjoint 58th of 1773/4 keys
- Energy57th of 1652/3 keys
- Health & Wellbeing93rd of 2003/4 keys
- Risk & Resilience91st of 1933/4 keys
- Governance & Institutions94th of 1944/4 keys
- Economy & Innovation94th of 1762/4 keys
- Poverty & Inequality90th of 1593/3 keys
- Mobility & Tradejoint 108th of 1773/4 keys
- Development & Human Capital122nd of 1963/3 keys
- Environment & Sustainability120th of 1863/4 keys
- Food & Agriculture119th of 1844/4 keys
- Work & Labourjoint 119th of 1824/4 keys
- Education & Knowledge157th of 1984/4 keys
- Digital & Technologyjoint 160th of 1984/4 keys
06The top of the list
Who leads on poverty & inequality
The three countries placed highest of 159, and the leaders Suriname 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 Americas
Canada28th3/3 keysHighest in South America
Uruguay78th3/3 keysThis page
Suriname90th3/3 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
Suriname 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 Suriname rank on poverty & inequality?
Suriname is placed 90th 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 Suriname?
39.18 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 Suriname?
0.47 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 Suriname compare with Brazil on poverty & inequality?
Brazil is placed 113th of 159, and Suriname 90th. Gini Index: Brazil 51.49, Suriname 39.18; Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day: Brazil 1.34, Suriname 0.47; Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet: Brazil 21.1, Suriname 23.7.
How have Suriname’s poverty & inequality figures changed?
Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet rose from 21.6 in 2017 to 23.7 in 2025.
Which poverty & inequality statistics are missing for Suriname?
No current reading is published for Suriname on Adequacy of Social Protection and Labour Benefits, Coefficient of Human Inequality, Gini Index, Gini Index of Disposable Income (SWIID), Gini Index of Monthly Earnings, Income Growth of the Poorest 40%, Income Share Held by Lowest 20%, Income Share Held by Richest 10%, Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index, Intergenerational Persistence in Education, Low Pay Rate, 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, Prevalence of Moderate or Severe Food Insecurity, 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 12 statistics on this page come from 7 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
Suriname’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Suriname (banner) — WiDi, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 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). Suriname: Poverty & Inequality — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/suriname/poverty