Photo: Rod Waddington from Kergunyah, Australia · CC BY-SA 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 14 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Uganda: Poverty & Inequality
How is a country’s income shared, and how many live below a line?
Uganda is placed 144th of 159 countries on poverty & inequality in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 3 key statistics. Readings behind it: Gini Index 38.15 (2023); Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day 19.95 (2023).
Share
Poverty & Inequality
144th
of 159 countries placed
Placed from 3 of 3 key statistics
01The evidence
The 3 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Uganda 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 · Uganda’s is from 2023 · CC BY 4.0
38.15
Gini index (0 = perfect equality, 100 = perfect inequality)
Lower is better
Uganda: 38.15. 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
- DR Congo 44.67 · Kenya 38.53 · Rwanda 39.36 · South Sudan 44.05 · Tanzania 40.49
Key 2 of 3
Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day
World Bank Group
Latest reading per country, 2013–2023 · Uganda’s is from 2023 · CC BY 4.0
19.95
Poverty gap at $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP (%)
Lower is better
Uganda: 19.95. 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
- DR Congo 48.69 · Kenya 13.58 · Rwanda 10.2 · South Sudan 40.83 · Tanzania 16.74
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
73.6
Share of the population unable to afford a healthy diet (%)
Lower is better
Uganda: 73.6. 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
- DR Congo 90.1 · Kenya 76.3 · Rwanda 69.7 · South Sudan 93.9 · Tanzania 73
02Over time
Which way Uganda 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
UgandaWorld median
Uganda fell from 45.17 in 2002 to 38.15 in 2023; the world median went from 37.14 to 33.72.
Every year’s figures
Year Uganda World median 2023 38.2 33.72 2022 — 33.91 2021 — 34.04 2020 — 34.18 2019 42.7 33.51 2018 — 35.25 2017 — 34.86 2016 42.8 34.47 2015 — 35.52 2014 — 34.79 2013 — 36.16 2012 41.0 35.40 2011 — 33.96 2010 — 33.71 2009 44.2 34.91 2008 — 34.60 2007 — 34.26 2006 — 35.63 2005 42.9 36.28 2004 — 34.29 2003 — 35.46 2002 45.2 37.14 Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day
Poverty gap at $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP (%) · lower is better
UgandaWorld median
Uganda fell from 39.12 in 2002 to 19.95 in 2023; the world median went from 3.01 to 0.345.
Every year’s figures
Year Uganda World median 2023 20 0.345 2022 — 0.420 2021 — 0.335 2020 — 0.280 2019 23 0.380 2018 — 0.460 2017 — 0.300 2016 24 0.440 2015 — 0.500 2014 — 0.635 2013 — 0.515 2012 21 0.640 2011 — 0.430 2010 — 0.530 2009 26 0.600 2008 — 0.350 2007 — 0.360 2006 — 0.465 2005 33 1.250 2004 — 0.790 2003 — 1.650 2002 39 3.010 Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet
Share of the population unable to afford a healthy diet (%) · lower is better
UgandaWorld median
Uganda fell from 77.2 in 2017 to 73.6 in 2025; the world median went from 32.4 to 26.4.
Every year’s figures
Year Uganda World median 2025 73.6 26.40 2024 74.4 27.10 2023 76.4 27.15 2022 75.7 27.90 2021 74.6 29.65 2020 75.1 31.80 2019 75.1 29.05 2018 75.9 29.85 2017 77.2 32.40
03In context
Uganda 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.
Uganda 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 |
 Kenyacompare | 141st | 38.53 | 13.58 | 76.3 |
| Uganda | 144th | 38.15 | 19.95 | 73.6 |
 Tanzania | 148th | 40.49 | 16.74 | 73 |
 South Sudan | 156th | 44.05 | 40.83 | 93.9 |
 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 Uganda in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Uganda is ahead of the world, and behind
28 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.
Behind the world median25
Statistics on which Uganda does worse than the middle country measured.
Adequacy of Social Protection and Labour BenefitsWorld Bank Group · 2023 · world median 18.6518.0318.65No earlier reading
Uganda: 18.03 · 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.
Severe Child Food Poverty, Children Aged 6–23 MonthsUNICEF · 2024 · world median 21.2624.2921.26No earlier reading
Uganda: 24.29 · 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 45th of 113 · derived, 1st = worst.
Income Share Held by Lowest 20%World Bank Group · 2023 · world median 7.126.597.12No real change since 2016
Uganda: 6.59 · 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 38th of 60 · derived.
Income Share Held by Richest 10%World Bank Group · 2023 · world median 26.1829.3126.18▲ Improved since 2016
Uganda: 29.31 · 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 21st of 60 · derived, 1st = worst.
Palma RatioWorld Bank Group · 2023 · world median 1.3321.6711.332▲ Improved since 2016
Uganda: 1.671 · 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 21st of 60 · derived, 1st = worst.
Intergenerational Persistence in EducationWorld Bank Group · 2017 · world median 0.4460.50.446No earlier reading
Uganda: 0.5 · 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 48th of 153 · derived, 1st = worst.
Wealth Parity Index, Lower Secondary CompletionUIS · 2024 · world median 0.5290.1960.529No earlier reading
Uganda: 0.196 · 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 Human InequalityUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 17.0530.5617.05▼ Worsened since 2013
Uganda: 30.56 · 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 39th of 169 · derived, 1st = worst.
Inequality-adjusted Human Development IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 0.6090.40.609No real change since 2013
Uganda: 0.4 · 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 131st of 169 · derived.
Coefficient of Variation of Habitual Caloric ConsumptionFAO · 2024 · world median 0.250.310.25▲ Improved since 2014
Uganda: 0.31 · 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.
Income Growth of the Poorest 40%World Bank Group · 2024 · world median 1.8410.2151.841▼ Worsened since 2014
Uganda: 0.215 · 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.
Prevalence of Moderate or Severe Food InsecurityFAO · 2024 · world median 20.951.620.9▲ Improved since 2015
Uganda: 51.6 · 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 27th of 135 · derived, 1st = worst.
Global Multidimensional Poverty IndexOPHI · 2025 · world median 0.0390.2810.039▼ Worsened since 2018
Uganda: 0.281 · 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 18th of 109 · derived, 1st = worst.
Exclusion by Socio-Economic GroupV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2023 · world median 0.4130.7140.413▼ Worsened since 2013
Uganda: 0.714 · 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 28th of 174 · derived, 1st = worst.
Actual Individual Consumption per Capita (PPP)World Bank Group · 2021 · world median 12,8002,15812,800▼ Worsened since 2017
Uganda: 2,158 · 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 159th of 173 · derived.
Working Poverty RateILO · 2025 · world median 4.88553.094.885▼ Worsened since 2015
Uganda: 53.09 · 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.
Multidimensional Poverty MeasureWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 4.25267.434.252No earlier reading
Uganda: 67.43 · 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 11th of 157 · derived, 1st = worst.
Poverty Headcount at $3.00 a Day, Line-up EstimatesWorld Bank Group · 2024 · world median 2.153.142.1▼ Worsened since 2014
Uganda: 53.14 · 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.
Median Daily Income or Consumption per PersonWorld Bank Group · 2023 · world median 22.762.80322.76▼ Worsened since 2016
Uganda: 2.803 · 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 60th of 60 · derived.
Poverty Headcount Ratio at $3.00 a DayWorld Bank Group · 2023 · world median 0.9354.360.93▼ Worsened since 2016
Uganda: 54.36 · 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 1st of 58 · derived, 1st = worst.
Poverty Headcount Ratio at $4.20 a DayWorld Bank Group · 2023 · world median 1.3472.31.34▼ Worsened since 2016
Uganda: 72.3 · 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 1st of 59 · derived, 1st = worst.
Poverty Headcount Ratio at $8.30 a DayWorld Bank Group · 2023 · world median 7.8293.587.82▼ Worsened since 2016
Uganda: 93.58 · 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 1st of 59 · derived, 1st = worst.
Poverty Severity (Squared Poverty Gap) at $3.00 a DayWorld Bank Group · 2023 · world median 0.1859.740.185▼ Worsened since 2016
Uganda: 9.74 · 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.
Prosperity GapWorld Bank Group · 2023 · world median 1.75412.061.754▼ Worsened since 2016
Uganda: 12.06 · 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 1st of 60 · derived, 1st = worst.
Societal Poverty RateWorld Bank Group · 2023 · world median 17.254.3617.2▼ Worsened since 2016
Uganda: 54.36 · 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 1st 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.
Catastrophic Out-of-Pocket Health SpendingWorld Bank Group · 2019 · world median 6.8815.276.88No earlier reading
Uganda: 15.27 · 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 21.816.121.8No earlier reading
Uganda: 16.1 · 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 4.553.744.55Moved since 2017
Uganda: 3.74 · 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.
No current reading for Uganda
Gini Index of Disposable Income (SWIID) (last 2019), Gini Index of Monthly Earnings (last 2021) and Low Pay 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 Uganda’s 14 topics
Poverty & Inequality is Uganda’s 14th best-placed topic of 14. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Energy3rd of 1652/3 keys
- Environment & Sustainabilityjoint 18th of 1864/4 keys
- Work & Labourjoint 83rd of 1824/4 keys
- Digital & Technology104th of 1984/4 keys
- Gender & Equality108th of 1834/4 keys
- Economy & Innovation122nd of 1764/4 keys
- Governance & Institutions141st of 1944/4 keys
- Risk & Resilience145th of 1934/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Liberties155th of 1984/4 keys
- Health & Wellbeingjoint 159th of 2004/4 keys
- Peace & Security148th of 1774/4 keys
- Food & Agriculture157th of 1844/4 keys
- Development & Human Capital172nd of 1963/3 keys
- Poverty & Inequality144th of 1593/3 keys
No standing on Education & Knowledge, 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 Uganda 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
Uganda144th3/3 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
Uganda 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 Uganda rank on poverty & inequality?
Uganda is placed 144th 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 Uganda?
38.15 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 Uganda?
19.95 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 Uganda compare with DR Congo on poverty & inequality?
DR Congo is placed 157th of 159, and Uganda 144th. Gini Index: DR Congo 44.67, Uganda 38.15; Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day: DR Congo 48.69, Uganda 19.95; Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet: DR Congo 90.1, Uganda 73.6.
How have Uganda’s poverty & inequality figures changed?
Gini Index fell from 45.17 in 2002 to 38.15 in 2023; Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day fell from 39.12 in 2002 to 19.95 in 2023; Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet fell from 77.2 in 2017 to 73.6 in 2025.
Which poverty & inequality statistics are missing for Uganda?
No current reading is published for Uganda on Gini Index of Disposable Income (SWIID), Gini Index of Monthly Earnings and Low Pay 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 28 statistics on this page come from 8 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
Uganda’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Uganda (banner) — Rod Waddington from Kergunyah, Australia, CC BY-SA 2.0
- 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). Uganda: Poverty & Inequality — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/uganda/poverty