Poverty Gap reduction (%) - All Private Transfers -1st quintile in South Africa

South Africa: Poverty Gap reduction (%) - All Private Transfers -1st quintile was 36.8% in 2021. ▲ Rising

Latest (2021)
36.8%
Change on year
up 17.1%
World rank
12th
of 36 countries
All-time high
40.1%
in 2019
All-time low
26.0%
in 2005
Years of data
6
2005–2021

Poverty Gap reduction (%) - All Private Transfers -1st quintile in South Africa, 2005–2021

0102030402005201320212005: 26 poorest2016: 38.2 poorest2018: 31.2 poorest2019: 40.1 poorest2020: 31.5 poorest2021: 36.8 poorest

Source: ASPIRE. Measured in poorest.

Analysis

The most recent figure for poverty gap reduction (%) - all private transfers -1st quintile in South Africa is 36.8%, measured in 2021.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 17.1% on the previous year and down 3.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, poverty gap reduction (%) - all private transfers -1st quintile in South Africa peaked at 40.1% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 26.0%, in 2005.

That places South Africa 12th out of 36 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.

Poverty Gap reduction (%) - All Private Transfers -1st quintile in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Poverty Gap reduction (%) - All Private Transfers -1st quintile (poorest) in South Africa, 2005 to 2021.
Year poorest Change
2005 26.0%
2016 38.2% +46.9%
2018 31.2% -18.2%
2019 40.1% +28.5%
2020 31.5% -21.6%
2021 36.8% +17.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 26.0% 26.0% 26.0% 1
2010s 36.5% 31.2% 40.1% 3
2020s 34.1% 31.5% 36.8% 2

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 9 Georgia 46.3% compare
  2. 10 Kyrgyzstan 44.7% compare
  3. 11 Sri Lanka 39.9% compare
  4. 13 Mongolia 36.4% compare
  5. 14 Belarus 36.0% compare
  6. 15 Honduras 34.8% compare

See the full ranking of 36 places →

More reference data data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is poverty gap reduction (%) - all private transfers -1st quintile in South Africa?
Poverty gap reduction (%) - all private transfers -1st quintile in South Africa was 36.8% in 2021, according to ASPIRE.
What is the highest poverty gap reduction (%) - all private transfers -1st quintile recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 40.1% in 2019.
What is the lowest poverty gap reduction (%) - all private transfers -1st quintile recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 26.0% in 2005.
How does South Africa rank for poverty gap reduction (%) - all private transfers -1st quintile?
South Africa ranks 12th out of 36 countries with data for 2021.
Is poverty gap reduction (%) - all private transfers -1st quintile rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 3.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from ASPIRE, published as part of Poverty Gap reduction (%) - All Private Transfers -1st quintile (poorest). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Poverty Gap reduction (%) - All Private Transfers -1st quintile in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on ASPIRE. Retrieved 31 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/poverty-gap-reduction-percent-all-private-transfers-1st-quintile-poorest/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Poverty Gap reduction (%) - All Private Transfers -1st quintile (poorest)
Unit
poorest
Source
ASPIRE
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
36 places, 351 data points, 2002–2023
Last refreshed

Poverty gap reduction due to Private Transfers programs as % of pre-transfer poverty gap