Poverty Gap reduction (%) - Contributory Pensions -1st quintile in South Africa

South Africa: Poverty Gap reduction (%) - Contributory Pensions -1st quintile was 7.0% in 2021. ▲ Rising

Latest (2021)
7.0%
Change on year
up 76.3%
World rank
22nd
of 31 countries
All-time high
16.1%
in 2018
All-time low
4.0%
in 2020
Years of data
7
2005–2021

Poverty Gap reduction (%) - Contributory Pensions -1st quintile in South Africa, 2005–2021

57.51012.5152005201320212005: 5.92014: 9.92016: 7.82018: 16.12019: 6.82020: 42021: 7

Source: ASPIRE.

Analysis

In 2021, poverty gap reduction (%) - contributory pensions -1st quintile in South Africa stood at 7.0%.

That represents a change of up 76.3% on the previous year and down 29.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, poverty gap reduction (%) - contributory pensions -1st quintile in South Africa peaked at 16.1% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 4.0%, in 2020.

South Africa ranks 22nd of 31 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

Poverty Gap reduction (%) - Contributory Pensions -1st quintile in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Poverty Gap reduction (%) - Contributory Pensions -1st quintile (poorest) -rural in South Africa, 2005 to 2021.
Year Value Change
2005 5.9%
2014 9.9% +66.7%
2016 7.8% -21.1%
2018 16.1% +106.1%
2019 6.8% -58.1%
2020 4.0% -41.0%
2021 7.0% +76.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 5.9% 5.9% 5.9% 1
2010s 10.2% 6.8% 16.1% 4
2020s 5.5% 4.0% 7.0% 2

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 19 Sri Lanka 25.6% compare
  2. 20 Pakistan 22.3% compare
  3. 21 Viet Nam 15.5% compare
  4. 23 Mexico 5.8% compare
  5. 24 Dominican Republic 5.2% compare
  6. 25 Ecuador 4.2% compare

See the full ranking of 31 places →

More reference data data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is poverty gap reduction (%) - contributory pensions -1st quintile in South Africa?
Poverty gap reduction (%) - contributory pensions -1st quintile in South Africa was 7.0% in 2021, according to ASPIRE.
What is the highest poverty gap reduction (%) - contributory pensions -1st quintile recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 16.1% in 2018.
What is the lowest poverty gap reduction (%) - contributory pensions -1st quintile recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 4.0% in 2020.
How does South Africa rank for poverty gap reduction (%) - contributory pensions -1st quintile?
South Africa ranks 22nd out of 31 countries with data for 2021.
Is poverty gap reduction (%) - contributory pensions -1st quintile rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 29.0%. 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 (%) - Contributory Pensions -1st quintile (poorest) -rural. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Poverty Gap reduction (%) - Contributory Pensions -1st quintile in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on ASPIRE. Retrieved 29 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/poverty-gap-reduction-percent-contributory-pensions-1st-quintile-poorest-rural/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Poverty Gap reduction (%) - Contributory Pensions -1st quintile (poorest) -rural
Source
ASPIRE
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
31 places, 292 data points, 2002–2023
Last refreshed

Poverty gap reduction due to Contributory Pensions programs as % of pre-transfer poverty gap