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

South Africa: Poverty Gap reduction (%) - Contributory Pensions - 1st quintile was 13.5% in 2021. ▲ Rising

Latest (2021)
13.5%
Change on year
up 34.2%
World rank
26th
of 34 countries
All-time high
19.1%
in 2019
All-time low
6.5%
in 2005
Years of data
7
2005–2021

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

51015202005201320212005: 6.52014: 102016: 15.12018: 10.12019: 19.12020: 102021: 13.5

Source: ASPIRE.

Analysis

South Africa recorded 13.5% for poverty gap reduction (%) - contributory pensions - 1st quintile in 2021.

The figure is up 34.2% on the previous year and up 34.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, poverty gap reduction (%) - contributory pensions - 1st quintile in South Africa peaked at 19.1% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 6.5%, in 2005.

That places South Africa 26th out of 34 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the bottom quarter.

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

Annual values for Poverty Gap reduction (%) - Contributory Pensions - 1st quintile (poorest) -urban in South Africa, 2005 to 2021.
Year Value Change
2005 6.5%
2014 10.0% +53.2%
2016 15.1% +50.8%
2018 10.1% -33.1%
2019 19.1% +89.4%
2020 10.0% -47.5%
2021 13.5% +34.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 6.5% 6.5% 6.5% 1
2010s 13.6% 10.0% 19.1% 4
2020s 11.7% 10.0% 13.5% 2

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 23 Mexico 21.3% compare
  2. 24 Pakistan 21.0% compare
  3. 25 Ecuador 17.0% compare
  4. 27 Colombia 11.8% compare
  5. 28 Dominican Republic 9.6% compare
  6. 29 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 9.2% compare

See the full ranking of 34 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 13.5% 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 19.1% in 2019.
What is the lowest poverty gap reduction (%) - contributory pensions - 1st quintile recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 6.5% in 2005.
How does South Africa rank for poverty gap reduction (%) - contributory pensions - 1st quintile?
South Africa ranks 26th out of 34 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 up 34.6%. 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) -urban. 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 31 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/poverty-gap-reduction-percent-contributory-pensions-1st-quintile-poorest-urban/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Poverty Gap reduction (%) - Contributory Pensions - 1st quintile (poorest) -urban
Source
ASPIRE
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
34 places, 347 data points, 2002–2023
Last refreshed

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