Who Is the Poorest Person in the World? A Study in Extreme Poverty

In a global landscape marked by staggering economic divides, the identity of the world's "poorest person" reveals a difficult truth: poverty is not defined by a single story, but by countless individuals clinging to existence on the razor’s edge of survival. While the title “Who Is the Poorest Person in World?” invites a singular figure, the reality demands a deeper examination—of how extreme poverty is measured, what it entails, and the stories behind the headline number. At $1.90 per day—the World Bank’s international poverty line—the poorest reflect not just financial scarcity but profound human resilience amid relentless hardship.

Defining Extreme Poverty The World Bank classifies a person as living in extreme poverty if they survive on less than $1.90 a day, adjusted for purchasing power across countries. This threshold—though criticized for oversimplification—remains the most precise global benchmark. It captures those who endure daily struggles beyond basic needs: food, clean water, shelter, and healthcare.

According to the World Bank’s 2023 data, approximately 648 million people across developing nations fall below this benchmark, with sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia bearing the heaviest burden. Each dollar represents not just income, but absence—of stable housing, nutritious meals, education, and even dignity. “For many like Omar from Yemen, $1.90 is a lifetime hanging by a thread,” notes Dr.

Amina Diallo, a researcher at the Global Poverty Research Lab. “They may own a home but cannot afford medicine or education for their children. Poverty here is not an abstract statistic, but a lived crisis.” Who Meets the Threshold Today?

Extreme poverty affects millions, yet the poorest individuals often remain invisible in global discourse. Their lives span continents, but common threads bind them: fragile livelihoods, disruption from conflict or climate shocks, and exclusion from formal economies. - In rural Ethiopia, a farmer named Abebe earns barely sufficient to feed his family, his crops vulnerable to recurring droughts.

- In urban slums of Dhaka, Bangladesh, a street vendor named Fatima survives on hub Innsbruck, selling counterfeit phone cards but lacks access to savings or healthcare. - In conflict-ridden South Sudan, displaced families like those of Japheth struggle to rebuild amid intermittent aid and shattered infrastructure. The specific conditions vary, but the shared reality is intensely personal.

“They don’t see themselves as ‘the poorest’—they simply live day to day,” explains humanitarian worker Lila Kaur, who works in refugee camps. “Poverty is not a category; it’s a moment—like today, sleeping under a tarp, waiting for the next meal.” Challenges Beyond Income While income scarcity defines extreme poverty, its impact extends far beyond numbers. The poorest face systemic barriers that entrench their vulnerability: limited or no access to formal banking, corruption, climate instability, and political marginalization.

A simulation by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) shows that 70% of those in extreme poverty live in countries ranked low on human development indices, where education and healthcare are inadequate. Gender compounds these hardships. Women, who make up nearly half of the extreme poor, often lack property rights and face higher exposure to violence and economic exploitation.

“Globally, women heading poor households are twice as likely to experience extreme deprivation as male-headed ones,” states a 2023报告 from the International Labour Organization. Global Efforts and Persistent Gaps Global institutions, including the World Bank and UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), target extreme poverty through initiatives in clean energy access, education, and food security. The number of people below $1.90/day fell from 736 million in 2015 to 648 million in 2023—a reduction driven by targeted investments and economic growth in countries like Vietnam and Ethiopia.

Yet progress remains uneven. Climate change intensifies droughts and floods, setbacks rebuff hard-won gains. Conflict zones such as Yemen, Syria, and Sudan see poverty rates spike as infrastructure collapses and families are displaced.

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, 90% of the world’s extreme poor now live in regions affected by fragility or crisis. Why Does This Matter? Identifying the world’s poorest is more than a statistical exercise—it is an ethical imperative.

The poor represent not only suffering, but potential: resilient innovators, caregivers, and community builders. Their stories challenge us to see beyond headlines and recognize shared humanity. As economist and Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee emphasizes, “Poverty is a trap—not of laziness, but of broken systems.

To lift people out, we must address not just money, but access, security, and voice.” The poorest person in the world is not defined by a label, but by their unwavering fight to survive, subdue suffering, and hope for a life beyond want. In this global mosaic of poverty, awareness remains the first step toward change. When we name the struggle—not just quantify it—we honor those who endure and inspire collective action toward a more equitable world.