VU
Aid, poverty & equality · East Asia & Pacific · Lower-middle income
Vanuatu: poverty, inequality and aid
Extreme poverty is 19.5% (2019), 36th of 151 in the world and 1st of 17 in East Asia & Pacific. Poverty, $4.20/day is 36.9% (2019), 36th of 151 in the world and 1st of 17 in East Asia & Pacific. Poverty, $8.30/day is 81.3% (2019), 29th of 151 in the world and 1st of 17 in East Asia & Pacific.
Undernourishment
VanuatuEast Asia & PacificLower-middle incomeWorld
Women in parliament
VanuatuEast Asia & PacificLower-middle incomeWorld
13 indicators
Aid, poverty & equality: Vanuatu in detail
Latest reported value, world rank and rank within East Asia & Pacific; values around 2000, 2010, 2020; group and world columns are World Bank aggregates.
| Indicator | Latest | World rank | In region | ~2000 | ~2010 | ~2020 | 10-year change | Region | Income group | World | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Extreme povertyExtreme poverty, $3.00 a day (2021 PPP), % of population | 19.5%2019 | 36/151 | 1/17 | · | 25.7% | 19.5%2019 | — | 2.0% | 12.4% | 10.1% | |
| Poverty, $4.20/dayPoverty at $4.20 a day (2021 PPP), % of population | 36.9%2019 | 36/151 | 1/17 | · | 44.4% | 36.9%2019 | — | 5.5% | 26.9% | 18.2% | |
| Poverty, $8.30/dayPoverty at $8.30 a day (2021 PPP), % of population | 81.3%2019 | 29/151 | 1/17 | · | 82.0% | 81.3%2019 | — | 26.4% | 76.8% | 46.2% | |
| National poverty ratePoverty at national poverty lines, % of population | 15.9%2019 | 105/145 | 6/15 | · | · | 15.9%2019 | — | — | — | — | |
| Gini indexGini index of income inequality | 32.32019 | 103/151 | 12/17 | · | 37.4 | 32.32019 | — | — | — | — | |
| Top 10% income shareIncome share held by the richest 10% | 24.7%2019 | 108/151 | 12/17 | · | 29.1% | 24.7%2019 | — | — | — | — | |
| Bottom 20% income shareIncome share held by the poorest 20% | 7.6%2019 | 61/151 | 9/17 | · | 6.8% | 7.6%2019 | — | — | — | — | |
| UndernourishmentPrevalence of undernourishment, % of population | 5.8%2024 | 73/167 | 8/23 | 9.2%2001 | 5.6% | 6.3% | −0.1 ppsince 2014 | 3.5% | 12.1% | 8.1% | |
| Food insecurityModerate or severe food insecurity, % of population | 23.3%2020 | 80/155 | 11/23 | · | · | 23.3% | — | 8.8% | 41.8% | 28.0% | |
| Women in parliamentSeats held by women in national parliament, % | 1.9%2025 | 187/190 | 29/30 | 0.0% | 3.8% | 0.0% | +1.9 ppsince 2015 | 23.3% | 23.6% | 27.2% | |
| Net ODA receivedNet official development assistance received, US$ | $150m2023 | 103/145 | 12/24 | $35.5m | $110m | $154m | +64%since 2013 | $10.7bn | $59.2bn | $259bn | |
| ODA, % of GNINet ODA received, % of GNI | 11.6%2023 | 21/139 | 8/23 | 13.7% | 16.9% | 13.8% | +1.0 ppsince 2013 | 0.0% | 0.9% | 0.2% | |
| ODA per personNet ODA received per capita, US$ | $4682023 | 13/145 | 9/24 | $191 | $460 | $515 | +30%since 2013 | $4.5 | $20.6 | $32.2 |
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)“·” — no value reported within two years of that date. World rank counts countries with a recent value.
Better than ten years ago
- Undernourishment−0.1 pp5.8% in 2024
- Women in parliament+1.9 pp1.9% in 2025
Worse than ten years ago
No rated indicator got worse over the decade.
Only indicators where higher or lower is clearly better are rated (for example, unemployment down is better, life expectancy up is better).
neighbours
Vanuatu and its neighbours
Countries sharing a land border with Vanuatu. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.
| Indicator | Vanuatu | Australia | Solomon Islands |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extreme poverty | 19.5%2019 | 0.9%2020 | 40.3%2012 |
| Poverty, $4.20/day | 36.9%2019 | 1.1%2020 | 62.9%2012 |
| Poverty, $8.30/day | 81.3%2019 | 1.5%2020 | 90.7%2012 |
| National poverty rate | 15.9%2019 | — | 12.7%2012 |
| Gini index | 32.32019 | 33.82020 | 37.12012 |
| Top 10% income share | 24.7%2019 | 25.9%2020 | 29.2%2012 |
| Bottom 20% income share | 7.6%2019 | 7.2%2020 | 7.0%2012 |
| Undernourishment | 5.8%2024 | 2.5%2024 | 27.0%2024 |
| Food insecurity | 23.3%2020 | 15.1%2024 | — |