Geographies in Depth

This chart shows how China has successfully tackled poverty

The shadows of spectators are seen through a Chinese national flag during the men's kayak (K1) semifinal at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games August 12, 2008.     REUTERS/Phil Noble (CHINA) - BR2E48C0SY2EC

China's success in tackling poverty is nothing short of remarkable. Image: REUTERS/Phil Noble

Niall McCarthy
Data Journalist, Statista

In line with its meteoric economic rise, China has made impressive progress in reducing poverty over the last three decades. Today, poverty in China mainly refers to poor people in rural areas with urban poverty largely eradicated. The following infographic shows just how successful efforts to reduce poverty in China have proven.

According to the World Bank, over 750 million people were living below the international poverty line across China in 1990. That line is measured by the percentage of people living on $1.90 or less per day in 2011 purchasing price parity terms. By 2015, the number of Chinese people living in extreme poverty had plunged to 700,000.

China's long road to poverty elimination.
Image: Statista
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