Global MPI 2015: Key findings

Global MPI Winter 2015/16 updates now available.

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This page highlights findings from the Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) and provides a range of resources. The Global MPI was updated in June 2015 and now covers 101 countries in total, which are home to 75 per cent of the world’s population, or 5.2 billion people. Of this proportion, 30 per cent of people (1.6 billion) are identified as multidimensionally poor.

Overview of findings

In June 2015, our analysis of global multidimensional poverty span a number of topics, such as destitution, regional and sub-national variations in poverty, the composition of poverty.

Key findings include:

  • A the 1.6 billion people living in multidimensional poverty, 54% live in South Asia, and 31% in Sub-Saharan Africa.
  • Most (62%) MPI poor people do not live in failed states. However, in countries classified as in very high alert by the Fragile States Index, on average 72% of people are multidimensionally poor.
  • Most MPI poor people – 70% – live in Middle Income Countries.
  • The global MPI complements $1.25/day poverty, making visible other types of poverty. For example in Chad and Ethiopia, the incidence of MPI is about 87% whereas for $1.25/day poverty it is only 37%.
  • Nearly half of all MPI poor people live with such extreme deprivations – like severe malnutrition or no more than one year of education in the household – that they should be considered destitute – 736 million people.

Policy briefings

Download briefing papers on key findings:

This year we have also produced special briefing papers on the following themes:

  • Destitution: Destitution is computed for 82 countries that are home to 1.5 billion MPI poor people. 91% of destitute people live in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Regional highlights

Briefing papers highlighting key findings are available for the following regions:

Further resources

Further information can be found in our country-specific briefings, interactive databank and Global MPI data tables. You can also read Global MPI case studies and view our at-a-glance infographics.

Watch a video from the Oxford launch of the Global MPI findings in June 2015: