Share of Poverty of Rural Areas - Academic Task 1

 

The bar graph and the pie charts illustrate the distribution of poverty between rural and urban areas across different regions in 1993 and 2002, as well as the overall rural-urban poverty share in 2002.

Overall, while rural poverty decreased in most regions over the decade, it remained disproportionately high in rural areas compared to urban areas globally. Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia were the most affected regions.

The bar chart compares the percentage of the impoverished population living in rural areas in 1993 and 2002 for six regions. In 1993, rural poverty was highest in Sub-Saharan Africa (approximately 85%) and South Asia (around 82%), while Latin America & the Caribbean had the lowest share (about 50%). By 2002, rural poverty decreased in all regions except Europe & Central Asia, where it remained stable. The most significant declines occurred in East Asia & Pacific (from roughly 78% to 65%) and South Asia (from 82% to 75%). Sub-Saharan Africa remained the region with the highest rural poverty share in 2002 (around 80%).

The pie chart highlights that in 2002, rural areas accounted for 76% of the total impoverished population, compared to 24% in urban areas. This indicates a substantial disparity in poverty distribution, with rural areas bearing the majority of the burden.