Despite a steady decline in poverty, more than 25% of Tajikistan's population still lives below the international poverty line - less than $3.65 per day, according to the World Bank's Poverty, Prosperity, and Planet Report 2024, Asaplus.tj reports.
According to national statistics of Tajikistan, the poverty rate in the country was 26.3% in 2022, 23.5% in 2023, and is projected to drop to 21.3% in 2024. However, by international standards, even with such improvements, every fourth citizen of the country remains vulnerable.
Meanwhile, the World Bank has also revised the international poverty line, raising it from $2.15 to $3 per day per person. The previous threshold was based on purchasing power parity for 2017. As of the end of 2023, about 700 million people worldwide, or 8.5% of the world's population, live in extreme poverty - on less than $2.15 a day.
Why is Tajikistan at risk again?
The World Bank report emphasizes that countries that are heavily dependent on remittances and food and energy imports are at risk. Tajikistan is among them. The country's economy is poorly protected from external shocks. Inflation remains high. Many people are employed in the informal sector, especially in agriculture. At the same time, the social support system does not cover all those in need.
All these factors make poverty in Tajikistan not just statistics, but a daily reality for millions of people. And until there are stable jobs, income protection, and a sustainable support system, the situation is unlikely to improve.
According to the World Bank, poverty in Tajikistan has clear social and territorial specifics. About 80% of the poor live in rural areas, where informal agriculture remains the main source of income.
Almost 70% of adults in this group do not have a professional education, which limits their ability to escape poverty. Women, children, single parents and large families remain particularly vulnerable - many of them live below the level of self-sufficiency and need sustainable social support.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
July 3, 2025