In 2023, the share of population living on less than 3.20 U.S. dollars per day in the Dominican Republic amounted to three percent. Between 1986 and 2023, the figure dropped by 12 percentage points, though the decline followed an uneven course rather than a steady trajectory.

The poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines in the Dominican Republic was 23 percent in 2023.

Historical dataset showing Dominican Republic poverty rate by year from 1986 to 2023.

Dominican Republic Poverty Headcount Ratio at Societal Poverty Lines: % of Population data was reported at 21.400 % in 2022. This records an increase from the previous number of 20.400 % for 2021. Dominican Republic Poverty Headcount Ratio at Societal Poverty Lines: % of Population data is updated yearly, averaging 29.500 % from Dec 1986 (Median) to 2022, with 28 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 36.300 % in 1989 and a record low of 20.400 % in 2021. Dominican Republic Poverty Headcount Ratio at Societal Poverty Lines: % of Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Dominican Republic – Table DO.World Bank.WDI: Social: Poverty and Inequality. The poverty headcount ratio at societal poverty line is the percentage of a population living in poverty according to the World Bank's Societal Poverty Line. The Societal Poverty Line is expressed in purchasing power adjusted 2017 U.S. dollars and defined as max($2.15, $1.15 + 0.5*Median). This means that when the national median is sufficiently low, the Societal Poverty line is equivalent to the extreme poverty line, $2.15. For countries with a sufficiently high national median, the Societal Poverty Line grows as countries’ median income grows.;World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income economies are mostly from the Luxembourg Income Study database. For more information and methodology, please see http://pip.worldbank.org.;;The World Bank’s internationally comparable poverty monitoring database now draws on income or detailed consumption data from more than 2000 household surveys across 169 countries. See the Poverty and Inequality Platform (PIP) for details (www.pip.worldbank.org).

Poverty rate at national poverty line of Dominican Republic plummeted by 17.39% from 23.0 % in 2023 to 19.0 % in 2024. Since the 0.99% improve in 2021, poverty rate at national poverty line sank by 38.11% in 2024. National poverty rate is the percentage of the population living below the national poverty line. National estimates are based on population-weighted subgroup estimates from household surveys.

Actual value and historical data chart for Dominican Republic Poverty Headcount Ratio At National Poverty Line Percent Of Population

Poverty gap at $1.9 a day of Dominican Republic rocketed by 100.00% from 0.1 % in 2018 to 0.2 % in 2019. Since the 40.00% drop in 2017, poverty gap at $1.9 a day sank by 33.33% in 2019. Poverty gap at $1.90 a day (2011 PPP) is the mean shortfall in income or consumption from the poverty line $1.90 a day (counting the nonpoor as having zero shortfall), expressed as a percentage of the poverty line. This measure reflects the depth of poverty as well as its incidence. As a result of revisions in PPP exchange rates, poverty rates for individual countries cannot be compared with poverty rates reported in earlier editions.

Dominican Republic DO: Poverty Headcount Ratio at National Poverty Lines: % of Population data was reported at 30.500 % in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 32.300 % for 2015. Dominican Republic DO: Poverty Headcount Ratio at National Poverty Lines: % of Population data is updated yearly, averaging 41.200 % from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2016, with 17 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 49.700 % in 2004 and a record low of 30.500 % in 2016. Dominican Republic DO: Poverty Headcount Ratio at National Poverty Lines: % of Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Dominican Republic – Table DO.World Bank.WDI: Poverty. National poverty headcount ratio is the percentage of the population living below the national poverty lines. National estimates are based on population-weighted subgroup estimates from household surveys.; ; World Bank, Global Poverty Working Group. Data are compiled from official government sources or are computed by World Bank staff using national (i.e. country–specific) poverty lines.; ; This series only includes estimates that to the best of our knowledge are reasonably comparable over time for a country. Due to differences in estimation methodologies and poverty lines, estimates should not be compared across countries.

Dominican Republic DO: Poverty Headcount Ratio at $3.20 a Day: 2011 PPP: % of Population data was reported at 6.200 % in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 7.000 % for 2015. Dominican Republic DO: Poverty Headcount Ratio at $3.20 a Day: 2011 PPP: % of Population data is updated yearly, averaging 13.200 % from Dec 1986 (Median) to 2016, with 22 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 30.800 % in 1989 and a record low of 6.200 % in 2016. Dominican Republic DO: Poverty Headcount Ratio at $3.20 a Day: 2011 PPP: % of Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Dominican Republic – Table DO.World Bank.WDI: Poverty. Poverty headcount ratio at $3.20 a day is the percentage of the population living on less than $3.20 a day at 2011 international prices. As a result of revisions in PPP exchange rates, poverty rates for individual countries cannot be compared with poverty rates reported in earlier editions.; ; World Bank, Development Research Group. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income economies are from the Luxembourg Income Study database. For more information and methodology, please see PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/index.htm).; ; The World Bank’s internationally comparable poverty monitoring database now draws on income or detailed consumption data from more than one thousand six hundred household surveys across 164 countries in six regions and 25 other high income countries (industrialized economies). While income distribution data are published for all countries with data available, poverty data are published for low- and middle-income countries and countries eligible to receive loans from the World Bank (such as Chile) and recently graduated countries (such as Estonia) only. The aggregated numbers for low- and middle-income countries correspond to the totals of 6 regions in PovcalNet, which include low- and middle-income countries and countries eligible to receive loans from the World Bank (such as Chile) and recently graduated countries (such as Estonia). See PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/WhatIsNew.aspx) for definitions of geographical regions and industrialized countries.

In recent decades, economic growth in the Dominican Republic (DR) has been steady. However, growth has not occurred in such a way as to make the benefits widely and evenly available. In fact, although the DR economy grew faster than that of other LAC countries before the Covid-19 pandemic, its poverty rates and social outcomes remain broadly similar to them. This report seeks to explain this conundrum, as well as to expand the knowledge base to improve the effectiveness of ongoing poverty reduction policies in the DR. The Poverty Assessment draws primarily on new analytical work conducted in the DR, structured around four background notes on: (i) trends in monetary poverty and inequality, as well as the key drivers of those changes; (ii) nonmonetary poverty and its spatial dimensions; (iii) social assistance programs and their role in mitigating poverty; and (iv) climate change and its interaction with poverty. By helping to reduce the evidence gap in each of these areas, our analysis hopes to inform government policies and the national dialogue on poverty reduction. In addition, the note integrates existing analytical work and evidence produced inside and outside the Bank, including from its operations in the country.

The average for 2020 based on 4 countries was 30.88 percent. The highest value was in Mexico: 43.9 percent and the lowest value was in Dominican Republic: 23.4 percent. The indicator is available from 2000 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

In the majority of the analyzed countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, the share of the population living in extreme poverty was expected to grow in 2022 compared to 2021. Colombia presented the most adverse situation, as extreme poverty in the country was expected to increase by 2.5 percentage points. On the flip side, it was forecasted that exreme poverty would decline in four countries: Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Panama and Bolivia.

Dominican Republic DO: Poverty Headcount Ratio at National Poverty Lines: Rural: % of Rural Population data was reported at 51.200 % in 2013. This records an increase from the previous number of 49.400 % for 2012. Dominican Republic DO: Poverty Headcount Ratio at National Poverty Lines: Rural: % of Rural Population data is updated yearly, averaging 51.000 % from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2013, with 14 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 60.000 % in 2004 and a record low of 47.200 % in 2002. Dominican Republic DO: Poverty Headcount Ratio at National Poverty Lines: Rural: % of Rural Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Dominican Republic – Table DO.World Bank.WDI: Poverty. Rural poverty headcount ratio is the percentage of the rural population living below the national poverty lines.; ; World Bank, Global Poverty Working Group. Data are compiled from official government sources or are computed by World Bank staff using national (i.e. country–specific) poverty lines.; ; This series only includes estimates that to the best of our knowledge are reasonably comparable over time for a country. Due to differences in estimation methodologies and poverty lines, estimates should not be compared across countries.

Dominican Republic DO: Survey Mean Consumption or Income per Capita: Bottom 40% of Population: Annualized Average Growth Rate data was reported at 4.460 % in 2016. Dominican Republic DO: Survey Mean Consumption or Income per Capita: Bottom 40% of Population: Annualized Average Growth Rate data is updated yearly, averaging 4.460 % from Dec 2016 (Median) to 2016, with 1 observations. Dominican Republic DO: Survey Mean Consumption or Income per Capita: Bottom 40% of Population: Annualized Average Growth Rate data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Dominican Republic – Table DO.World Bank: Poverty. The growth rate in the welfare aggregate of the bottom 40% is computed as the annualized average growth rate in per capita real consumption or income of the bottom 40% of the population in the income distribution in a country from household surveys over a roughly 5-year period. Mean per capita real consumption or income is measured at 2011 Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) using the PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet). For some countries means are not reported due to grouped and/or confidential data. The annualized growth rate is computed as (Mean in final year/Mean in initial year)^(1/(Final year - Initial year)) - 1. The reference year is the year in which the underlying household survey data was collected. In cases for which the data collection period bridged two calendar years, the first year in which data were collected is reported. The initial year refers to the nearest survey collected 5 years before the most recent survey available, only surveys collected between 3 and 7 years before the most recent survey are considered. The final year refers to the most recent survey available between 2011 and 2015. Growth rates for Iraq are based on survey means of 2005 PPP$. The coverage and quality of the 2011 PPP price data for Iraq and most other North African and Middle Eastern countries were hindered by the exceptional period of instability they faced at the time of the 2011 exercise of the International Comparison Program. See PovcalNet for detailed explanations.; ; World Bank, Global Database of Shared Prosperity (GDSP) circa 2010-2015 (http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/poverty/brief/global-database-of-shared-prosperity).; ; The comparability of welfare aggregates (consumption or income) for the chosen years T0 and T1 is assessed for every country. If comparability across the two surveys is a major concern for a country, the selection criteria are re-applied to select the next best survey year(s). Annualized growth rates are calculated between the survey years, using a compound growth formula. The survey years defining the period for which growth rates are calculated and the type of welfare aggregate used to calculate the growth rates are noted in the footnotes.

Dominican Republic DO: Multidimensional Poverty Headcount Ratio: Children: % of population aged 0-17 data was reported at 23.100 % in 2019. This records a decrease from the previous number of 26.700 % for 2018. Dominican Republic DO: Multidimensional Poverty Headcount Ratio: Children: % of population aged 0-17 data is updated yearly, averaging 35.550 % from Dec 2010 (Median) to 2019, with 10 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 44.700 % in 2010 and a record low of 23.100 % in 2019. Dominican Republic DO: Multidimensional Poverty Headcount Ratio: Children: % of population aged 0-17 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Dominican Republic – Table DO.World Bank.WDI: Social: Poverty and Inequality. ;Government statistical agencies. Data for EU countires are from the EUROSTAT;;

Since its recovery of macroeconomic stability in 1991, the Dominican Republic has experienced a period of notable economic growth. Poverty has declined in the 1990s. Nevertheless, a segment of the population-mainly in rural areas-does not seem to have benefited from this growth. Poverty in this country in 1998 is less than that of other countries if one adjusts for the level of economic development. The principal poverty characteristics are the following: Disparity in poverty levels in rural areas relative to the rest of the country. Destitution in the "bateyes," the communities arising near the sugar cane plantations, that are mainly composed of women, children, and the aged. Urban vulnerability to environmental problems while access to basic services is restricted. Vulnerability to natural disasters that destroy the means of production. Poverty is high among children--especially those who have abandoned formal education-female-headed households, and the aged-the latter due to lack of social safety nets and the absence of pension systems. There is a strong correlation between poverty and health indicators like the presence of malnutrition, and poverty and education, and poverty and the absence of basic services. Government transfers and foreign remittances play an important role in reducing poverty.

Dominican Republic Multidimensional Poverty Headcount Ratio: World Bank: % of total population data was reported at 2.000 % in 2022. This records an increase from the previous number of 1.800 % for 2021. Dominican Republic Multidimensional Poverty Headcount Ratio: World Bank: % of total population data is updated yearly, averaging 3.500 % from Dec 2010 (Median) to 2022, with 13 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 6.500 % in 2011 and a record low of 1.800 % in 2021. Dominican Republic Multidimensional Poverty Headcount Ratio: World Bank: % of total population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Dominican Republic – Table DO.World Bank.WDI: Social: Poverty and Inequality. The multidimensional poverty headcount ratio (World Bank) is the percentage of a population living in poverty according to the World Bank's Multidimensional Poverty Measure. The Multidimensional Poverty Measure includes three dimensions – monetary poverty, education, and basic infrastructure services – to capture a more complete picture of poverty.;World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income economies are mostly from the Luxembourg Income Study database. For more information and methodology, please see http://pip.worldbank.org.;;The World Bank’s internationally comparable poverty monitoring database now draws on income or detailed consumption data from more than 2000 household surveys across 169 countries. See the Poverty and Inequality Platform (PIP) for details (www.pip.worldbank.org).

Abstract

The World Bank is interested in gauging the views of clients and partners who are either involved in development in the Dominican Republic or who observe activities related to social and economic development. The World Bank Country Assessment Survey is meant to give the World Bank's team that works in the Dominican Republic, greater insight into how the Bank's work is perceived. This is one tool the World Bank uses to assess the views of its critical stakeholders. With this understanding, the World Bank hopes to develop more effective strategies, outreach and programs that support development in the Dominican Republic. The World Bank commissioned an independent firm to oversee the logistics of this effort in the Dominican Republic.

This survey was designed to achieve the following objectives:

• Assist the World Bank in gaining a better understanding of how stakeholders in the Dominican Republic perceive the Bank;

• Obtain systematic feedback from stakeholders in the Dominican Republic regarding: · Their views regarding the general environment in the Dominican Republic; · Their overall attitudes toward the World Bank in the Dominican Republic; · Overall impressions of the World Bank's effectiveness and results, knowledge and research, and communication and information sharing in the Dominican Republic; and · Perceptions of the World Bank's future role in the Dominican Republic.

• Use data to help inform the Dominican Republic country team's strategy.

Geographic coverage

National

Analysis unit

Stakeholder

Universe

Stakeholders of the World Bank in the Dominican Republic

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

In January 2013, 505 stakeholders of the World Bank in the Dominican Republic were invited to provide their opinions on the Bank's assistance to the country by participating in a country survey. Participants in the survey were drawn from among the office of the President; the office of the Vice President; the office of a Minister; the office of the Congress; the judiciary branch; employees of a ministry, ministerial department, or implementation agency; local government officials or staff; independent government institutions; consultants/contractors working on World Bank-supported projects/programs; project management units (PMUs) overseeing implementation of a project; private sector organizations; private foundations; the financial sector/private banks; the media; NGOs; community-based organizations (CBOs); trade unions; faith-based groups; academia/research institutes/think tanks; bilateral agencies; and multilateral agencies.

Mode of data collection

Mail Questionnaire [mail]

Research instrument

The Questionnaire consists of 8 Sections:

A. General Issues facing the Dominican Republic: Respondents were asked to indicate whether the Dominican Republic was headed in the right or wrong direction, the most important development priorities, and which areas would contribute most to reducing poverty and generating economic growth in the Dominican Republic.

B. Overall Attitudes toward the World Bank: Respondents were asked to rate their familiarity with the World Bank, the Bank's effectiveness in the Dominican Republic, Bank staff preparedness, the extent to which the Bank should seek to influence the global development agenda, agreement with various statements regarding the Bank's work, and the extent to which the Bank is an effective development partner. Respondents were also asked to indicate the sectoral areas on which it would be most productive for the Bank to focus its resources, the Bank's greatest values and greatest weaknesses in its work, the most effective instruments in helping to reduce poverty in the Dominican Republic, with which groups the Bank should work more, and how they attribute slow or failed reform efforts.

C. World Bank Effectiveness and Results: Respondents were asked to rate the Bank's level of effectiveness across thirty-two development areas, the extent to which the Bank's work helps achieve sustainable development results, and the extent to which the Bank meets the Dominican Republic's needs for financial instruments and knowledge services.

D. The World Bank's Knowledge Work and Activities (i.e., Analysis, Studies, Research, Data, Reports, Conferences): Respondents were asked to indicate how frequently they consult Bank knowledge work and activities in the work they do, the areas on which the Bank should focus its knowledge work and activities, and to rate the effectiveness and quality of the Bank's knowledge work and activities, including how significant a contribution it makes to development results and its technical quality.

E. Working with the World Bank: Respondents were asked to rate their agreement with a series of statements regarding working with the Bank, such as the Bank disbursing funds promptly.

F. The Future Role of the World Bank in the Dominican Republic: Respondents were asked to rate how significant a role the Bank should play in the Dominican Republic's development in the near future and to indicate what the Bank should do to make itself of greater value.

G. Communication and Information Sharing: Respondents were asked to indicate how they get information about economic and social development issues, how they prefer to receive information from the Bank, their access to the Internet, and their usage and evaluation of the Bank's website. Respondents were asked about their awareness of the Bank's Access to Information policy, past information requests from the Bank, and their level of agreement that they use more data from the World Bank as a result of the Bank's Open Data policy. Respondents were also asked to indicate their level of agreement that they know how to find information from the Bank and that the Bank is responsive to information requests.

H. Background Information: Respondents were asked to indicate their current position, specialization, whether they professionally collaborate with the World Bank, their exposure to the Bank in the Dominican Republic, and their geographic location.

Response rate

A total of 275 stakeholders participated in the country survey (54%).

Dominican Republic DO: Poverty Gap at $1.90 a Day: 2011 PPP: % data was reported at 0.400 % in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 0.500 % for 2015. Dominican Republic DO: Poverty Gap at $1.90 a Day: 2011 PPP: % data is updated yearly, averaging 1.300 % from Dec 1986 (Median) to 2016, with 22 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3.400 % in 1989 and a record low of 0.400 % in 2016. Dominican Republic DO: Poverty Gap at $1.90 a Day: 2011 PPP: % data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Dominican Republic – Table DO.World Bank.WDI: Poverty. Poverty gap at $1.90 a day (2011 PPP) is the mean shortfall in income or consumption from the poverty line $1.90 a day (counting the nonpoor as having zero shortfall), expressed as a percentage of the poverty line. This measure reflects the depth of poverty as well as its incidence. As a result of revisions in PPP exchange rates, poverty rates for individual countries cannot be compared with poverty rates reported in earlier editions.; ; World Bank, Development Research Group. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income economies are from the Luxembourg Income Study database. For more information and methodology, please see PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/index.htm).; ; The World Bank’s internationally comparable poverty monitoring database now draws on income or detailed consumption data from more than one thousand six hundred household surveys across 164 countries in six regions and 25 other high income countries (industrialized economies). While income distribution data are published for all countries with data available, poverty data are published for low- and middle-income countries and countries eligible to receive loans from the World Bank (such as Chile) and recently graduated countries (such as Estonia) only. The aggregated numbers for low- and middle-income countries correspond to the totals of 6 regions in PovcalNet, which include low- and middle-income countries and countries eligible to receive loans from the World Bank (such as Chile) and recently graduated countries (such as Estonia). See PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/WhatIsNew.aspx) for definitions of geographical regions and industrialized countries.

Dominican Republic DO: Poverty Headcount Ratio at $1.90 a Day: 2011 PPP: % of Population data was reported at 1.600 % in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1.900 % for 2015. Dominican Republic DO: Poverty Headcount Ratio at $1.90 a Day: 2011 PPP: % of Population data is updated yearly, averaging 4.500 % from Dec 1986 (Median) to 2016, with 22 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 13.400 % in 1989 and a record low of 1.600 % in 2016. Dominican Republic DO: Poverty Headcount Ratio at $1.90 a Day: 2011 PPP: % of Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Dominican Republic – Table DO.World Bank.WDI: Poverty. Poverty headcount ratio at $1.90 a day is the percentage of the population living on less than $1.90 a day at 2011 international prices. As a result of revisions in PPP exchange rates, poverty rates for individual countries cannot be compared with poverty rates reported in earlier editions.; ; World Bank, Development Research Group. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income economies are from the Luxembourg Income Study database. For more information and methodology, please see PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/index.htm).; ; The World Bank’s internationally comparable poverty monitoring database now draws on income or detailed consumption data from more than one thousand six hundred household surveys across 164 countries in six regions and 25 other high income countries (industrialized economies). While income distribution data are published for all countries with data available, poverty data are published for low- and middle-income countries and countries eligible to receive loans from the World Bank (such as Chile) and recently graduated countries (such as Estonia) only. The aggregated numbers for low- and middle-income countries correspond to the totals of 6 regions in PovcalNet, which include low- and middle-income countries and countries eligible to receive loans from the World Bank (such as Chile) and recently graduated countries (such as Estonia). See PovcalNet (http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/WhatIsNew.aspx) for definitions of geographical regions and industrialized countries.