From 2017 to 2021, the share of households living under the poverty line in Venezuela has been surpassing 90 percent. In addition, more than six out of every ten households (67.97 percent) lived in extreme poverty in 2021. The overall household poverty rate in Venezuela has registered a steady growth from 2014 to 2019, after having remained relatively stable, below 40 percent, since 2005. Although poverty is widespread among the population as a whole, some groups are more vulnerable than others. That is the case of younger generations and particularly children: 98.03 percent of Venezuelans aged 15 or younger lived in poverty in 2021. An economy in disarray Venezuela, the country with the largest oil reserves in the world and whose economy has been largely dependent on oil revenues for decades, was once one of the most prosperous countries in Latin America. Today, hyperinflation and an astronomic public debt are only some of the many pressing concerns that affect the domestic economy. The socio-economic consequences of the crisis As a result of the economic recession, more than half of the population in every state in Venezuela lives in extreme poverty. This issue is particularly noteworthy in the states of Amazonas, Monagas, and Falcón, where the extreme poverty rate hovers over 80 percent. Such alarming levels of poverty, together with persistent food shortages, provoked a rapid increase in undernourishment, which was estimated at 17.9 percent between 2020 and 2022. The combination of humanitarian crisis, political turmoil and economic havoc led to the Venezuelan refugee and migrant crisis. As of 2020, more than five million Venezuelans had fled their home country, with neighboring Colombia being the main country of destination.

Amazonas, a sparsely populated state located in the southern part of Venezuela, is the region with the highest poverty rate in Venezuela. In 2021, 99 percent of the population in Amazonas state was considered to live below the poverty line. Yaracuy and Sucre were other Venezuelan states that registered the highest poverty rates that year, both above 97 percent. More than half of households in Venezuela are estimated to be under extreme poverty.

VE: Poverty Headcount Ratio at National Poverty Lines: % of Population data was reported at 33.100 % in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 29.500 % for 2014. VE: Poverty Headcount Ratio at National Poverty Lines: % of Population data is updated yearly, averaging 33.100 % from Dec 1997 (Median) to 2015, with 19 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 55.600 % in 1997 and a record low of 26.400 % in 2009. VE: 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 Venezuela – Table VE.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.

Venezuela poverty rate for 2006 was 43.30%, a 12.4% decline from 2005.

<ul style='margin-top:20px;'>

<li>Venezuela poverty rate for 2005 was <strong>55.70%</strong>, a <strong>10% decline</strong> from 2004.</li>
<li>Venezuela poverty rate for 2004 was <strong>65.70%</strong>, a <strong>5.1% decline</strong> from 2003.</li>
<li>Venezuela poverty rate for 2003 was <strong>70.80%</strong>, a <strong>6.1% increase</strong> from 2002.</li>
</ul>Poverty headcount ratio at $5.50 a day is the percentage of the population living on less than $5.50 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.

In 202!, the age group with the lowest poverty rate in Venezuela was among those aged 65 or older, with a share of 90.61 percent of this group living under the poverty line. In comparison, the highest poverty rate was registered among Venezuelans younger than 15, at 98.03 percent.

Since 2017, the share of households living under the poverty line in Venezuela has been surpassing 90 percent. In addition, more than six out of every ten households (67.97 percent) lived in extreme poverty in 2021. The overall household poverty rate in Venezuela has registered a steady growth from 2014 to 2019, after having remained relatively stable, below 40 percent, since 2005. Although poverty is widespread among the population as a whole, some groups are more vulnerable than others. That is the case of younger generations and particularly children: 98.03 percent of Venezuelans aged 15 or younger lived in poverty in 2021.

The poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines in Venezuela increased by 3.6 percentage points (+12.2 percent) compared to the previous year. In total, the poverty headcount ratio amounted to 33.1 percent in 2015. The poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines refers to the share of the population living in poverty, based on parameters set by local, regional, or national governments.

Venezuela VE: IMF Account: Fund Position: USD: UFC: Outstanding Loans: Structural Adj. Facility, Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility & Trust Fund data was reported at 0.000 USD mn in Jun 2018. This stayed constant from the previous number of 0.000 USD mn for Mar 2018. Venezuela VE: IMF Account: Fund Position: USD: UFC: Outstanding Loans: Structural Adj. Facility, Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility & Trust Fund data is updated quarterly, averaging 0.000 USD mn from Mar 1945 (Median) to Jun 2018, with 294 observations. Venezuela VE: IMF Account: Fund Position: USD: UFC: Outstanding Loans: Structural Adj. Facility, Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility & Trust Fund data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by International Monetary Fund. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Venezuela – Table VE.IMF.IFS: IMF Account: Fund Position: Quarterly.

Contains data from the World Bank's data portal. There is also a consolidated country dataset on HDX.

Aid effectiveness is the impact that aid has in reducing poverty and inequality, increasing growth, building capacity, and accelerating achievement of the Millennium Development Goals set by the international community. Indicators here cover aid received as well as progress in reducing poverty and improving education, health, and other measures of human welfare.

In Venezuela, as of 2023, the food insecurity index has been highest among the population who expressed concerns about running out of food, registering at 82 percent. This group was followed by those who reported compromising their diet by eating less healthy food and experiencing variations in their food consumption.

In Venezuela, as of 2021, the food insecurity rate, characterized by an individual's insufficient access to safe and nourishing food necessary for healthy growth and development, was most pronounced in the state of Trujillo, standing at a staggering 99.3 percent.

In 2021, Venezuela was at the bottom three in the gender gap index out of 26 Latin American countries. Venezuela scored 0.2 in the area of political empowerment, which shows a gender gap of approximately 80 percent (women are 80 percent less likely than men to have equal opportunities in political participation). The overall gender gap index score of Venezuela is at 0.699.

In the timeframe presented, there has been a general increase in the minimum wages in Venezuela. From April 2019 to May 2021, the minimum wage increased 17,500 percent. Since October 2021, the monetary expression of the Venezuelan bolivar changed by removing six zeros from the currency.

The prevalence of undernourishment in Venezuela reached 17.6 percent in the three-year period between 2021 and 2023. The figure decreased 0.3 percentage points compared to the previous period, when 17.9 percent of Venezuelans faced nourishment difficulties.

The average inflation rate in Venezuela was estimated at approximately 48.98 percent in 2024. Between 1980 and 2024, the inflation rose by around 27.62 percentage points, though the increase followed an uneven trajectory rather than a consistent upward trend. From 2024 to 2026, the inflation will increase by about 176.02 percentage points.This indicator measures inflation based upon the year-on-year change in the average consumer price index, expressed in percent. The latter expresses a country's average level of prices based on a typical basket of consumer goods and services.

The CNE (National Electoral Council) of Venezuela declared Nicolás Maduro the winner of the 2024 elections with 51 percent of the votes. Since 2013, this is the third time the official results give Maduro the presidency.

Poverty in Venezuela During the last few years, Venezuela has suffered from all sorts of shortages, from water and food to fuel and energy. In 2013, around 31 percent of households lived impoverished, by 2021, the figure was above 90 percent and around 68 percent were under the extreme poverty line. Food insecurity still plays an important role, during a 2022 survey, around 78 percent of Venezuelans were worried about running out of food. Venezuela also has the lowest minimum wage in Latin America, with a monthly salary lower than four U.S. dollars.

Not a positive economic outlook Despite having all to become one of the largest oil exporters in the world, the oil industry of Venezuela recorded more and more problems, including mismanagement of resources, production crises, and the increasing number of international sanctions. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Venezuela peaked in 2013, with over 372 billion U.S. dollars, to then plummet to 43.79 billion in 2020. The forecasts do not show signs of an economic recovery in the following years. Another of the main issues the Venezuela society faces is inflation, as of 2023, the country ranked with the highest inflation rate in Latin America with over 337 percent.

The state of Zulia, where the city of Maracaibo is located, is the most populated state in Venezuela. In 2021, 3.83 million people lived in Zulia. Miranda was the state with the second largest population, at around 2.97 million inhabitants. Delta Amacuro, which registered the highest poverty rate among other Venezuelan states, was one of the regions with the lowest number of inhabitants.

In 2021, Venezuela's Capital District, Caracas, was the federal entity with the highest share of households that had a computer, at 47.8 percent. It was followed by Mérida, with a computer ownership rate of 38.4 percent. In comparison, the state with the lowest rate of computer ownership among households was Falcón, with a share of 15.1 percent. More than nine of every ten Venezuelan households live in poverty.

In 2021, women were the head of most households in Venezuela, as it was reported that the national share of female household heads was 53.8 percent, compared to 46.2 percent of households with a male head. Among all Venezuelan states, Portuguesa registered the highest share of households led by women, with 69.6 percent. The state with the highest share of households led by men was Amazonas, with 66.1 percent. Women in Venezuela are more likely to live in poverty than men.

In the timeframe presented, there has been a general uptick in the average monthly salary for Venezuelan employees, peaking at ******* USD in July 2024.