Extreme Poverty in Peru: 1800 to Today (and Tomorrow)

The numbers behind the Peruvian experience represent far more than abstract economic markers. They are the cumulative record of individual struggles, capturing the slow retreat of a reality defined by the most basic survival constraints. When we track extreme poverty, we are measuring the scarcity of the absolute necessities required for a secure life. The data reveals a profound transformation in the living conditions of millions, shifting from a baseline where 62.47 % of the population existed on the edge of subsistence to the current reality of 4 %.

The historical trajectory of Peru reflects a persistent, downward movement in extreme poverty. In the 1800s estimate, the percentage stood at 62.47. By 1900 it was 52.07 %. Throughout the twentieth century, this share eroded steadily, dropping to 27.97 % in the 1950s and 13.77 % in the 1980s. This arc of decline continued through the 2000s at 10.84 % and into the 2010s at 7.42 %. These shifts describe a society fundamentally altering its relationship with extreme scarcity over the course of two centuries.

To be born in Peru in the 1800s was to navigate an environment where extreme poverty was the overwhelming norm. Today, in the 2020s, Peru stands at 4 % — ranking #88 of 157 countries. Looking forward, projections suggest this figure will continue to compress, reaching 3 % in the 2030s and potentially 0.4 % by the 2100s projection. These statistical trends define the material horizon for generations. Explore the data to see where you rank among everyone ever born.