Extreme Poverty in Sri Lanka: 1800 to Today (and Tomorrow)

To understand extreme poverty is to track the thin margin between survival and subsistence. These percentages are not merely economic indicators but the daily lived reality of millions, defining the material conditions of human existence. For those living below the international extreme poverty line of .15/day, 2017 PPP, life is shaped by a profound lack of basic resources. This data maps the distance between a baseline of scarcity and the stability required for a human life to truly flourish.

The historical arc of Sri Lanka reveals a persistent, centuries-long struggle. From the 1800s estimate 80 through the 1890s estimate 80, the rate remained largely static. A slow descent began in the 1910s estimate 78, accelerating through the 1990s 47.5 and the 2010s 25. By the 2020s 10, the landscape shifted dramatically. Projections suggest this momentum will continue, moving toward the 2030s projection 7.5 and eventually the 2100s projection 1.

An individual born in the 1850s estimate 80 faced a life statistically defined by severe resource constraint. In contrast, a child born in the 2050s projection 4.22 will navigate a vastly different economic environment. Currently, the nation stands at #115 of 157 countries. This trajectory represents the cumulative choices of generations, transitioning from a world where 80 % lived in extreme poverty in 1900 to a future of near-elimination.

Use the interactive tools below to calculate how your own life parallels these historical trends.