Millions of Colombians are still desperately poor. The Covid-19 crisis had a devastating effect on the Colombian economy, undoing over a decade of gradual progress in reducing poverty. 

• Poverty: Of Colombia’s 51.27 million people, 39.3% live in poverty, rising to 44.6% in rural areas.
• Extreme Poverty: 12.2%, nearly 5 million people, live in extreme poverty, lacking even the essentials of life. This figure rises to __% in the countryside.
• Inequality: Colombia was found to be the most unequal country in Latin America, based on income distribution in 2021.

While average levels of poverty in Colombia are troublingly high, poverty is even higher among certain groups and regions. It is estimated that over 80% of Colombia’s millions of displaced people live in poverty. Afro-Colombian and indigenous people, women, people with disabilities and young people who have been in care are also disproportionately likely to be affected by poverty.