BISHKEK — At least 1,557,000 people in Kyrgyzstan lived below the poverty line in 2016. Galina Samokhleb, head of the Department of Households Statistics of the National Statistical Committee announced today at a press conference.

Poverty in Kyrgyzstan

According to her, the National Statistical Committee conducted a selective integrated survey of the budgets of households and labour force, covering 5,016 households. The results of the survey showed that the level of poverty in 2016, calculated on consumer spending in the country, as a whole, was 25.4%. Compared to 2015, the indicator decreased by 6.7%.

The value rate of the total poverty line in 2016 was 31,151 soms in a year per capita, extreme poverty beeing 17,052 soms.

The study showed that the level of poverty in rural areas decreased by 4.6%, and in cities by 10.7%. 74% of the total number of people living below the poverty line are rural .

Poverty reduction in 2016 was noted in all settlements, except for Chui region. The number of poor people there increased by 5.5%.