The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) has recorded that the number of people living in poverty in Indonesia has reached 26.5 million as of September 2021.
The number is down 1.04 million people compared to March 2021.
“In terms of the percentage of Indonesia’s poor population as of September 2021, it is 9.71 percent, a decrease of 0.43 percent points compared to March 2021 and a decline of 0.48 percent points compared to September 2020,” said Head of BPS Margo Yuwono Monday 17th January.
Yuwono explained that, when compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019, the 9.71 percent poverty rate was even higher. However, the numbers have improved compared to 2020.
“If you see the trend is getting lower, then this is getting better. The government’s efforts to overcome the poverty problem are starting to be felt,” he explained.
Here is a list of provinces with the highest number of poor people, with a rate above the national average, based on Detik.com’s summary:
- Papua – 27.38 percent
- West Papua – 21.82 percent
- East Nusa Tenggara – 20.44 percent
- Maluku – 16.30 percent
- Aceh – 15.53 percent
- Gorontalo – 15.41 percent
- Bengkulu – 14.43 percent
- West Nusa Tenggara – 13.83 percent
- South Sumatra – 12.79 percent
- Central Sulawesi – 12.18 percent
- DI Yogyakarta – 11.91 percent
- West Sulawesi – 11.85 percent
- Southeast Sulawesi – 11.74 percent
- Lampung – 11.67 percent
- Central Java – 11.25 percent
- East Java – 10.59 percent