Poverty Ranking in Europe: Where Ukraine Stands Among the Outsiders

Ukrainians have learned that regarding the level of poverty, they are not in the best position in Europe. Turkey, Bulgaria, and Romania top the list of countries with the highest level of financial difficulties, where about a third of the population faces this problem due to low wages and weak social support.

Poverty level in Ukraine / Photo: Shutterstock

Greece and Spain also have serious poverty issues — over a quarter of the population in these countries are experiencing financial difficulties arising from the financial crisis, and the problem of low youth employment is an additional complication for the economic well-being of the younger generation.

Ranking of Countries with the Highest and Lowest Level of Poverty

Turkey, Bulgaria, and Romania lead the list of countries with the highest level of poverty, followed by Spain, Lithuania, Latvia, and Italy. The best results in the fight against poverty have been shown by the Czech Republic, Slovenia, and the Netherlands, thanks to a successful strategy of combining high income and social protection programs.

Deterioration of the Situation in Ukraine

In the last two years, the number of poor Ukrainians has nearly doubled, according to World Bank data, increasing from 20% to 37%. This indicates a serious deterioration of the situation, even with an increase in the number of employed citizens. A quarter of the population is forced to cut back on food, which is higher than before.

Ukrainians, along with citizens of Turkey, Bulgaria, and Romania, need to seek ways to address the issue of poverty to improve the quality of life of their citizens and enhance the economic situation in the country.