Since so much is being made these days about incomes around the world and the "fact" that the United States is not treating its people properly, especially those living below the so-called POVERTY LEVEL, I thought you might find this information interesting.
The United States Poverty Level for 2004 is set at $18,400 for a family of four.
A fact that startled me was discovering that our (USA) poverty level is above the per capita income of THE BOTTOM 122 NATIONS ON THIS PLANET. In other words, our poverty level is $18,400 per family of four (or $4,600 per capita per person). If you look at the listing below you will find that only the first 50 out of 172 nations have a per capita income above OUR POVERTY LEVEL. Chile is ranked 51st with a national per capita income of $4508.02 per person. That means that the average of ALL CHILEANS have incomes below our poverty level.
And our Socialist/Democrats are trying to make us believe that the United States is doing very badly by its people. Do those people want us to go the route of Chile? By leveling the playing field (from lowering our incomes) that is what will eventually happen.
Many have openly admired modern India but if you look closely you will find India's per capita income at $454.41 per person. Take a peek at Indonesia, the world's most populated Muslim nation. We find it at $617.30 per person. Remember that compares with the USA at $33684.34. I've been waiting for years for someone to tell me how Socialism is better than Capitalism. How long should I have to wait?
Let's take a look at the Muslim and/or African countries who are ranked in the last 122, everyone of them listed below UNDER OUR POVERTY LEVEL.
Especially pay attention to this one which I removed because it is neither Muslim or African. China at $878.02 per person is still one of the poorest nations on earth. God help us if they ever climb into the top 50. They will dominate the world if that happens and the likelihood is very good within the next 25 years, certainly within 50 years. Their goal is for the 21st century to be the CENTURY OF THE ASIAN PACIFIC RIM and they consider themselves the leader of that movement.
Here is the list of Muslim/African nations who are living below our poverty level of $4600 per capita as designated by the US government. Forgive my errors since I didn't take the time to check the location of all of them and depended on my memory. Hopefully, there aren't very many errors.
4. Ethiopia $100.28 per person
5. Burundi $113.57 per person
6. Sierra Leone $120.96 per person
7. Liberia $138.40 per person
8. Guinea-Bissau $146.42 per person
9. Malawi $146.44 per person
10. Eritrea $155.64 per person
11. Tajikistan $160.49 per person
12. Chad $172.09 per person
13. Niger $179.15 per person
14. Burkina Faso $191.37 per person
15. Mali $215.56 per person
16. Mozambique $217.41 per person
18. Uganda $231.28 per person
20. Rwanda $241.84 per person
21. Sao Tome and Principe $243.25 per person
22. Madagascar $246.98 per person
23. Bhutan $247.18 per person
24. Cambodia $254.43 per person
25. Tanzania $261.97 per person
26. Central African Republic $271.08 per person
27. Nigeria $277.34 per person
28. Sudan $280.80 per person
29. Ghana $280.88 per person
31. Gambia, The $283.95 per person
32. Zambia $322.89 per person
34. Kenya $336.85 per person
35. Mauritania $343.15 per person
37. Comoros $345.79 per person
39. Guinea $347.61 per person
40. Bangladesh $351.15 per person
42. Pakistan $398.46 per person
44. Senegal $448.15 per person
46. Zimbabwe $490.13 per person
50. Cameroon $555.06 per person
52. Lesotho $590.25 per person
53. Cote d'Ivoire $604.77 per person
54. Indonesia $617.30 per person
55. Angola $622.98 per person
57. Equatorial Guinea $640.69 per person
58. Armenia $652.95 per person
59. Azerbaijan $672.79 per person
68. Syria $981.51 per person
71. Turkmenistan $1076.90 per person
72. Morocco $1094.42 per person
HERE IS THE LIST OF THE TOP 100 NATIONS IN PER CAPITA INCOME. NOTE WHEN YOU GET TO NUMBER 51. THAT IS WHERE THEY ALL DROP BELOW OUR POVERTY LEVEL OF $4,600.
World Economy: Gross National Income (per capita) (Top 100 Countries)
Country Description Amount
1. Luxembourg $38689.35 per person
2. Switzerland $37848.57 per person
3. Japan $35530.54 per person
4. Norway $35414.79 per person
5. United States $33684.34 per person
6. Denmark $30458.45 per person
7. Iceland $29033.26 per person
8. Sweden $25455.94 per person
9. United Kingdom $24627.81 per person
10. Netherlands $24147.84 per person
11. Austria $23814.73 per person
12. Belgium $23811.63 per person
13. Finland $23695.83 per person
14. Germany $23544.16 per person
15. France $22931.00 per person
16. Ireland $22357.91 per person
17. Brunei $21652.50 per person
18. Canada $21175.44 per person
19. United Arab Emirates $19802.30 per person
20. Australia $19562.14 per person
21. Italy $19310.89 per person
22. Singapore $19271.00 per person
23. Israel $17493.57 per person
24. Kuwait $17111.75 per person
25. French Polynesia $15502.68 per person
26. Bahamas, The $15236.97 per person
27. New Caledonia $15192.76 per person
28. Spain $14620.53 per person
29. New Zealand $12907.15 per person
30. Cyprus $12145.56 per person
31. Greece $11344.47 per person
32. Bahrain $10860.12 per person
33. Puerto Rico $10821.76 per person
34. Portugal $10789.91 per person
35. Slovenia $10046.78 per person
36. Barbados $9427.79 per person
37. Antigua and Barbuda $9232.08 per person
38. Malta $9082.78 per person
39. Saint Kitts and Nevis $7708.11 per person
40. Saudi Arabia $7450.44 per person
41. Trinidad and Tobago $7071.84 per person
42. Argentina $6711.26 per person
43. Palau $6705.68 per person
44. Seychelles $6687.77 per person
45. Uruguay $5621.88 per person
46. Oman $5306.35 per person
47. Czech Republic $5298.92 per person
48. Mexico $5242.68 per person
49. Hungary $4893.93 per person
50. Lebanon $4717.38 per person
Economy: Gross National Income (per capita) (Bottom 72 Countries) starting with the worst first:
NOTE: Figures for Libya, Somalia and Iraq were not available.
Country - Amount
1. Libya $0 per person
2. Somalia $0 per person
3. Iraq $0 per person
4. Ethiopia $100.28 per person
5. Burundi $113.57 per person
6. Sierra Leone $120.96 per person
7. Liberia $138.40 per person
8. Guinea-Bissau $146.42 per person
9. Malawi $146.44 per person
10. Eritrea $155.64 per person
11. Tajikistan $160.49 per person
12. Chad $172.09 per person
13. Niger $179.15 per person
14. Burkina Faso $191.37 per person
15. Mali $215.56 per person
16. Mozambique $217.41 per person
17. Nepal $220.26 per person
18. Uganda $231.28 per person
19. Togo $235.50 per person
20. Rwanda $241.84 per person
21. Sao Tome and Principe $243.25 per person
22. Madagascar $246.98 per person
23. Bhutan $247.18 per person
24. Cambodia $254.43 per person
25. Tanzania $261.97 per person
26. Central African Republic $271.08 per person
27. Nigeria $277.34 per person
28. Sudan $280.80 per person
29. Ghana $280.88 per person
30. Kyrgyzstan $282.16 per person
31. Gambia, The $283.95 per person
32. Zambia $322.89 per person
33. Moldova $327.21 per person
34. Kenya $336.85 per person
35. Mauritania $343.15 per person
36. Benin $344.22 per person
37. Comoros $345.79 per person
38. Nicaragua $347.60 per person
39. Guinea $347.61 per person
40. Bangladesh $351.15 per person
41. Mongolia $354.88 per person
42. Pakistan $398.46 per person
43. Vietnam $401.36 per person
44. Senegal $448.15 per person
45. India $454.41 per person
46. Zimbabwe $490.13 per person
47. Solomon Islands $496.09 per person
48. Haiti $518.45 per person
49. Uzbekistan $531.94 per person
50. Cameroon $555.06 per person
51. Papua New Guinea $571.41 per person
52. Lesotho $590.25 per person
53. Cote d'Ivoire $604.77 per person
54. Indonesia $617.30 per person
55. Angola $622.98 per person
56. Georgia $627.22 per person
57. Equatorial Guinea $640.69 per person
58. Armenia $652.95 per person
59. Azerbaijan $672.79 per person
60. Ukraine $732.17 per person
61. Kiribati $781.89 per person
62. Sri Lanka $831.27 per person
63. China $878.02 per person
64. Honduras $889.01 per person
65. Guyana $912.74 per person
66. Bolivia $940.14 per person
67. Philippines $955.38 per person
68. Syria $981.51 per person
69. Ecuador $1018.06 per person
70. Vanuatu $1063.59 per person
71. Turkmenistan $1076.90 per person
72. Morocco $1094.42 per person
Overview
More than one-third of children in the United States live in low-income families, [1] meaning their parents earn up to double what is considered poverty in this country. The federal poverty level for a family of four (2004) is $18,850.[2]
16% of American children-more than 11 million-lived in poor families in 2002, meaning their parents' income was at or below the federal poverty level. These parents are typically unable to provide their families with basic necessities like stable housing and reliable child care.
37% of American children-more than 26 million-lived in low-income families in 2002. Their parents made less than 200% of the federal poverty line (FPL). These families often face material hardships and financial pressures similar to those families who are officially counted as poor.
After a decade of decline, the rate of children living in low-income families is rising again, a trend that began in 2000.
Demographics of Children in Low-Income Families
Younger children [3] are more likely to live in low-income families.
42% of infants/toddlers-4.8 million-live in low-income families (poor: 2.2 million).
40% of preschool children-3.2 million (poor: 1.4 million)
40% of kindergarteners-1.5 million (poor: 0.6 million)
38% of school-age children-10.5 million (poor: 4.6 million)
32% of adolescents-6.2 million (poor: 2.4 million)
While the largest group of children in low-income families is white, black and Latino [4] children are significantly more likely to live in families with low incomes, and they account for the increase in low-income children.
58% of black children-5.8 million-lived in low-income families in 2002 (up 4% from 2001).
62% of Latino children-7.8 million (up 1% from 2001)
25% of white children-10.9 million (down 2% from 2001)
Common Misconceptions About Children in Low-Income Families
Most children in low-income families have parents who are employed full-time and year-round.
56% of all children in low-income families-14.6 million-have at least one parent who works full-time and year-round.
28% of children in low-income families-7.3 million-have at least one parent who works part-time or full-time, part year.
Just 16%-4.2 million-do not have an employed parent.
Two out of three children in low-income families live in either the South or the West.
In the Northeast and Midwest, children in urban areas are more likely to live in low-income families.
In the South and West, children in rural areas are more likely to live in low-income families.[5]
Government Programs Can Make a Difference
As low-income families increase their earnings, they rapidly lose eligibility for assistance like child care subsidies and heath benefits, the kinds of supports that enable parents to keep their jobs. This public assistance can help lift parents, and therefore children, into economic security.
Approximately 5 million people-roughly half of them children-are removed from poverty annually as a result of the federal Earned Income Tax Credit.[6] It is estimated that an additional 1.1 million children could be lifted out of poverty if such credits were adopted by all states.[7]
Endnotes
[1] Low-income is defined as twice the federal poverty level, or $37,700 for a family of four (2004). Estimates in this fact sheet were prepared by Ayana Douglas-Hall and Heather Koball of NCCP based on the Current Population Survey, March supplement 2003.
[2] The federal poverty threshold for a two-parent family of four in 2002 was $18,244. The estimates in this fact sheet are produced by using the 2002 threshold that is appropriate for the most up-to-date CPS data.
[3] Infants/toddlers are defined as 0 through 2 years old, preschool children are defined as 3 through 4 years old, kindergarteners are defined as 5 year olds, school-age children are defined as 6 through 12 years old, adolescents are defined as 13 through 17 years old
[4] Includes all Latinos, regardless of race.
[5] Current Population Survey, March supplement 2002.
[7] Bennett, N. G. & Lu, H. (2001). Untapped potential: State earned income credits and child poverty reduction (Child Poverty Research Brief No. 3). New York, NY: National Center for Children in Poverty, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.
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