Share of population at risk of poverty in Romania, among the highest in Europe

The share of the population at risk of poverty – defined by the national median disposable income and not in absolute terms or by comparison with other countries – in Romania (22.5%) is the second-highest in European Union (after Latvia), according to Eurostat.

The population at risk of poverty is defined as those with an equivalised disposable income (after social transfer) below the at-risk-of-poverty threshold, which is set at 60 % of the national median equivalised disposable income after social transfers.

Bulgaria, the Baltic states, Italy and Spain also have a share of the population at risk of poverty of above 20%.

The country with the lowest percentage of the population at risk of poverty is not among the wealthiest ones, but the Czech Republic, while Denmark – where the incomes are among the highest in Europe – features the largest share of the young population at risk of poverty.

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