Poverty and living standards in Izabal, Guatemala: official figures

50.5% of people in Izabal lived in poverty in the 2023 ENCOVI (national: 56.0%), 7th lowest of 22 departments.

Poverty rate (ENCOVI 2023)

50.5%

2023

What is the extreme poverty rate in Izabal?

14.9% of people in Izabal lived in extreme poverty in 2023 (national: 16.2%), 9th highest of 22.

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copy

How deep is poverty in Izabal?

The 2023 ENCOVI puts the poverty gap in Izabal at 19.5%, 11th lowest of 22 departments; the gap measures how far the average poor household falls below the poverty line.

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copy

How severe is poverty in Izabal?

The poverty severity index in Izabal was 9.9% in 2023, 11th highest of 22 departments; it gives more weight to households furthest below the poverty line.

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copy

How unequal is Izabal?

The Gini coefficient of consumption in Izabal was 0.38 in 2023, joint 3rd most unequal of 22.

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copy

How many poor people in Izabal are in extreme poverty?

Extreme poverty accounts for 30% of the poverty rate in Izabal; in the country as a whole the share is 29% (ENCOVI 2023).

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copy

How Izabal compares with other departments

Poverty rate (ENCOVI) (2023)

Izabal ranks 16 of 22, highest first.

Rank	Region	Poverty rate (ENCOVI)
13	Zacapa	52.6%
14	Retalhuleu	50.9%
15	Peten	50.6%
16	Izabal	50.5%
17	Chimaltenango	47.8%
18	El Progreso	46.4%
19	Quetzaltenango	44.1%

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copy

Extreme poverty rate (ENCOVI) (2023)

Izabal ranks 9 of 22, highest first.

Rank	Region	Extreme poverty rate (ENCOVI)
6	Chiquimula	25.3%
7	Jutiapa	18.8%
8	Santa Rosa	16.2%
9	Izabal	14.9%
10	Zacapa	13.5%
11	Totonicapan	10.1%
12	Solola	8.8%

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copy

Poverty gap (ENCOVI) (2023)

Izabal ranks 12 of 22, highest first.

Rank	Region	Poverty gap (ENCOVI)
9	Totonicapan	23.2%
10	Zacapa	21.3%
11	Solola	21.2%
12	Izabal	19.5%
13	Suchitepequez	18.5%
14	Peten	16.6%
15	San Marcos	16.4%

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copy

Gini coefficient of consumption (ENCOVI) (2023)

Izabal ranks 4 of 22, highest first.

Rank	Region	Gini coefficient of consumption (ENCOVI)
1	Chiquimula	0.44
2	Zacapa	0.41
3	Alta Verapaz	0.38
4	Izabal	0.38
5	Jalapa	0.38
6	Guatemala	0.37
7	Baja Verapaz	0.37

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copy

More on Izabal: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · Guatemala

Sources

Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE): Encuesta Nacional de Condiciones de Vida (ENCOVI) 2023: Poverty and inequality (departmental maps for poverty, extreme poverty, poverty gap and severity, Gini, water, sanitation, electricity), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 df15ab3fe8b7…)

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