Poverty and living standards in Zacapa, Guatemala: official figures

52.6% of people in Zacapa lived in poverty in the 2023 ENCOVI (national: 56.0%), 10th lowest of 22 departments.

Poverty rate (ENCOVI 2023)

52.6%

2023

What is the extreme poverty rate in Zacapa?

13.5% of people in Zacapa lived in extreme poverty in 2023 (national: 16.2%), 10th highest of 22.

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

How deep is poverty in Zacapa?

The 2023 ENCOVI puts the poverty gap in Zacapa at 21.3%, 10th highest 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 Zacapa?

The poverty severity index in Zacapa was 10.9% in 2023, 10th 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 Zacapa?

The Gini coefficient of consumption in Zacapa was 0.41 in 2023, 2nd most unequal of 22.

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

How many poor people in Zacapa are in extreme poverty?

Extreme poverty accounts for 26% of the poverty rate in Zacapa; in the country as a whole the share is 29% (ENCOVI 2023).

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

How Zacapa compares with other departments

Poverty rate (ENCOVI) (2023)

Zacapa ranks 13 of 22, highest first.

Rank	Region	Poverty rate (ENCOVI)
10	Chiquimula	59.6%
11	Suchitepequez	53.7%
12	San Marcos	53.7%
13	Zacapa	52.6%
14	Retalhuleu	50.9%
15	Peten	50.6%
16	Izabal	50.5%

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

Extreme poverty rate (ENCOVI) (2023)

Zacapa ranks 10 of 22, highest first.

Rank	Region	Extreme poverty rate (ENCOVI)
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%
13	Peten	8.4%

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

Poverty gap (ENCOVI) (2023)

Zacapa ranks 10 of 22, highest first.

Rank	Region	Poverty gap (ENCOVI)
7	Santa Rosa	29.0%
8	Chiquimula	29.0%
9	Totonicapan	23.2%
10	Zacapa	21.3%
11	Solola	21.2%
12	Izabal	19.5%
13	Suchitepequez	18.5%

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

Gini coefficient of consumption (ENCOVI) (2023)

Zacapa ranks 2 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 Zacapa: 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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