Poverty and living standards in West Papua, Indonesia: official figures
19.58% of people in West Papua lived below the poverty line in September 2025, 3rd highest of 38 provinces; the national poverty rate was 8.25%.
How many people live in poverty in West Papua?
About 102 thousand people in West Papua were poor in September 2025, joint 4th lowest of 38 provinces for the number of poor people (Indonesia: 23.36 million).
Source: Ministry of Health (Kemenkes), Secretariat General · saved copyWhat is the poverty line in West Papua?
The poverty line in West Papua was Rp 868,631 per person per month in September 2025, 8th highest of 38 provinces; the national line was Rp 641,443.
Source: Ministry of Health (Kemenkes), Secretariat General · saved copyIs poverty higher in rural or urban areas of West Papua?
Poverty in West Papua was 9.60% in cities and towns and 24.32% in rural areas in September 2025 (national: 6.60% urban, 10.72% rural).
Source: Ministry of Health (Kemenkes), Secretariat General · saved copyHow many poor people live in rural West Papua?
Of the 102 thousand poor people in West Papua in September 2025, 16 thousand lived in urban areas and 86 thousand in rural areas.
Source: Ministry of Health (Kemenkes), Secretariat General · saved copyHow deep is poverty in West Papua?
The poverty depth index in West Papua was 2.75 and the poverty severity index 0.58 in September 2025 (national: 1.29 and 0.30); the depth index is 8th highest of 38 provinces, and a higher value means the poor live further below the poverty line.
Source: Ministry of Health (Kemenkes), Secretariat General · saved copyHow unequal is West Papua?
The Gini index of spending inequality in West Papua was 0.383 in 2025 (0 is perfect equality, 1 is total inequality), joint 7th most unequal of 38 provinces; the national index was 0.363.
Source: Ministry of Health (Kemenkes), Secretariat General · saved copyIs inequality rising in West Papua?
Inequality in West Papua fell from 0.385 in 2024 to 0.383 in 2025; nationally the Gini index fell from 0.390 to 0.363.
Source: Ministry of Health (Kemenkes), Secretariat General · saved copyHow West Papua compares with other special autonomy provinces
Share of people below the poverty line (September 2025)
West Papua ranks 3 of 38, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Share of people below the poverty line |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Central Papua | 29.45% |
| 2 | Highland Papua | 27.21% |
| 3 | West Papua | 19.58% |
| 4 | South Papua | 19.26% |
| 5 | Papua | 17.82% |
| 6 | East Nusa Tenggara | 17.50% |
| 7 | Southwest Papua | 17.50% |
Gini index of spending inequality (2025)
West Papua ranks 8 of 38, highest first. 0 is perfect equality, 1 is total inequality
| Rank | Region | Gini index of spending inequality |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Papua | 0.397 |
| 6 | Riau Islands | 0.385 |
| 7 | Gorontalo | 0.383 |
| 8 | West Papua | 0.383 |
| 9 | West Nusa Tenggara | 0.364 |
| 10 | Southwest Papua | 0.361 |
| 11 | East Java | 0.359 |
Poverty depth index (P1) (September 2025)
West Papua ranks 8 of 38, highest first. How far the average poor person falls below the poverty line
| Rank | Region | Poverty depth index (P1) |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Southwest Papua | 3.21 |
| 6 | Maluku | 3.14 |
| 7 | East Nusa Tenggara | 2.89 |
| 8 | West Papua | 2.75 |
| 9 | Gorontalo | 2.40 |
| 10 | Aceh | 2.06 |
| 11 | West Sulawesi | 1.97 |
More on West Papua: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government budget · Indonesia
Sources
- Ministry of Health (Kemenkes), Secretariat General: Profil Kesehatan Indonesia 2025, Lampiran 1.8: Gini index by province, 2021-2025 (Susenas, Statistics Indonesia), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 d90b802535dc…)
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