12% of Americans live either at or below the poverty level! Which countries in the world has less than this?

Answer 1

The real question is how poverty is measured. In the US it is statistical tool. Many "poor people" in the US would have been considered to have "middle class" life styles in the past. Many "poor people" in the US would clearly be considered middle class in most other countries including western Europe.

Here are some facts:
-In 2001 over 1/2 of poverty level house holds had cable TV and 2 or more televisions
- 3 of 4 at least 1 VCR or DVD player
- most own 2 cars

Don't get caught up in the hype. At least one major political party is invested in making as many people as possible believe they are in abject poverty. And then trying to make the rest of us feel guilty about it.

What does this prove? Capitalism works. It brings the greatest amount of prosperity to the greatest number of people.

Answer 2

We have the highest standards for what is considered poor. America is the only country in the world one can be considered poor and still own a car and a home. Adjusted to most international standards we have the lowest poverty rates in the world.

Answer 3

Brazil has 45% of it's people below the poverty level
A huge "Income Gap". There are wealthy people there but also is terrible poverty - like the street children in Rio de Janeiro. There are 500 of them murdered a year and virtually no prosecutions.

Answer 4

There are 13 countries lower than the Unites States. Some of them will surprise you (Mexico is lower, for example), although it should be noted that the definition of "poverty line" varies from nation to nation. Here is the complete list:


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_percentage_of_population_living_in_poverty

Answer 5

Any of the 17 countries that are above the U.S. on the list, such as Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Sweden etc.

Answer 6

most western european countries