The proportion of a population considered to be living in extreme
poverty depends on the income level set for its definition. The UN
level is the local equivalent (that is, the purchasing power parity) of
$2.15 per day (since September 2022). If countries adopt differing
definitions, the proportions become less consistent. For example, in
South Africa, where poverty levels are adjusted annually to account
for inflation, the level for extreme poverty in 2019 was set at R561 per
individual per month (equivalent to approximately $1.10 to $1.30
per day, depending on the prevailing exchange rate). This has made
it difficult to present an accurate, globally comparative statement
of extreme poverty in Africa, but we do know that about 82% of
people living at this level on the continent are found in rural areas,
where their livelihoods are dependent mainly on subsistence agri
culture.