Statistics: Below the poverty line is 29.4% of the Armenian population

ArmInfo. Below the poverty line  (including extremely poor), according to an objective assessment,  there are 29.4% of the population of Armenia, and according to the  subjective estimate - 16.6% (against 17% in 2008). Data was published  by the National Statistical Service of the Republic of Armenia on the  basis of results of 2016, based on the results of a survey of 16  households and older persons who assessed the level of well-being.

Of the respondents, 34.3% considered their well-being at the level of  average prosperity (against 43% in 2008), 45.8% - below the average  (against 35.6% in 2008), and 3.2% considered themselves to be  well-off (against 4,2% in 2008). Only 0.1% of the respondents were  rich (compared to 0.2% in 2008).

The majority of respondents - 34.3% and 23.7% - considered the  non-food tasks and the housing issue as primary. For 11.6% of  respondents, the priority issue of livelihoods is food. 8.4% of  respondents consider medical care to be the primary one, and for 3.1%  the main issue is to give children the opportunity to get proper  education.

When asked how much a citizen should receive per month in order to  live very well, well, or make ends meet, the respondents named the  following respective amounts of 655060 drams ($ 1363), 347234 drams  ($ 723) and 120523 drams ($ 251).

Regarding the expectations for welfare improvement, 39.6% of  respondents believe that nothing depends on them and the government  should provide them with jobs and good conditions, and 19.3% of  respondents have no plans at all. 12.3% of respondents are in search  of profitable work in Armenia, and only 1.1% want to establish their  own business in Armenia.

On the question in which direction the life of the new generation  will change, 31.5% of the respondents answered - "for the worst",  23.2% - "for the best," 19.7% - "nothing will change," and 25.6%  found it difficult to answer.

According to statistical data, as of October 1, 2017 the population  of Armenia was 2.980 million people, against 3.238 million people at  the end of 2008. The unemployment rate at the end of 2008 was 6.3%,  reaching 17.8% by July 1, 2017. In 2016, the unemployment rate in the  country was 18% according to official statistics, against 18.5% in  2015, 17.6% in 2014, and 16.2% in 2013. As of July 1, 2017, 36.7% of  the total population was employed in the Armenian economy (against  34.6% in 2008).

The poverty level in Armenia, according to the forecasts of the World  Bank, will decrease in 2017-2018 to 24.1-23.2%, against 24.9% in 2016  and 25.6% in 2015. The Central Bank of Armenia has improved the  forecast for the unemployment rate for 2017 - 17.9%, followed by an  annual decline in the medium term by 0.3-0.5%.