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%.