A level of income below which people are deemed poor. A global poverty line of $1 per person per day was suggested in 1990 (World Bank 1990). This line facilitates comparison of how many poor people there are in different countries. But, it is only a crude estimate because the line does not recognize differences in the buying power of money in different countries, and, more significantly, because it does not recognize other aspects of poverty than the material, or income poverty.

The level of annual income below which a household is defined to be living in poverty. This is defined differently by different governments and institutions and, in spite of the great importance of its intent, is not in fact very meaningful.

The officially established income level that distinguishes the poor from the nonpoor. It is set at three times the cost of the Department of Agriculture's minimum food budget.

Individuals living in poverty are defined as those who do not have enough resources to meet their basic needs of food, shelter, water, and clothing. Although the actual numerical value of the poverty line varies by country, people living in poverty will be understood for this competition as those who earn less than US$2/day.

a government tool used to measure how many Americans live in poverty.