What is difference between Absolute Poverty and Relative Poverty?

Absolute Poverty-  The total number of people actually living below the poverty line .

Relative Poverty- When poverty is compared to a certain region,country etc it is called relative poverty.

 relative poverty is calculated on the basis of income earned by the individuals whereas absolute poverty is the actual number of people living below poverty line

relative poverty changes frequently from one area to another as compared to absolute poverty

absolute poverty is better for the calculation of poor as it gives the exact idea of the people living below the poverty line and it follows the criteria of poverty line for differentiation among the people as poor and non-poor...

Relative Poverty: 1. It refers to poverty of people relative to other people,regions or nations.

2. When we say India is relatively poor,then it means it is in comparision with other country according to the percapita income.

3. Within India,relative poverty is calculated by the help of LORENZ curve and Ginni Co-efficient.

4. India is relatively one of the poorest countries as well as its percapita income is less than one dollar per day.

Absolute Poverty: 1. It refers to the total number of people below the poverty line.

2. This concept has relevance for less developed countries and no relevance with other developed countries.

3. Within India,absolute poverty is calculated with the help of poverty line.

4. In India,25 % of the population is absolutely poor.

absolute poverty is the condition in which people are unable to fulfill their basic needs. whereas relative poverty is the condition in which people can maintain their living standard but their income is low or living standard ia low in comparision to rest of the society.