Peru’s poverty rate has decreased to just above 30 percent in 2010, but inequality appears to be increasing in the Andean country, the government said Thursday.
The National Statistics Institute, INEI, said Peru’s poverty rate in 2010 was 30.8 percent, compared to 58.5 percent in 2004, state news agency Andina reported.
INEI said that the poverty rate in urban centers is 20 percent, compared to 61 percent in rural areas. It said that extreme poverty decreased 2.2 points to 7.6 percent.
Nevertheless, the institute said there is certain evidence that Peru’s red hot economic growth has led to greater inequality. “A first look, without further analysis, it does indicate a greater gap in equity,” the INEI said, adding: “But it requires more analysis to determine the inequalities.”
Peru has had one of the world’s fastest growing economies over the past decade, thanks to fiscal stability and boosted by increases in commodity prices. Increased employment and income in the cities, however, has not spread to rural areas.
