Poverty has been a growing problem in America, and will most likely never stop being a problem. Someone who is identified as poor lives below the poverty line determined by the federal government. In 2015, the poverty line for a family of four was $24,250. These are the people who are truly considered poor. Poverty is not just a problem in the United States; in fact, other countries struggle just as much, if not more, than the United States. Many people struggle to stay above the government's poverty line, as evidenced by the fact that the percentage of poor people in America has not changed dramatically over the years. However, it is possible to get out of poverty and, ultimately, stay out of it. People always say they are so poor, but they really know the meaning of being poor. People living below the poverty line are those considered poor by the government. There are many people suffering from poverty. Census Bureau articles state: “In 2014, the official poverty rate was 14.8%. There were 46.7 million people in poverty” (“2014 Highlights”). The percentage may not seem like much, but it is only those below the poverty line. There are many people who suffer just above the line or who go back and forth. Another 1.9 billion people live just above and struggle to make ends meet. (Lusted) Some even live in extreme poverty. Extreme poverty is that of those who cannot even have water, food, shelter and clothing. (Lusted) As for anyone in poverty, however, their lifespan decreases because these people do not have the money for adequate healthcare and nutrition. For a person in the 48 states excluding Hawaii and Alaska, the poverty threshold is set at $11,770. As you add more people to the family, t...... middle of paper ......conditions in an inner city or rural community in the United States” (8). In most African countries, more than 50% of people live below the poverty line. For example, Lusted states: “In developing regions, extreme poverty is usually defined as earning less than $1.25 a day. In the United States, extreme poverty means earning less than half the official poverty line” (10). But Africa is not the only country struggling with the poor. Merino's Poverty and Homelessness writes: “...3.7% in Denmark, 5% in Finland, 5.5% in Norway, 6.9 in Slovenia, 7% in Sweden, 7.2% [in] Hungary, 8.3% in Germany, 8.8% in the Czech Republic, 9.3% in France, 9.4% in Switzerland” (32). Poverty is a struggle around the world and thousands of people die every day due to a lack of the basic necessities of life.