Table II.3 also shows that only seven sub-Saharan African countries had poverty rates below 25 per cent in 2005,5 up from two (Cote d’Ivoire and Gabon) in 1981. In general, countries with extremely high poverty levels also trail behind in respect of a number of demographic and social indicators such as life expectancy at birth, infant mortality, and childrens school enrolment and completion rates. Although these declines are encouraging, they still leave a large proportion of the total population living in extreme poverty, and all 19 countries face major challenges in meeting the 2015 Millennium Development Goal target.