12.7 percent of the population of Russia is below the poverty line. This most likely means that these people have no jobs, or their jobs pay very little. This will probably result in that the people will not spend as much, leading to a decline in the GDP. Because of these people, the GDP will most likely fall, not according to the production, but because of the spending. You have to remember that some of these people still have jobs and are producing. In 2012, the official poverty rate of the United States was 15 percent. There were 46.5 million people in poverty. The United States population under poverty line is higher. But why is their GDP still higher? Again it is because the people still have jobs and are contributing to the economy, they just are not paid well.