nevertheless all countries with available data were subsequently able to reduce poverty rates for example in azerbaijan the poverty rate fell from per cent in to per cent in and in kazakhstan the rate fell from per cent in to per cent in nevertheless the highest poverty gap ratios can be observed for least developed countries indicating pockets of extreme poverty among the poorest and most vulnerable countries in the region the poverty gap ratios are the highest in bangladesh at per cent in the lao peoples democratic republic at per cent in and india at per cent in whereas for countries in north and central asia ratios are generally very low except georgia inequality not only diminishes the povertyreducing impact of economic growth but also deprives hundreds of millions of people access to the means to develop their economic potential by denying them adequate health care education energy credit land and so forth