The study, Climate Volatility Deepens Poverty Vulnerability in Poor Countries, aims to help policy makers become more informed so they can devise strategies for fighting climate change and mobilizing development resources.

'Barriers such as access to credit, missing infrastructure and the lack of information to those most likely affected must be tackled,' the World Bank said.

Purdue University said Bangladesh, Mexico and Zambia showed the greatest percentage of people driven into poverty following extreme droughts in their countries. The number of poor increased an additional 1.8 million people each for Bangladesh and Mexico, and

half a million for Zambia.

The World Bank and Purdue University said extreme weather can have a devastating impact on the world's estimated one billion people living on less than one dollar a day, defined as extreme poverty.

Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Indonesia, Peru, the Philippines, Thailand, Uganda and Venezuela were also included in the study.