Inequality is one of the most pressing issues across the globe, with a significant focus on the world's absolute poorest nations. This investigation into the world's poorest countries paints a sobering picture of the disparities in wealth and prospects that exist between different regions. This analysis is crucial as it helps to inform policy decisions, charitable strategies, and helps to draw attention to those most in need. Based on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita, data indicates the critical economic challenges faced by numerous countries worldwide. It's important to note that while GDP per capita is an valuable measure of a country's economic prosperity, it does not necessarily reflect the overall standard of living or the distribution of wealth within a country. Key findings from our analysis include:
Topping the list is Somalia, with an alarmingly low GDP per capita of just $73. Stationed in the Horn of Africa, this nation grapples with political instability and recurrent droughts that starkly affect its economic performance. The second poorest nation is Burundi, with a GDP per capita of $217. Located in the African Great Lakes region, it suffers from a volatile political environment, intersecting with extreme poverty, food security issues, and limited access to education and health services. Next, Malawi experiences a GDP per capita of $254. It is a low-income, heavily reliant on agriculture, which is vulnerable to weather-related shocks and leads to periodic subsistence crises. The fourth and fifth poorest nations are Niger and the Central African Republic, with respective GDP per capita of $277 and $315. They portray a grim picture of economic deprivation aggravated by hostile climates, conflict, and unstable governance. Mozambique, with a GDP per capita of $322, ranks sixth. It battles problems like high disease burden, low educational attainment, and climate-driven crises. Gambia, with $356 per capita, faces similar socio-economic challenges. Meanwhile, Madagascar ($370 per capita) and DR Congo ($394 per capita) face complex challenges from pervasive poverty, political instability, and environmental challenges. Sierra Leone closes the list of the ten poorest nations with a GDP per capita of $418, grappling with the long-term effects of war, Ebola outbreak, and ongoing economic and health challenges.
10 Poorest Countries in the World:
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$479
#11
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$4.2K
#89
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$3.5K
#79
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$35.7K
#178
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$2.9K
#72
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$21.2K
#165
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$15.5K
#146
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$11.9K
#136
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$3.8K
#86
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$25.1K
#167
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$49.3K
#194
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$43.6K
#190
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$3.6K
#81
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$27.3K
#172
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$21.7K
#166
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$1.3K
#43
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$16.1K
#151
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$5.0K
#99
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$40.0K
#185
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$4.2K
#93
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$649
#24
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$95.6K
#206
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$2.8K
#70
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$2.7K
#67
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$5.3K
#102
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$5.8K
#110
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$8.3K
#125
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$30.8K
#173
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$25.2K
#168
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$8.0K
#119
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$503
#13
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$217
#2
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$1.2K
#38
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$1.1K
#36
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$39.4K
#183
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$2.7K
#68
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$55.5K
#199
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$315
#5
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$616
#22
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$12.6K
#139
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$7.9K
#118
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$5.4K
#105
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$1.3K
#46
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$17.0K
#153
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$11.0K
#134
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$12.8K
#140
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$8.0K
#121
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$16.3K
#152
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$15.9K
#150
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$18.6K
#158
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$394
#9
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$51.9K
#196
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$1.7K
#51
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$8.0K
#120
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$6.3K
#113
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$5.4K
#104
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$2.4K
#62
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$4.2K
#91
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$6.2K
#111
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$1.4K
#47
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$17.6K
#157
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$3.3K
#75
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$556
#17
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$5.0K
#98
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$43.0K
#189
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$38.1K
#181
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$17.5K
#156
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$5.7K
#109
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$356
#7
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$3.8K
#87
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$41.8K
#187
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$1.3K
#40
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$18.6K
#159
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$40.3K
#186
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$8.1K
#122
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$3.8K
#85
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$597
#19
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$522
#16
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$4.2K
#92
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$652
#25
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$2.0K
#59
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$42.8K
#188
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$12.4K
#138
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$54.0K
#197
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$1.6K
#50
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$3.4K
#77
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$4.8K
#95
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$3.5K
#80
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$60.3K
#201
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$34.6K
#177
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$31.6K
#174
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$1.3K
#41
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$5.0K
#97
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$40.0K
#184
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$3.4K
#78
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$6.9K
#114
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$1.3K
#44
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$1.3K
#45
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$25.6K
#169
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$973
#34
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$2.1K
#60
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$15.1K
#144
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$9.4K
#131
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$962
#32
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$509
#14
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$6.2K
#112
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$156.5K
#207
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$15.7K
#149
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$89.5K
#205
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$64.3K
#202
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$370
#8
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$254
#3
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$8.6K
#128
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$8.1K
#124
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$601
#20
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$20.6K
#163
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$4.4K
#94
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$960
#31
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$9.4K
#130
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$8.4K
#126
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$2.9K
#71
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$2.0K
#57
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$178.2K
#208
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$3.2K
#74
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$7.0K
#115
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$14.1K
#143
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$2.7K
#69
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$322
#6
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$1.2K
#39
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$4.2K
#90
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$8.1K
#123
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$677
#26
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$44.1K
#191
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$32.2K
#176
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$35.9K
#179
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$1.9K
#54
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$277
#4
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$1.8K
#53
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$642
#23
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$5.2K
#100
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$67.8K
#203
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$13.6K
#142
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$1.2K
#37
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$17.2K
#154
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$2.5K
#63
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$12.4K
#137
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$1.9K
#55
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$4.0K
#88
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$5.6K
#107
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$2.6K
#66
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$11.5K
#135
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$20.0K
#162
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$32.2K
#175
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$56.1K
#200
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$1.3K
#42
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$9.4K
#129
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$8.6K
#127
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$601
#21
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$19.1K
#160
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$7.8K
#117
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$7.4K
#116
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$3.6K
#82
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$47.3K
#192
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$1.5K
#48
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$17.3K
#155
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$822
#29
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$5.4K
#103
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$13.3K
#141
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$418
#10
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$49.4K
#195
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$15.5K
#147
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$21.1K
#164
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$1.5K
#49
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$73
#1
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$4.9K
#96
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$27.3K
#171
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$589
#18
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$26.0K
#170
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$3.7K
#83
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$1.7K
#52
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$5.3K
#101
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$48.5K
#193
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$76.0K
#204
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$954
#30
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$685
#27
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$5.7K
#108
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$2.0K
#58
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$491
#12
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$3.7K
#84
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$15.7K
#148
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$3.3K
#76
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$10.1K
#132
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$5.6K
#106
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$19.9K
#161
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$3.2K
#73
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$521
#15
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$2.5K
#65
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$36.6K
#180
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$39.1K
#182
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$54.8K
#198
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$15.3K
#145
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$1.9K
#56
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$2.5K
#64
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$10.1K
#133
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$2.1K
#61
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$737
#28
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$1.0K
#35
Metric
Value
Rank
Gross Domestic Product Per Capita
$968
#33