Poorest Countries In The World

Global
$14,958.74GDP Per CapitaGlobal Average
Poverty RateGlobal Average
HDIGlobal Average
Median IncomeGlobal Average
Gross Domestic Product Per CapitaQuestion Mark
Map visualization
$72.65$178K
1
SomaliaSomalia
$72.647
2
BurundiBurundi
$217.07
3
MalawiMalawi
$254.073
4
NigerNiger
$276.746
5
Central African RepublicCentral African Republic
$315.272
6
MozambiqueMozambique
$322.448
7
GambiaGambia
$355.489
8
MadagascarMadagascar
$370.057
9
DR CongoDR Congo
$394.449
10
Sierra LeoneSierra Leone
$418.009
11
PeruPeru
$479.051
12
TogoTogo
$491.425
13
Burkina FasoBurkina Faso
$502.984
14
LiberiaLiberia
$508.79
15
UgandaUganda
$520.927
16
Guinea BissauGuinea Bissau
$521.955
17
EthiopiaEthiopia
$555.727
18
South SudanSouth Sudan
$589.284
19
GuineaGuinea
$597.306
20
MaliMali
$601.094
21
RwandaRwanda
$601.204
22
ChadChad
$616.421
23
North KoreaNorth Korea
$641.746
24
BeninBenin
$648.563
25
HaitiHaiti
$652.239
26
NepalNepal
$676.903
27
TajikistanTajikistan
$685.33
28
YemenYemen
$736.552
29
SenegalSenegal
$822.18
30
SyriaSyria
$954.194
31
MauritaniaMauritania
$959.722
32
LesothoLesotho
$961.679
33
ZimbabweZimbabwe
$967.499
34
KyrgyzstanKyrgyzstan
$972.673
35
ZambiaZambia
$1,023.983
36
CameroonCameroon
$1,124.611
37
PakistanPakistan
$1,174.731
38
CambodiaCambodia
$1,181.29
39
MyanmarMyanmar
$1,203.738
40
GhanaGhana
$1,254.144
41
Ivory CoastIvory Coast
$1,273.43
42
Republic of the CongoRepublic of the Congo
$1,273.661
43
BangladeshBangladesh
$1,276.85
44
KenyaKenya
$1,279.95
45
KiribatiKiribati
$1,300.641
46
ComorosComoros
$1,349.415
47
EritreaEritrea
$1,444.104
48
Sao Tome and PrincipeSao Tome and Principe
$1,478.425
49
Solomon IslandsSolomon Islands
$1,531.511
50
IndiaIndia
$1,581.687
51
DjiboutiDjibouti
$1,664.404
52
SudanSudan
$1,722.908
53
NigeriaNigeria
$1,808.046
54
NicaraguaNicaragua
$1,877.609
55
Papua New GuineaPapua New Guinea
$1,906.51
56
UzbekistanUzbekistan
$1,927.511
57
MoldovaMoldova
$1,971.125
58
Timor LesteTimor Leste
$1,986.839
59
HondurasHonduras
$2,031.086
60
LaosLaos
$2,070.496
61
VietnamVietnam
$2,076.455
62
EgyptEgypt
$2,396.664
63
PalestinePalestine
$2,494.233
64
VanuatuVanuatu
$2,503.751
65
UkraineUkraine
$2,538.339
66
PhilippinesPhilippines
$2,598.538
67
BoliviaBolivia
$2,728.837
68
Cape VerdeCape Verde
$2,737.56
69
MoroccoMorocco
$2,738.014
70
BhutanBhutan
$2,809.976
71
MicronesiaMicronesia
$2,863.081
72
AngolaAngola
$2,914.539
73
TuvaluTuvalu
$3,220.181
74
MongoliaMongolia
$3,237.554
75
EswatiniEswatini
$3,309.324
76
TunisiaTunisia
$3,347.473
77
IndonesiaIndonesia
$3,359.079
78
JordanJordan
$3,409.585
79
AlgeriaAlgeria
$3,487.424
80
IraqIraq
$3,516.593
81
AzerbaijanAzerbaijan
$3,634.733
82
SamoaSamoa
$3,643.343
83
Sri LankaSri Lanka
$3,714.421
84
TongaTonga
$3,725.055
85
GuatemalaGuatemala
$3,800.731
86
ArmeniaArmenia
$3,805.764
87
GeorgiaGeorgia
$3,844.325
88
ParaguayParaguay
$3,959.048
89
AlbaniaAlbania
$4,188.569
90
NamibiaNamibia
$4,203.746
91
El SalvadorEl Salvador
$4,210.166
92
GuyanaGuyana
$4,222.761
93
BelizeBelize
$4,238.058
94
Marshall IslandsMarshall Islands
$4,357.558
95
IranIran
$4,770.544
96
South AfricaSouth Africa
$4,890.217
97
JamaicaJamaica
$4,974.936
98
FijiFiji
$4,988.512
99
BelarusBelarus
$4,991.253
100
North MacedoniaNorth Macedonia
$5,152.175
101
SurinameSuriname
$5,260.359
102
Bosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and Herzegovina
$5,266.493
103
SerbiaSerbia
$5,357.317
104
EcuadorEcuador
$5,387.994
105
ColombiaColombia
$5,423.09
106
TurkmenistanTurkmenistan
$5,552.383
107
PeruPeru
$5,595.177
108
ThailandThailand
$5,668.789
109
GabonGabon
$5,689.64
110
BotswanaBotswana
$5,818.321
111
Equatorial GuineaEquatorial Guinea
$6,227.399
112
LibyaLibya
$6,236.515
113
Dominican RepublicDominican Republic
$6,316.4
114
KazakhstanKazakhstan
$6,885.69
115
MontenegroMontenegro
$6,981.745
116
Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesSaint Vincent and the Grenadines
$7,380.265
117
Saint LuciaSaint Lucia
$7,750.675
118
ChinaChina
$7,868.771
119
BulgariaBulgaria
$7,960.81
120
DominicaDominica
$7,961.172
121
CubaCuba
$8,011.891
122
GrenadaGrenada
$8,053.447
123
NauruNauru
$8,096.23
124
MaldivesMaldives
$8,107.557
125
BrazilBrazil
$8,298.241
126
MexicoMexico
$8,383.556
127
RussiaRussia
$8,626.263
128
MalaysiaMalaysia
$8,643.084
129
RomaniaRomania
$9,384.846
130
MauritiusMauritius
$9,393.079
131
LebanonLebanon
$9,424.414
132
TurkeyTurkey
$10,064.67
133
VenezuelaVenezuela
$10,103.731
134
Costa RicaCosta Rica
$11,019.494
135
PolandPoland
$11,490.311
136
ArgentinaArgentina
$11,925.275
137
PanamaPanama
$12,351.55
138
HungaryHungary
$12,388.113
139
ChileChile
$12,585.374
140
CroatiaCroatia
$12,780.219
141
SeychellesSeychelles
$13,318.097
142
OmanOman
$13,601.58
143
MontserratMontserrat
$14,147.6
144
LatviaLatvia
$15,065.311
145
UruguayUruguay
$15,313.487
146
Antigua and BarbudaAntigua and Barbuda
$15,484.506
147
SlovakiaSlovakia
$15,490.167
148
Trinidad and TobagoTrinidad and Tobago
$15,691.964
149
LithuaniaLithuania
$15,734.912
150
CyprusCyprus
$15,907.967
151
BarbadosBarbados
$16,144.943
152
CuracaoCuracao
$16,251.035
153
Cook IslandsCook Islands
$17,026.179
154
PalauPalau
$17,180.64
155
Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia
$17,311.734
156
French PolynesiaFrench Polynesia
$17,541.034
157
EstoniaEstonia
$17,643.286
158
Czech RepublicCzech Republic
$18,608.823
159
GreeceGreece
$18,633.174
160
Saint Kitts and NevisSaint Kitts and Nevis
$19,052.552
161
Turks and Caicos IslandsTurks and Caicos Islands
$19,919.901
162
PortugalPortugal
$19,988.729
163
MaltaMalta
$20,555.629
164
SloveniaSlovenia
$21,092.195
165
AnguillaAnguilla
$21,229.038
166
BahrainBahrain
$21,661.985
167
ArubaAruba
$25,095.167
168
BruneiBrunei
$25,192.624
169
KuwaitKuwait
$25,601.709
170
SpainSpain
$26,036.715
171
South KoreaSouth Korea
$27,252.51
172
BahamasBahamas
$27,293.195
173
British Virgin IslandsBritish Virgin Islands
$30,795.774
174
ItalyItaly
$31,576.17
175
Puerto RicoPuerto Rico
$32,216.069
176
New CaledoniaNew Caledonia
$32,238.925
177
IsraelIsrael
$34,633.701
178
AndorraAndorra
$35,690.823
179
New ZealandNew Zealand
$35,867.16
180
United Arab EmiratesUnited Arab Emirates
$36,644.778
181
FranceFrance
$38,072.638
182
United KingdomUnited Kingdom
$39,090.99
183
CanadaCanada
$39,445.837
184
JapanJapan
$40,035.941
185
BelgiumBelgium
$40,043.613
186
GreenlandGreenland
$40,303.795
187
GermanyGermany
$41,752.946
188
Hong KongHong Kong
$42,836.223
189
FinlandFinland
$43,008.561
190
AustriaAustria
$43,621.134
191
NetherlandsNetherlands
$44,114.789
192
San MarinoSan Marino
$47,284.979
193
SwedenSweden
$48,480.182
194
AustraliaAustralia
$49,338.388
195
SingaporeSingapore
$49,369.901
196
DenmarkDenmark
$51,920.854
197
IcelandIceland
$54,006.629
198
United StatesUnited States
$54,778.421
199
Cayman IslandsCayman Islands
$55,462.136
200
QatarQatar
$56,122.967
201
IrelandIreland
$60,277.425
202
MacauMacau
$64,348.711
203
NorwayNorway
$67,783.071
204
SwitzerlandSwitzerland
$76,034.61
205
LuxembourgLuxembourg
$89,545.189
206
BermudaBermuda
$95,636.595
207
LiechtensteinLiechtenstein
$156,469.218
208
MonacoMonaco
$178,196.569
Poorest Countries In The World
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Last updated February 28, 2026

Poverty Across the Globe

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:

  • The country with the lowest GDP per capita worldwide is Somalia, with a surprisingly low average of $73 per capita, indicating the country's dire economic situation.
  • Unfortunately, African nations dominate the list of the poorest countries in the world, with Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Niger, and Central African Republic among the lowest-ranking countries based on GDP per capita.
  • Even within this group, significant disparities exist. For example, the GDP per capita of Burundi, one of the poorest countries, is nearly three times higher than that of Somalia.
  • Contrastingly, nations like Monaco and Liechtenstein boasted the world's highest GDP - at a staggering $178,200 and $156,500 respectively.
  • While South Asia and Southeast Asia have seen rapid economic growth in recent years, countries like Afghanistan, Myanmar, and Nepal remain among the world's poorest. This examination of global distribution of wealth underscores the continued importance of focusing on sustainable economic development, particularly in countries at the lower end of the GDP per capita scale. Leveraging such data is crucial to developing informed strategies aimed at reducing poverty and promoting economic growth globally.

All Metrics

Region ↕GDP Per Capita↕Poverty Rate 2018↕HDI 2023↕Median Income 2021↕
Monaco$178.2K
Liechtenstein$156.5K
Bermuda$95.6K
Luxembourg$89.5K
Switzerland$76.0K
Norway$67.8K
Macau$64.3K
Ireland$60.3K
Qatar$56.1K
Cayman Islands$55.5K
United States$54.8K
Iceland$54.0K
Denmark$51.9K
Singapore$49.4K
Australia$49.3K
Sweden$48.5K
San Marino$47.3K
Netherlands$44.1K
Austria$43.6K
Finland$43.0K
Hong Kong$42.8K
Germany$41.8K
Greenland$40.3K
Belgium$40.0K
Japan$40.0K
Canada$39.4K
United Kingdom$39.1K
France$38.1K
United Arab Emirates$36.6K
New Zealand$35.9K
Andorra$35.7K
Israel$34.6K
New Caledonia$32.2K
Puerto Rico$32.2K
Italy$31.6K
British Virgin Islands$30.8K
Bahamas$27.3K
South Korea$27.3K
Spain$26.0K
Kuwait$25.6K
Brunei$25.2K
Aruba$25.1K
Bahrain$21.7K
Anguilla$21.2K
Slovenia$21.1K
Malta$20.6K
Portugal$20.0K
Turks and Caicos Islands$19.9K
Saint Kitts and Nevis$19.1K
Greece$18.6K
Czech Republic$18.6K
Estonia$17.6K
French Polynesia$17.5K
Saudi Arabia$17.3K
Palau$17.2K
Cook Islands$17.0K
Curacao$16.3K
Barbados$16.1K
Cyprus$15.9K
Lithuania$15.7K
Trinidad and Tobago$15.7K
Slovakia$15.5K
Antigua and Barbuda$15.5K
Uruguay$15.3K
Latvia$15.1K
Montserrat$14.1K
Oman$13.6K
Seychelles$13.3K
Croatia$12.8K
Chile$12.6K
Hungary$12.4K
Panama$12.4K
Argentina$11.9K
Poland$11.5K
Costa Rica$11.0K
Venezuela$10.1K
Turkey$10.1K
Lebanon$9.4K
Mauritius$9.4K
Romania$9.4K
Malaysia$8.6K
Russia$8.6K
Mexico$8.4K
Brazil$8.3K
Maldives$8.1K
Nauru$8.1K
Grenada$8.1K
Cuba$8.0K
Dominica$8.0K
Bulgaria$8.0K
China$7.9K
Saint Lucia$7.8K
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines$7.4K
Montenegro$7.0K
Kazakhstan$6.9K
Dominican Republic$6.3K
Libya$6.2K
Equatorial Guinea$6.2K
Botswana$5.8K
Gabon$5.7K
Thailand$5.7K
Peru$5.6K
Turkmenistan$5.6K
Colombia$5.4K
Ecuador$5.4K
Serbia$5.4K
Bosnia and Herzegovina$5.3K
Suriname$5.3K
North Macedonia$5.2K
Belarus$5.0K
Fiji$5.0K
Jamaica$5.0K
South Africa$4.9K
Iran$4.8K
Marshall Islands$4.4K
Belize$4.2K
Guyana$4.2K
El Salvador$4.2K
Namibia$4.2K
Albania$4.2K
Paraguay$4.0K
Georgia$3.8K
Armenia$3.8K
Guatemala$3.8K
Tonga$3.7K
Sri Lanka$3.7K
Samoa$3.6K
Azerbaijan$3.6K
Iraq$3.5K
Algeria$3.5K
Jordan$3.4K
Indonesia$3.4K
Tunisia$3.3K
Eswatini$3.3K
Mongolia$3.2K
Tuvalu$3.2K
Angola$2.9K
Micronesia$2.9K
Bhutan$2.8K
Morocco$2.7K
Cape Verde$2.7K
Bolivia$2.7K
Philippines$2.6K
Ukraine$2.5K
Vanuatu$2.5K
Palestine$2.5K
Egypt$2.4K
Vietnam$2.1K
Laos$2.1K
Honduras$2.0K
Timor Leste$2.0K
Moldova$2.0K
Uzbekistan$1.9K
Papua New Guinea$1.9K
Nicaragua$1.9K
Nigeria$1.8K
Sudan$1.7K
Djibouti$1.7K
India$1.6K
Solomon Islands$1.5K
Sao Tome and Principe$1.5K
Eritrea$1.4K
Comoros$1.3K
Kiribati$1.3K
Kenya$1.3K
Bangladesh$1.3K
Republic of the Congo$1.3K
Ivory Coast$1.3K
Ghana$1.3K
Myanmar$1.2K
Cambodia$1.2K
Pakistan$1.2K
Cameroon$1.1K
Zambia$1.0K
Kyrgyzstan$973
Zimbabwe$968
Lesotho$962
Mauritania$960
Syria$954
Senegal$822
Yemen$737
Tajikistan$685
Nepal$677
Haiti$652
Benin$649
North Korea$642
Chad$616
Rwanda$601
Mali$601
Guinea$597
South Sudan$589
Ethiopia$556
Guinea Bissau$522
Uganda$521
Liberia$509
Burkina Faso$503
Togo$491
Peru$5.6K
Sierra Leone$418
DR Congo$394
Madagascar$370
Gambia$356
Mozambique$322
Central African Republic$315
Niger$277
Malawi$254
Burundi$217
Somalia$73

10 Poorest Countries in the World

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:

  1. Somalia - $73
  2. Burundi - $217
  3. Malawi - $254
  4. Niger - $277
  5. Central African Republic - $315
  6. Mozambique - $322
  7. Gambia - $356
  8. Madagascar - $370
  9. DR Congo - $394
  10. Sierra Leone - $418

Sources & Notes

Poverty Rate

% of the population living below the national poverty line.

HDI

Measure of overall human development combining life expectancy, education, and income levels.

Median Income

Middle income value, dividing income distribution into two equal groups.

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