What is the poorest country in the world? 2025 Ranking by GDP per capita

Understanding the distribution of wealth worldwide helps identify the poorest country based on global economic indicators. In 2025, data reveals significant income disparities between nations, especially when examining each country’s GDP per capita. This crucial metric measures the average wealth available to each citizen and serves as an essential barometer of overall economic development.

South Sudan: the nation with the lowest GDP per capita

South Sudan ranks as the poorest country in the world, with a GDP per capita of only $251. This position reflects major structural challenges facing the nation. Following immediately are Yemen ($417) and Burundi ($490), completing a trio of countries facing unprecedented economic and humanitarian crises.

Sub-Saharan Africa: epicenter of global economic poverty

2025 data shows a remarkable concentration of the lowest-income countries on the African continent. Central African Republic ($532), Malawi ($580), and Madagascar ($595) follow in the rankings. Sudan ($625), the Democratic Republic of the Congo ($743), Niger ($751), and Somalia ($766) complete this list of African countries facing endemic poverty. Despite its economic size, Nigeria has a GDP per capita of $807, illustrating how a large population can dilute average wealth indicators.

Economically struggling African countries

The ranking continues with Liberia ($908), Sierra Leone ($916), and Mali ($936). These nations, often marked by past or ongoing conflicts, struggle to generate sufficient income for their populations. Chad ($991), Rwanda ($1,043), and Togo ($1,053) maintain African dominance at the lower end of the ranking, along with Ethiopia ($1,066), Lesotho ($1,098), Burkina Faso ($1,107), and Guinea-Bissau ($1,126).

Beyond Africa: South Asia and the Pacific face similar challenges

While Africa dominates this ranking, other regions also experience similar economic difficulties. Myanmar ($1,177), Tanzania ($1,280), and Zambia ($1,332) in East Africa remain among the countries with the lowest GDP per capita. In South Asia, Tajikistan ($1,432), Nepal ($1,458), and Timor-Leste ($1,491) reflect development challenges in the region. Benin ($1,532), Comoros ($1,702), and Senegal ($1,811) complete this panorama of nations struggling economically.

Continuity of the ranking: extremely limited incomes

The second half of the list shows that even countries at the bottom of the top 50 remain extraordinarily poor in terms of income per capita. Cameroon ($1,865), Guinea ($1,904), and Laos ($2,096) demonstrate how GDP per capita remains concentrated between $1,500 and $3,000. Zimbabwe ($2,199), Republic of the Congo ($2,356), and Solomon Islands ($2,379) continue this trend of particularly low incomes.

The bottom 50 countries in the ranking

Kiribati ($2,414), Kenya ($2,468), Mauritania ($2,478), and Ghana ($2,519) are in the lower part of the group. Papua New Guinea ($2,565), Haiti ($2,672), Bangladesh ($2,689), Kyrgyzstan ($2,747), Cambodia ($2,870), Ivory Coast ($2,872), and India ($2,878) complete this list of the 50 countries with the most limited income levels based on GDP per capita in 2025.

Understanding global economic development gaps

These figures reveal complex economic realities. What is the poorest country in the world? The answer depends on the methodology and indicator used. According to GDP per capita, South Sudan remains the country with the lowest average income. However, these data also illustrate that poverty is not a uniform phenomenon but rather a reflection of a combination of historical, geopolitical, and structural factors that affect nations’ ability to generate wealth for their populations.