The Poorest Countries in the World in 2025: Complete Ranking by GDP Per Capita

Statistics show that the poorest country in the world remains a serious challenge to the global economy. According to the World Bank, as of early 2025, South Sudan ranks as the poorest country, with a GDP per capita of only $251 per year. These figures reflect the severe economic and political crises faced by developing nations.

African Economies: Critical Poverty

Africa dominates the list of the world’s poorest countries. Besides South Sudan ($251), the bottom 15 include: Yemen ($417), Burundi ($490), Central African Republic ($532), Malawi ($580), Madagascar ($595), Sudan ($625), Mozambique ($663), DRC ($743), Niger ($751), Somalia ($766), Nigeria ($807), Liberia ($908), Sierra Leone ($916), and Mali ($936).

The full list of African countries among the 50 poorest also includes: Gambia ($988), Chad ($991), Rwanda ($1,043), Togo ($1,053), Ethiopia ($1,066), Lesotho ($1,098), Burkina Faso ($1,107), Guinea-Bissau ($1,126), Benin ($1,532), Comoros ($1,702), Senegal ($1,811), Cameroon ($1,865), Guinea ($1,904), Zimbabwe ($2,199), Republic of the Congo ($2,356), Kenya ($2,468), Mauritania ($2,478), Ghana ($2,519).

Asian Region: Uneven Development

Asia is represented in the list of the poorest countries by the following economies: Myanmar ($1,177), Tanzania ($1,280), Zambia ($1,332), Uganda ($1,338), Tajikistan ($1,432), Nepal ($1,458), East Timor ($1,491), Laos ($2,096), Papua New Guinea ($2,565), Bangladesh ($2,689), Kyrgyzstan ($2,747), Cambodia ($2,870), and India ($2,878).

Also included are: Kiribati ($2,414) and Solomon Islands ($2,379) from Oceania, as well as Haiti ($2,672) from Latin America.

Geographical Patterns of Global Poverty

Analysis of 2025 data shows a clear geographical concentration of economic poverty. Over 70% of the world’s poorest countries are in Africa, especially in the Sahara and Central Africa. Main causes include political instability, conflicts, lack of investment in education and infrastructure, and dependence on primary commodity exports.

Asian countries on this list often have larger populations but limited resources and industrial bases. India, despite its status as a growing economy, remains on the list due to its enormous population, which lowers the GDP per capita. These data highlight the gap between global economic development and the serious challenges faced by the poorest regions of the world.