The economic abyss between countries: how 2025 revealed the depth of global poverty

Data for 2025 paint a bleak picture of the global economy. While developed countries enjoy prosperity, an entire belt of nations remains in deep poverty. The poorest country in the world — South Sudan — barely survives with a GDP per capita of $251, which is 40 times lower than the global average. This is not just statistics — it is the reality for millions of people.

Africa: the epicenter of poverty

Notably, out of the top 20 poorest countries on the planet, 18 are located on the African continent. Yemen ($417) remains the only non-African exception in this grim ranking.

The countries following South Sudan form a bleak cluster:

• Burundi ($490), Central African Republic ($532), Malawi ($580), and Madagascar ($595) make up the top five
• In the range of $600-800: Sudan, Mozambique, DRC, Niger, and Somalia
• Nigeria ($807), despite being an African economic leader, also ranks in the top ten poorest

Second layer of poverty: $900-1,500

From Liberia ($908) to Nepal ($1,458), the second line of poverty stretches. These are countries where the poorest in this segment are barely four times richer than South Sudan. Sierra Leone, Mali, Gambia, and Chad compete for a spot on this grim list.

An interesting detail: Myanmar ($1,177) and Tajikistan ($1,432) neighbor African states, highlighting the universality of the poverty problem.

Third segment: overcoming $2,000

Starting from Zambia ($1,332) to India ($2,878), we see a gradual improvement, although it remains relative. Countries with more diversified economies are emerging here:

• Tajikistan, Nepal, East Timor
• Bangladesh ($2,689), despite its huge population, remains in the lower segment
• India ($2,878), although included in the list, demonstrates a relatively higher indicator thanks to developing sectors

Geographical analysis

An inventory of the 50 poorest countries revealed a clear geographical pattern. The African continent is disproportionately represented, reflecting structural economic problems in the region. Asia is less represented, but its countries (Yemen, Myanmar, Tajikistan, Nepal, Bangladesh) show similar challenges to African nations.

What do these numbers tell us

The gap between the poorest country ($251) and more prosperous states reflects not just economic differences — it is uneven resource distribution, management issues, lack of investments, and historical factors.

It is noteworthy that even the poorest country in the world has development potential, but without significant international aid and internal reforms, this potential remains untapped. The global community faces a choice: continue to watch the crisis unfold or actively participate in the economic development of the most vulnerable states.