Poorest Countries by GDP per capita

Source GDP per capita (IMF), Demographics (UN)
Date04 Feb 2020

In the list of top ten poorest countries by gdp per capita (nominal,ppp) in 2019, eight countries are common in both nominal and ppp methods : South Sudan (1,9), Burundi (2,1), Eritrea (3,4), Malawi (4,6), Niger (5,5), Central African Republic (6,2), Mozambique (8,7), Democratic Republic of the Congo (9,3). Madagascar (7) and Afghanistan (10) are in top 10 on nominal basis, while Liberia (8) and Sierra Leone (10) are in top 10 on ppp basis.

GDP per capita of the poorest country South Sudan and Burundi are 2.40% and 3.87% of global gdp per capita in nominal and ppp terms, resp. All top ten countries have figure below 5% (exchange rate) and 10% (ppp) of the World.

In the list of top 30 countries having lowest gdp per capita, most of countries belong to Africa continent with 25 entrants in nominal and 23 entrants in ppp. In nominal list, top 9 are from Africa. Only Afghanistan is non African nation till number 17. Three Asian countries Afghanistan, Yemen and Nepal are in both list and Tajikistan is in nominal. In ppp list, first 12 are located in Africa. Three Oceanian countries are in ppp list. Haiti is only North American country in both list.

Over 600 mn people are living in these 30 countries. Ethiopia and Democratic Republic of the Congo are among the 20 most populous country.

These nations have low life expectancies as none has make entry into top 100 of life expectancy ranking. All top 10 poorest countries have rank below 150. Only Solomon Islands has average life of 72.77 years better than world's average of 72.28 years. Only three more countries where people live more than 70 years are : Tajikistan, Nepal and Vanuatu.

poorest countries by gdp (nominal) per capita map
poorest countries by gdp (ppp) per capita map

GDP (Nominal) per capita

Rank Country/Economy GDP per capita (Nominal) ($) Population Life expectancy Continent
2019% world 2019Rank2019Rank
30Benin1,21710.6011,801,1517761.30180Africa
29Tanzania1,1059.6458,005,4632564.84164Africa
28Nepal1,0489.1428,608,7104970.31137Asia
27Guinea9818.5612,771,2467561.04181Africa
26Ethiopia9538.32112,078,7301265.97161Africa
25Yemen9438.2329,161,9224866.03160Asia
24Mali9248.0619,658,0316058.71191Africa
23Tajikistan8777.659,321,0189670.77134Asia
22Chad8617.5115,946,8767253.80199Africa
21Zimbabwe8607.5014,645,4687460.83184Africa
20Rwanda8257.2012,626,9507668.44147Africa
19Guinea-Bissau7866.861,920,92215057.82193Africa
18Haiti7846.8411,263,0778363.52173North America
17Uganda7706.7244,269,5943262.76177Africa
16The Gambia7556.592,347,70614461.54179Africa
15Burkina Faso7186.2620,321,3785960.92183Africa
14Sudan7146.2342,813,2383564.95163Africa
13Liberia7046.144,937,37412363.60172Africa
12Togo6715.868,082,36610260.53186Africa
11Sierra Leone5474.777,813,21510354.07198Africa
10Afghanistan5134.4838,041,7543764.28166Asia
9Democratic Republic of the Congo5014.3786,790,5671660.21187Africa
8Mozambique4844.2330,366,0364760.05188Africa
7Madagascar4644.0526,969,3075166.49157Africa
6Central African Republic4483.914,745,18512652.67201Africa
5Niger4053.5323,310,7155761.80178Africa
4Malawi3713.2318,628,7476363.43174Africa
3Eritrea3432.993,497,11713365.74162Africa
2Burundi3102.7011,530,5808061.03182Africa
1South Sudan2752.4011,062,1138457.43194Africa
World 11,463 7,713,468,100 72.28

GDP (PPP) per capita

Rank Country/Economy GDP per capita (ppp) (Int. $) Population Life expectancy Continent
2019% world2019Rank2019 Rank
30Nepal3,31817.7028,608,7104970.31137Asia
29Vanuatu2,95715.70299,88218170.25138Oceania
28Comoros2,79914.90850,88616363.98169Africa
27The Gambia2,74514.602,347,70614461.54179Africa
26Zimbabwe2,70214.4014,645,4687460.83184Africa
25Uganda2,63114.0044,269,5943262.76177Africa
24Ethiopia2,51113.40112,078,7301265.97161Africa
23Chad2,48113.2015,946,8767253.80199Africa
22Mali2,47113.2019,658,0316058.71191Africa
21Rwanda2,45213.1012,626,9507668.44147Africa
20Guinea2,44113.0012,771,2467561.04181Africa
19Solomon Islands2,30312.30669,82316672.77114Oceania
18Yemen2,28012.1029,161,9224866.03160Asia
17Kiribati2,13811.40117,60619367.99148Oceania
16Afghanistan2,09511.2038,041,7543764.28166Asia
15Burkina Faso2,07711.1020,321,3785960.92183Africa
14Guinea-Bissau2,01910.701,920,92215057.82193Africa
13Haiti1,87810.0011,263,0778363.52173North America
12Togo1,8269.728,082,36610260.53186Africa
11Madagascar1,6999.0526,969,3075166.49157Africa
10Sierra Leone1,6909.007,813,21510354.07198Africa
9South Sudan1,6028.5311,062,1138457.43194Africa
8Liberia1,4147.534,937,37412363.60172Africa
7Mozambique1,3036.9430,366,0364760.05188Africa
6Malawi1,2406.6118,628,7476363.43174Africa
5Niger1,1065.8923,310,7155761.80178Africa
4Eritrea1,0605.643,497,11713365.74162Africa
3Democratic Republic of the Congo8494.5286,790,5671660.21187Africa
2Central African Republic8234.384,745,18512652.67201Africa
1Burundi7273.8711,530,5808061.03182Africa
World 18,779 7,713,468,10072.28