Ranking of the Poorest Countries in 2025: Analysis of GDP per Capita

In 2025, the economic gap between nations remains vast. The world’s poorest countries display staggering per capita incomes, revealing a massive concentration of poverty on certain continents. This analysis breaks down the ranking of the 50 most fragile economies based on GDP per capita, highlighting the major economic challenges faced by nearly one billion people.

Ultra-Fragile Economies: From $251 to Less Than $600 in Annual Income

The most critical tier includes the top 8 nations where GDP per capita falls below $600 annually. South Sudan ranks lowest with only $251, followed by Yemen ($417), Burundi ($490), and the Central African Republic ($532). Malawi ($580) completes this group of the most devastated economies.

These figures reflect brutal realities: collapsed infrastructure, chronic conflicts, lack of economic diversification, and dependence on natural resources. South Sudan and Yemen, plagued by prolonged civil wars, remain the most striking symbols of endemic poverty. Madagascar ($595), Sudan ($625), and Mozambique ($663) close out this first segment.

The Critical Band: Between $600 and $1,500 in National Income per Capita

The second category includes 15 nations with incomes between $600 and $1,500 per person, characterized by highly fragile economies. The Democratic Republic of the Congo ($743), Niger ($751), and Somalia ($766) symbolize tensions between potential resources and chronic political instability. Nigeria ($807), despite its massive oil reserves, remains trapped in this critical segment.

The Liberian ($908), Sierra Leonean ($916), Malian ($936), and Gambian ($988) economies illustrate increased fragility in West Africa. Chad ($991), Rwanda ($1,043), Togo ($1,053), and Ethiopia ($1,066), despite populations exceeding 120 million, remain stuck in this segment. Lesotho ($1,098), Burkina Faso ($1,107), and Guinea-Bissau ($1,126) complete this critical band.

Myanmar ($1,177) and Tanzania ($1,280) mark the transition to the next segment, while Zambia ($1,332) and Uganda ($1,338) approach $1,500.

Countries in Transition: From $1,500 to $2,900 GDP per Capita

The third group includes 27 nations generating between $1,500 and $2,900 per capita, corresponding to what international institutions classify as “low-income countries.” Tajikistan ($1,432), Nepal ($1,458), and Timor-Leste ($1,491) inaugurate this category.

Benin ($1,532), Comoros ($1,702), and Senegal ($1,811) show some relative improvement. Cameroon ($1,865), Guinea ($1,904), and Laos ($2,096) gradually progress. Zimbabwe ($2,199) and Congo ($2,356) reach the $2,000 mark, while the Solomon Islands ($2,379), Kiribati ($2,414), Kenya ($2,468), Mauritania ($2,478), and Ghana ($2,519) gradually cross the $2,500 threshold.

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) close this ranking of the poorest countries, representing the final steps toward economic improvement.

Understanding Inequalities: Geographic Distribution and Structural Factors

The portrait emerging from this ranking reveals a troubling concentration: Sub-Saharan Africa dominates heavily, occupying about 40 of the top 50 positions. South Asia and Southeast Asia complete this picture of economically vulnerable nations. This geographic distribution is not accidental but reflects the legacy of colonial structures, chronic political instability, disproportionate climate change impacts, and limited access to global markets.

GDP per capita, although imperfect, remains the preferred indicator used by international organizations to measure development. These figures, even if they do not capture internal inequalities or the actual distribution of wealth, provide a raw snapshot of the poorest countries facing widespread economic challenges. Investing in their transformation remains one of the major issues of the 21st century.