Global Economic Poverty Line: Analysis of the 50 Countries with the Lowest GDP per Capita by 2025

Sub-Saharan Africa Dominates the List of the Poorest Countries in the World

According to 2025 data, the world’s poorest countries are mainly concentrated in Sub-Saharan Africa. South Sudan, with a per capita GDP of only $251, becomes the poorest country globally, far below the global average. Following are Yemen ($417) and Burundi ($490), which have long faced issues such as political instability, armed conflicts, and underdeveloped infrastructure.

Central African Republic ($532), Malawi ($580), and Madagascar ($595) all have per capita GDP below $600, ranking among the poorest countries in the world. Sudan ($625), Mozambique ($663), and the Democratic Republic of the Congo ($743) also have worrying economic conditions.

Specific Manifestations of Africa’s Economic Poverty Belt

Niger ($751), Somalia ($766), and Nigeria ($807), as populous countries, still have very low per capita economic output. Liberia ($908), Sierra Leone ($916), and Mali ($936), despite resource richness, continue to suffer from poverty due to war and poor governance.

The Gambia ($988), Chad ($991), Rwanda ($1,043), and Togo ($1,053) have per capita GDP around $1,000. Ethiopia ($1,066), Lesotho ($1,098), Burkina Faso ($1,107), and Guinea-Bissau ($1,126), though slightly improved, still belong to the world’s poorest countries.

Poverty Areas in Asia and Africa

Myanmar ($1,177), representing Asia, also ranks among the lowest in per capita GDP globally. Tanzania ($1,280), Zambia ($1,332), and Uganda ($1,338), though developing, remain impoverished.

Tajikistan ($1,432), Nepal ($1,458), and East Timor ($1,491) reflect the economic difficulties of Central and South Asia. Benin ($1,532), Comoros ($1,702), and Senegal ($1,811), though positioned lower, still fall into the category of poorest countries worldwide.

Characteristics of Middle-Income and Regional Poverty

Cameroon ($1,865), Guinea ($1,904), Laos ($2,096), and Zimbabwe ($2,199) have per capita GDP between $1,900 and $2,200. Countries like the Congo ($2,356), Solomon Islands ($2,379), and Kiribati ($2,414) also face economic challenges.

Kenya ($2,468), Mauritania ($2,478), Ghana ($2,519), and Papua New Guinea ($2,565), though showing growth, still remain below the global middle-income level. Haiti ($2,672), Bangladesh ($2,689), and Kyrgyzstan ($2,747), as populous nations, continue to have limited per capita output.

Economic Insights from the List of the Poorest Countries Globally

Cambodia ($2,870), Ivory Coast ($2,872), and India ($2,878) complete this poverty country ranking. This list clearly reflects the global economic imbalance, with poverty mainly concentrated in regions characterized by political instability, weak infrastructure, and insufficient human capital. Addressing these issues requires long-term efforts involving international aid, political stability, and institutional reforms.