It is interesting to look at the current data on GDP per capita for 2025. When you see the list of the poorest countries in the world, it becomes very clear how unevenly wealth is distributed on the planet.

Leading the top three is South Sudan with just $251 per person, followed by Yemen with $417 and Burundi with $490. Central African Republic (532), Malawi (580), Madagascar (595) — and this is just the beginning. In the Sub-Saharan Africa region, most of the poorest countries by this measure are concentrated.

The list continues with Sudan (625), Mozambique (663), DRC (743), Niger (751), Somalia (766). Nigeria ranks with $807 despite its oil resources. Liberia, Sierra Leone, Mali, Gambia, Chad — all are in the range of $900–$1000 per person.

Further down are Rwanda (1043), Togo (1053), Ethiopia (1066), Lesotho (1098), Burkina Faso (1107), Guinea-Bissau (1126). Myanmar stands out from the African context with $1177. Tanzania (1280), Zambia (1332), Uganda (1338), Tajikistan (1432), Nepal (1458), East Timor (1491) — all remain among the poorest countries globally.

The second half of the list includes Benin (1532), Comoros (1702), Senegal (1811), Cameroon (1865), Guinea (1904), Laos (2096), Zimbabwe (2199), Congo (2356), Solomon Islands (2379), Kiribati (2414), Kenya (2468), Mauritania (2478), Ghana (2519), Papua New Guinea (2565), Haiti (2672), Bangladesh (2689), Kyrgyzstan (2747), Cambodia (2870), Ivory Coast (2872), and India with $2878 per capita.

These figures show how deep the economic challenges are for many countries. Most of the poorest countries are in Africa, but there are also examples from Asia and the Caribbean. The 2025 data reflect ongoing structural problems in the development of these regions.