I took a look at the GDP per capita statistics for 2025. It turns out that the poorest country in the world by this measure is South Sudan with $251. Even that is hard to believe that such numbers exist.

If we look at the top of the poorest countries, there are many African states there. Yemen is in second place with $417, then Burundi ($490), then the Central African Republic ($532). Malawi, Madagascar, Sudan—each of them is in a critical zone. The poorest country in the world borders other countries where people live on extremely minimal incomes.

Next come the DRC, Niger, Somalia, Nigeria—in this region the situation is especially difficult. Nigeria at least has $807, but even that is still negligible. Liberia, Sierra Leone, Mali, Chad—everywhere the picture is similar.

There are also extremely poor countries in Asia. Tajikistan ($1,432), Nepal ($1,458), East Timor ($1,491). Bangladesh with $2,689 is already relatively better, but it still remains one of the poorest countries in the world by this measure.

And India, with $2,878, rounds out the list of the 50 poorest. When you see data like this, you understand the scale of inequality in the world. The poorest country in the world has GDP per capita more than 100 times lower than developed economies.