Top 10 poorest countries in the world in 2025 — by GDP per capita (in PPP or nominal USD), compiled from reliable sources such as IMF, World Bank, EconomicsInsider, etc.
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Economic News: The World’s 10 Poorest Countries in 2025
By GDP per capita (nominal USD, 2025 — data from The New Diplomat & VisualCapitalist)
According to the IMF’s 2025 estimates, these are the world’s 10 poorest countries by GDP per capita (USD):
South Sudan – $251
Yemen – $417
Burundi – $490
Central African Republic – $532
Malawi – $580
Madagascar – $595
Sudan – $625
Mozambique – $663
Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) – $743
Niger – $751
By GDP per capita at PPP (2025 — data from Forbes India and WorldAtlas)
Estimated based on GDP per capita at purchasing power parity (PPP), updated April 2025:
South Sudan – $716 (PPP)
Burundi – $1,020
Central African Republic – $1,330
Yemen – $1,670
Mozambique – $1,730
Malawi – $1,760
Congo (DRC) – $1,880
Somalia – $1,920
Liberia – $2,010
Madagascar – $2,040
Table Summary
Country Ranking GDP per capita (nominal USD) GDP per capita (PPP, USD)1 South Sudan 2517162 Yemen 4171.6703 Burundi 4901.0204 Central African Republic 5321.3305 Malawi 5801.7606 Madagascar 5952.0407 Sudan 625–8 Mozambique 6631.7309 Democratic Republic of the Congo 7431.88010 Niger 751–
(Note: countries such as Liberia and Somalia are in the top 10 by PPP but not nominal; conversely, Sudan and Niger appear nominally but without PPP data in the above source.)
Press Perspective
South Sudan takes the unexpected lead as the world’s poorest country by both nominal and PPP standards. This is largely due to prolonged conflict, poor infrastructure, and a weakened oil-dependent economy.
Countries such as Yemen, Burundi, and the Central African Republic suffer from a variety of problems: political instability, lack of foreign investment, and limited agricultural and export capacity.
Malawi, Mozambique, Madagascar, DRC, and Niger face concerns from drought, lack of education, growing populations, and a lack of resources to improve quality of life.
Note: there is a difference between nominal and PPP rankings, as the cost of living and exchange rates can vary significantly between countries.
