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The poorest countries in the world

South Sudan has the lowest GDP per person at $1,155 in PPP terms (2015 data), with Burundi at $1,248 in 2025 and the Central African Republic at $1,314.

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What the data shows

  • Haiti ranks #1 with $3,134, ahead of Burkina Faso ($3,072) and Chad ($2,903).

About this chart

This ranking lists the lowest values, the poorest countries by income per person. South Sudan is at the bottom with GDP per person of $1,155, but that is a 2015 figure, the most recent in the series. Burundi follows at $1,248 and the Central African Republic at $1,314, both for 2025, then Somalia at $1,643, Mozambique at $1,698 and Malawi at $1,899. Thirteen of the 15 countries shown are in Africa, with Afghanistan (2024) and Haiti the exceptions.

The measure is GDP per person in purchasing power parity (PPP), in current international dollars. PPP adjusts for differences in local prices, so it compares what money can buy rather than exchange-rate values. Only countries with more than 1 million people are included, and each is shown at its most recent value from the last ten years, so the years differ. Even the 15th poorest, Haiti, is at $3,134, about 2.7 times the lowest figure.

The data

Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD), GDP per person, PPP, current international $; countries over 1 million people. Retrieved November 4, 2026. Each country's most recent value from the last ten years.

The poorest countries in the world, GDP per person, PPP, international $, Latest
Date🇸🇸 South Sudan🇧🇮 Burundi🇨🇫 Central African Republic🇸🇴 Somalia, Fed. Rep.🇲🇿 Mozambique🇲🇼 Malawi🇨🇩 DR Congo🇲🇬 Madagascar🇱🇷 Liberia🇳🇪 Niger🇸🇩 Sudan🇦🇫 Afghanistan🇹🇩 Chad🇧🇫 Burkina Faso🇭🇹 Haiti
Latest$1,155$1,248$1,314$1,643$1,698$1,899$1,920$1,952$1,981$2,177$2,192$2,236$2,903$3,072$3,134

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Frequently asked questions

What is the poorest country in the world?

South Sudan has the lowest GDP per person in this dataset, at $1,155 in PPP terms, though the figure is from 2015. Among countries with 2025 data, Burundi is the lowest at $1,248, followed by the Central African Republic at $1,314.

How is poverty measured here?

The page uses GDP per person adjusted for purchasing power parity, in current international dollars. It reflects average national income and living costs, not the share of people in poverty, and it hides inequality within each country.

Which poor countries are outside Africa?

Afghanistan and Haiti are the two non-African countries in this top 15. Afghanistan is at $2,236 in 2024 and Haiti at $3,134 in 2025.

Where does this data come from?

World Bank, World Development Indicators (NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD), GDP per person, PPP, current international $; countries over 1 million people. Retrieved November 4, 2026. Each country's most recent value from the last ten years. You can download the full table as a CSV from this page.

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Highest infant mortality rates

South Sudan has the highest infant mortality rate in 2024 at 71.9 deaths per 1,000 live births. In 1990 Liberia led at 170.9.

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Highest maternal mortality rates

Nigeria has the highest maternal mortality ratio in 2023 at 993 deaths per 100,000 live births, ahead of Chad at 748.

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Lowest adult literacy rates

Chad has the lowest adult literacy rate in the latest data, 30.6% in 2019, followed by Mali at 35.5% and Niger at 35.6%.