Richest countries in Africa, 1990 to 2025
Mauritius is Africa's richest country by income per person at about $33.7K in 2025 (PPP), ahead of Gabon at $22.2K and Botswana at $20.7K.
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What the data shows
- In 2025, Mauritius ranks #1 with $33.7K, ahead of Gabon ($22.2K) and Botswana ($20.7K).
- Back in 1990, Libya was #1 with $17.2K.
- The top spot changed hands 4 times, first to Equatorial Guinea in 2009, most recently to Mauritius in 2015.
- Biggest climber: Equatorial Guinea, from #14 in 1990 to #7 in 2025.
- Mauritius grew 6.7× between 1990 and 2025.
About this chart
Mauritius ranks first in Africa on GDP per person, at about $33.7 thousand in 2025, well ahead of Gabon at $22.2 thousand, Botswana at $20.7 thousand and Egypt at $20.2 thousand. In 1990 the list looked different: Libya led at $17.2 thousand, followed by Gabon at $12.0 thousand, Algeria at $7.6 thousand, South Africa at $6.4 thousand and Botswana at $6.1 thousand. Libya is now sixth at $16.5 thousand.
The measure is GDP per person in purchasing power parity (PPP), in current international dollars, from the World Bank. PPP adjusts for differences in local prices, so it compares living standards better than exchange-rate figures. It is an average, not a measure of how income is shared. Algeria ($18.6 thousand), Equatorial Guinea ($16.1 thousand), South Africa ($15.9 thousand), Tunisia ($15.2 thousand) and Eswatini ($12.5 thousand) complete the top ten.
The data
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD), GDP per person, PPP, current international $ thousands; Africa. Retrieved November 4, 2026.
| Date | 🇲🇺 Mauritius | 🇬🇦 Gabon | 🇧🇼 Botswana | 🇪🇬 Egypt | 🇩🇿 Algeria | 🇱🇾 Libya | 🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 🇹🇳 Tunisia | 🇸🇿 Eswatini | 🇳🇦 Namibia | 🇦🇴 Angola | 🇨🇬 Congo, Rep. | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | $5.0K | $12.0K | $6.1K | $3.6K | $7.6K | $17.2K | $0.6K | $6.4K | $3.8K | $3.2K | $3.9K | $3.7K | $3.4K | $2.8K |
| 1991 | $5.3K | $12.8K | $6.6K | $3.6K | $7.6K | $20.1K | $0.6K | $6.4K | $4.0K | $3.2K | $4.2K | $3.7K | $3.5K | $2.9K |
| 1992 | $5.7K | $12.3K | $6.8K | $3.8K | $7.7K | $19.6K | $0.8K | $6.3K | $4.3K | $3.3K | $4.5K | $3.5K | $3.6K | $2.7K |
| 1993 | $6.1K | $12.8K | $6.8K | $3.9K | $7.5K | $18.9K | $0.8K | $6.4K | $4.4K | $3.4K | $4.3K | $2.6K | $3.6K | $2.7K |
| 1994 | $6.4K | $13.2K | $7.0K | $4.0K | $7.5K | $19.3K | $1.0K | $6.6K | $4.6K | $3.5K | $4.4K | $2.6K | $3.3K | $3.0K |
| 1995 | $6.8K | $13.8K | $7.5K | $4.2K | $7.7K | $19.0K | $1.1K | $6.9K | $4.7K | $3.8K | $4.5K | $3.0K | $3.4K | $3.1K |
| 1996 | $7.2K | $14.1K | $7.9K | $4.4K | $8.1K | $19.4K | $1.8K | $7.2K | $5.0K | $3.9K | $4.6K | $3.3K | $3.5K | $3.4K |
| 1997 | $7.6K | $14.8K | $8.5K | $4.7K | $8.1K | $20.4K | $4.4K | $7.4K | $5.3K | $4.0K | $4.8K | $3.5K | $3.5K | $3.5K |
| 1998 | $8.1K | $15.1K | $8.4K | $4.9K | $8.5K | $19.6K | $5.3K | $7.5K | $5.6K | $4.1K | $4.9K | $3.6K | $3.6K | $3.5K |
| 1999 | $8.3K | $13.6K | $9.2K | $5.1K | $8.8K | $19.8K | $6.5K | $7.7K | $5.9K | $4.3K | $5.0K | $3.6K | $3.5K | $3.5K |
| 2000 | $9.1K | $13.3K | $9.4K | $5.5K | $9.2K | $20.6K | $7.4K | $8.1K | $6.3K | $4.4K | $5.1K | $3.7K | $3.7K | $3.4K |
| 2001 | $9.6K | $13.6K | $9.4K | $5.7K | $9.5K | $20.3K | $11.6K | $8.4K | $6.6K | $4.5K | $5.2K | $3.8K | $3.7K | $3.5K |
| 2002 | $9.8K | $13.4K | $10.0K | $5.8K | $10.1K | $20.1K | $13.3K | $8.8K | $6.7K | $4.7K | $5.4K | $4.2K | $3.9K | $3.2K |
| 2003 | $10.5K | $13.6K | $10.4K | $5.9K | $10.8K | $22.7K | $14.5K | $9.1K | $7.1K | $5.0K | $5.7K | $4.3K | $3.9K | $2.7K |
| 2004 | $11.2K | $13.6K | $10.8K | $6.2K | $11.4K | $23.8K | $19.4K | $9.7K | $7.7K | $5.3K | $6.5K | $4.8K | $4.0K | $2.6K |
| 2005 | $11.7K | $14.0K | $11.5K | $6.6K | $12.2K | $26.9K | $22.1K | $10.4K | $8.1K | $5.8K | $6.8K | $5.4K | $4.3K | $2.5K |
| 2006 | $12.6K | $13.6K | $12.6K | $7.1K | $12.8K | $28.9K | $23.5K | $11.3K | $8.7K | $6.3K | $7.4K | $6.0K | $4.6K | $2.5K |
| 2007 | $13.6K | $14.4K | $13.4K | $7.6K | $13.3K | $30.9K | $26.6K | $12.0K | $9.5K | $6.7K | $7.9K | $6.7K | $4.2K | $2.4K |
| 2008 | $14.6K | $13.7K | $13.8K | $8.2K | $13.7K | $30.8K | $30.5K | $12.5K | $10.0K | $6.9K | $8.1K | $7.3K | $4.4K | $2.0K |
| 2009 | $15.1K | $13.4K | $11.7K | $8.5K | $13.7K | $29.0K | $29.7K | $12.3K | $10.2K | $7.0K | $8.1K | $7.2K | $4.8K | $2.2K |
| 2010 | $15.9K | $14.0K | $12.8K | $8.8K | $14.2K | $30.2K | $26.2K | $12.6K | $10.6K | $7.3K | $8.5K | $7.4K | $5.1K | $2.7K |
| 2011 | $16.9K | $14.8K | $13.6K | $9.0K | $14.6K | $15.7K | $27.2K | $13.1K | $10.4K | $7.6K | $9.0K | $7.5K | $5.2K | $3.0K |
| 2012 | $17.3K | $14.6K | $12.7K | $10.3K | $14.4K | $26.8K | $30.0K | $13.0K | $10.6K | $7.8K | $9.4K | $8.2K | $6.1K | $3.5K |
| 2013 | $18.4K | $14.5K | $13.6K | $10.5K | $14.4K | $21.2K | $27.9K | $13.4K | $10.7K | $8.2K | $9.7K | $8.5K | $5.8K | $3.8K |
| 2014 | $19.3K | $14.9K | $15.0K | $10.3K | $14.7K | $17.5K | $27.2K | $13.4K | $10.9K | $8.4K | $10.4K | $9.0K | $5.7K | $3.9K |
| 2015 | $20.3K | $14.3K | $14.1K | $10.9K | $13.8K | $17.9K | $19.5K | $13.4K | $10.8K | $8.4K | $10.5K | $8.1K | $4.7K | $4.0K |
| 2016 | $22.0K | $14.0K | $16.2K | $10.7K | $13.4K | $17.0K | $16.6K | $13.5K | $11.0K | $8.5K | $10.2K | $7.9K | $4.0K | $4.3K |
| 2017 | $22.9K | $14.8K | $15.7K | $11.1K | $13.5K | $18.0K | $18.4K | $13.7K | $11.3K | $8.6K | $9.9K | $8.1K | $4.4K | $10.8K |
| 2018 | $23.4K | $15.4K | $15.8K | $12.3K | $13.7K | $18.9K | $18.4K | $13.3K | $11.8K | $8.5K | $9.9K | $8.4K | $5.6K | $4.0K |
| 2019 | $24.4K | $15.9K | $16.0K | $13.4K | $13.9K | $16.2K | $16.5K | $13.4K | $12.5K | $9.2K | $9.6K | $8.6K | $5.7K | $4.2K |
| 2020 | $21.6K | $14.5K | $15.3K | $15.2K | $12.7K | $11.0K | $13.7K | $12.7K | $11.9K | $9.3K | $9.4K | $7.8K | $4.8K | $4.2K |
| 2021 | $23.0K | $18.5K | $18.0K | $15.6K | $14.5K | $12.6K | $16.8K | $13.7K | $12.4K | $10.0K | $9.7K | $8.7K | $6.3K | $4.8K |
| 2022 | $26.8K | $20.0K | $20.0K | $17.5K | $15.8K | $12.3K | $18.1K | $14.7K | $13.6K | $10.6K | $10.7K | $9.4K | $6.6K | $5.4K |
| 2023 | $29.4K | $20.8K | $21.0K | $18.5K | $16.8K | $13.9K | $17.0K | $15.2K | $14.1K | $11.3K | $11.2K | $9.5K | $6.9K | $5.8K |
| 2024 | $31.7K | $21.5K | $20.6K | $19.1K | $17.6K | $14.3K | $17.1K | $15.5K | $14.5K | $11.8K | $11.7K | $10.0K | $7.0K | $5.9K |
| 2025 | $33.7K | $22.2K | $20.7K | $20.2K | $18.6K | $16.5K | $16.1K | $15.9K | $15.2K | $12.5K | $12.0K | $10.3K | $7.2K | $6.5K |
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Frequently asked questions
What is the richest country in Africa?
In 2025, Mauritius ranks #1 with $33.7K, followed by Gabon ($22.2K) and Botswana ($20.7K). Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD), GDP per person, PPP, current international $ thousands; Africa.
What is the richest country in Africa?
Mauritius is the richest country in Africa by GDP per person, at about $33.7 thousand in 2025 in PPP terms. Gabon is second at $22.2 thousand and Botswana third at $20.7 thousand.
Who was Africa's richest country in 1990?
Libya was the richest in 1990, with GDP per person of about $17.2 thousand in PPP terms. Gabon was second at $12.0 thousand. Libya is sixth in 2025 at $16.5 thousand.
Why use PPP instead of regular GDP per person?
PPP adjusts for the fact that prices differ between countries, so it shows roughly what an average income can buy locally. Rankings can differ from those using plain US dollar exchange rates.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank, World Development Indicators (NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD), GDP per person, PPP, current international $ thousands; Africa. Retrieved November 4, 2026. You can download the full table as a CSV from this page.
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