The world's poorest countries are overwhelmingly concentrated in Sub-Saharan Africa, with conflict, political instability, and limited access to education and healthcare being common underlying factors. GDP per capita at purchasing power parity (PPP) adjusts for cost-of-living differences between countries, offering a clearer picture of relative economic wellbeing.
Note: Rankings vary between sources depending on whether nominal or PPP-adjusted figures are used. The data below follows the 2026 Global Finance ranking based on PPP.
| Rank | Country | GDP per Capita (PPP, US$) | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burundi | $994.23 | Africa |
| 2 | Central African Republic | $1,437.72 | Africa |
| 3 | South Sudan | $1,467.19 | Africa |
| 4 | Yemen | $1,590.19 | Asia |
| 5 | Mozambique | $1,688.91 | Africa |
| 6 | Malawi | $1,758.03 | Africa |
| 7 | Somalia | $1,905.21 | Africa |
| 8 | Liberia | $1,979.42 | Africa |
| 9 | Madagascar | $2,030.36 | Africa |
| 10 | DR Congo | $2,032.68 | Africa |
Data: Global Finance Magazine 2026 ranking via Tribune Online[citation:18]. PPP-adjusted figures reflect purchasing power rather than nominal exchange rates. Nine of the ten poorest countries are in Africa; Yemen is the sole non-African nation in the bottom ten.