Distribution of per capita GDP in 50 countries worldwide in 2025: The geographical imbalance of economic development

SolidityJester · 2026-01-04T16:42:14+00:00

According to 2025 data, several African countries have a per capita GDP of less than $500, facing severe economic difficulties, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. Although some countries have shown improvement, the overall region still faces systemic poverty and development bottlenecks, which severely impact the regional economy.

SolidityJester

2026-01-04 16:42:14

Abstract generation in progress

The Economic Dilemma on the African Continent

According to economic data from 2025, the countries facing the most significant economic challenges are primarily in Africa. South Sudan (251 USD), Yemen (417 USD), and Burundi (490 USD) are in extreme hardship, with per capita GDP below 500 USD. The poverty situation in sub-Saharan Africa is particularly severe, from the Central African Republic (532 USD) to Malawi (580 USD) and Madagascar (595 USD), a region facing systemic economic challenges.

Sudan (625 USD), Mozambique (663 USD), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (743 USD), and Niger (751 USD) all have per capita GDPs below 800 USD, reflecting ongoing economic difficulties in the region. Somalia (766 USD), Nigeria (807 USD), Liberia (908 USD), and Sierra Leone (916 USD) have seen slight improvements but remain far below the global average.

Distribution of Economic Underperformance

In this list of countries, African nations dominate overwhelmingly. Mali (936 USD), Gambia (988 USD), and Chad (991 USD) continue to bear economic pressures. Following them, Rwanda (1,043 USD), Togo (1,053 USD), and Ethiopia (1,066 USD) have crossed the 1,000 USD mark but are still among the lowest-income countries globally.

Lesotho (1,098 USD), Burkina Faso (1,107 USD), and Guinea-Bissau (1,126 USD) show that West Africa and Southern Africa face common development bottlenecks. The economic hardships in this region are closely related to inadequate infrastructure and a single-industry economic structure.

Weak Links in Asia and the Pacific

Myanmar (1,177 USD) is the first Asian country to appear on this list, marking economic challenges in parts of Southeast Asia. Tanzania (1,280 USD), Zambia (1,332 USD), and Uganda (1,338 USD) continue to pull down Africa’s average figures.

Tajikistan (1,432 USD), Nepal (1,458 USD), and East Timor (1,491 USD) represent the lagging position of South Asia and the Pacific in economic development. Benin (1,532 USD), Comoros (1,702 USD), and Senegal (1,811 USD), although exceeding 1,500 USD, still belong to the most economically fragile countries globally.

Countries with Per Capita GDP Below 2,000 USD

Cameroon (1,865 USD), Guinea (1,904 USD), and Laos (2,096 USD) further expand the scope of low-income countries. Zimbabwe (2,199 USD), Congo (2,356 USD), and the Solomon Islands (2,379 USD) barely surpass 2,200 USD in per capita GDP.

Kiribati (2,414 USD), Kenya (2,468 USD), and Mauritania (2,478 USD) show that even surpassing 2,400 USD, many countries still struggle within the low-income bracket. Ghana (2,519 USD), Papua New Guinea (2,565 USD), and Haiti (2,672 USD) are close to the 2,700 USD threshold, but the gap with the global average remains significant.

Countries Near the Per Capita GDP Boundary

Bangladesh (2,689 USD), Kyrgyzstan (2,747 USD), and Cambodia (2,870 USD) represent the last tier entering this ranking. Ivory Coast (2,872 USD) and India (2,878 USD) occupy the final positions on the list, marking the approximate threshold for the world’s lowest-income countries at around 2,900 USD.

This data profoundly reflects the severe global economic imbalance, especially the systemic poverty faced by sub-Saharan African countries, which requires ongoing international attention and support.

View Original

This page may contain third-party content, which is provided for information purposes only (not representations/warranties) and should not be considered as an endorsement of its views by Gate, nor as financial or professional advice. See Disclaimer for details.