What Is the Poorest Country in the World? (2025 Update)

When you hear “poorest country in the world,” a single name usually tops the list – but the story behind that ranking is anything but simple. South Sudan, a nation born in 2011, holds that title with a GDP per capita of just $515 (PPP) in 2025, yet the way poverty is measured shapes which country sits at the bottom.

Poorest country (2025 GDP per capita, PPP): South Sudan — $515 · Poverty rate in South Sudan (2025): 82.3% · Number of people in extreme poverty globally (2022): ~648 million · Countries with poverty rate >50%: 7 (South Sudan, Burundi, DR Congo, etc.)

What is the poorest country in the world?

What does “poorest” mean in this context?

“Poorest” typically refers to the lowest gross domestic product per capita, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP). But that number alone doesn’t capture the quality of life. South Sudan ranks last on that metric with a GDP per capita of $515 in 2025, according to Global Finance Magazine. However, when you look at the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI), which accounts for education, health, and living standards, the picture shifts—but South Sudan still sits near the bottom.

“Years of conflict have left over 80% of the population living below the poverty line.”

— Concern Worldwide

Is South Sudan the poorest country in 2025?

Yes, according to both Global Finance Magazine and World Atlas, South Sudan tops the list. Its GDP per capita of $716.249 in 2025 (IMF data) places it 189th out of 191 countries (only Somalia and Burundi are lower on some lists). But in terms of poverty rate—percentage of the population below the national poverty line—South Sudan’s 82.3% is among the highest in the world.

The catch: The $515 GDP per capita figure masks the reality for most citizens, who have almost no cash income.

What are the top 30 poorest countries in the world?

Which continent has the most poorest countries?

Sub-Saharan Africa dominates the list. Of the 30 poorest countries by GDP per capita, 25 are in Sub-Saharan Africa. According to World Population Review, the region also has the highest extreme poverty rate: over 40% of its population lives on less than $2.15 per day.

Here are the ten poorest countries in 2025 by GDP per capita (PPP):

How do these countries compare by GDP per capita?

The gap between the poorest and the next tier is stark. South Sudan’s $515 is half of Burundi’s $1,015. In fact, the combined GDP per capita of the bottom three (South Sudan, Burundi, Central African Republic) is less than the average monthly rent in a developed city. The pattern: all of these countries have experienced prolonged conflict, political instability, or severe climate shocks.

Which 5 countries have the highest poverty rate?

What is the poverty rate in South Sudan?

According to the World Bank’s most recent survey (2016), 82.3% of South Sudanese live below the national poverty line. That means only about 2 million of its 11 million people escape poverty by that definition. Concern Worldwide notes that in 2025, the percentage is estimated near 80% — and possibly universal by year-end if conflict continues.

How does poverty rate differ from GDP per capita?

GDP per capita measures average income per person. Poverty rate measures the share of the population below a threshold (e.g., national poverty line or $2.15/day international line). Why it matters: a country with moderate GDP per capita can still have a high poverty rate if inequality is extreme. For instance, South Africa’s GDP per capita (~$6,500) is far above the poorest countries, yet about 55% of its population lives below the poverty line.

Here are the five highest poverty rates (national poverty line):

• South Sudan — 82.3% (World Population Review)
• Madagascar — 75.2% (World Population Review)
• Central African Republic — 68.8% (World Population Review)
• Mozambique — 65% (World Population Review)
• Yemen — ~83% (estimated, 2025) (Concern Worldwide)

Which two countries have the largest number of poor people?

Why do India and Nigeria have high numbers despite not being poorest?

India and Nigeria are not near the bottom of GDP per capita rankings, but they have the largest absolute numbers of people living in extreme poverty. According to the World Bank, India had about 170 million people below the international poverty line ($2.15/day) in 2022, and Nigeria had about 80 million. The catch: large populations mean that even moderate poverty rates translate into massive numbers. For comparison, South Sudan’s extreme poor are about 9 million — fewer than Nigeria’s, despite a far higher poverty rate. Per a més informació, feu clic a apnea del son pot matar-te.

The implication: Aid and policy must target both high-poverty-rate countries and large-population countries, as the strategies differ.

How is poverty measured to determine the poorest countries?

What is GDP per capita?

Gross Domestic Product per capita (PPP-adjusted) divides a country’s total economic output by its population, adjusted for cost of living. It’s the most common ranking for “poorest country.” But it’s an average — so a country with huge oil wealth can look better off than it really is.

What is the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI)?

The MPI, developed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative (OPHI research institute), measures deprivations in health, education, and living standards. It identifies who is poor beyond just income. In 2024, the MPI showed that 1.1 billion people across 110 countries are multidimensionally poor — with highest concentrations in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

What are the limitations of each metric?

• GDP per capita hides inequality and doesn’t account for non-market activities (e.g., subsistence farming).
• Poverty headcount ratio depends on where the poverty line is set; national lines vary hugely across countries.
• MPI requires extensive survey data; for conflict zones like Yemen, recent data is scarce.

What are the common causes of extreme poverty in the poorest countries?

How does conflict contribute?

Conflict is the single biggest driver. South Sudan’s civil war (2013–2020) destroyed infrastructure, displaced millions, and collapsed the economy. Yemen’s ongoing war has pushed 83% of its population below the poverty line. According to Concern Worldwide, conflict-affected countries have poverty rates 10–15 percentage points higher than stable neighbours.

What about climate change and natural disasters?

Extreme weather events — droughts, floods, cyclones — devastate agriculture and livelihoods, especially in countries with low adaptive capacity. Madagascar, for instance, has been hit by consecutive cyclones and the worst drought in decades, contributing to its 75% poverty rate.

Role of governance and corruption

Corruption siphons away resources meant for public services. Transparency International ranks many of the poorest countries high on its Corruption Perceptions Index. When oil revenue in South Sudan fails to reach citizens due to mismanagement, the gap between GDP per capita and lived poverty widens.

“South Sudan tops the list of poorest countries with a GDP per capita of $515.”

— Global Finance Magazine

“Nearly 83 percent of Yemenis live below the poverty line in 2025 — a direct result of nearly a decade of war.”

— Concern Worldwide

The stubborn reality is this: poverty in the world’s poorest countries is not a number that moves quickly. For the 648 million people still in extreme poverty, the gap between the richest and poorest nations remains a chasm. For global policymakers, the takeaway is sharp: lifting the bottom billion requires not just GDP growth, but targeted investments in health, education, and peacebuilding — or the poorest countries will stay locked at the bottom.